{"id":2438,"date":"2022-12-31T14:09:13","date_gmt":"2022-12-31T14:09:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/?p=2438"},"modified":"2025-07-06T14:45:23","modified_gmt":"2025-07-06T14:45:23","slug":"amok-and-havoc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/?p=2438","title":{"rendered":"Adventure in Etymology &#8211; Amok and Havoc"},"content":{"rendered":"<div itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/AudioObject\"><meta itemprop=\"name\" content=\"Adventure in Etymology &amp;#8211; Amok and Havoc\" \/><meta itemprop=\"uploadDate\" content=\"2022-12-31T14:09:13+00:00\" \/><meta itemprop=\"encodingFormat\" content=\"audio\/mpeg\" \/><meta itemprop=\"duration\" content=\"PT2M07S\" \/><meta itemprop=\"description\" content=\"In this Adventure we\u2019re looking into the origins of the words amok and havoc. It\u2019s a double bill this week as I had a break for Christmas last week.\n\n\n\nAmok [\u0259\u02c8m\u0252k\/\u0259\u02c8m\u028ck] means:\n\n \tOut of control, especially when armed and dangerous.\n \tIn a frenzy of...\" \/><meta itemprop=\"contentUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/amok.mp3\" \/><meta itemprop=\"contentSize\" content=\"2.4\" \/><div class=\"powerpress_player\" id=\"powerpress_player_7272\"><audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-2438-1\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/amok.mp3?_=1\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/amok.mp3\">https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/amok.mp3<\/a><\/audio><\/div><\/div><p class=\"powerpress_links powerpress_links_mp3\" style=\"margin-bottom: 1px !important;\">Podcast: <a href=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/amok.mp3\" class=\"powerpress_link_pinw\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Play in new window\" onclick=\"return powerpress_pinw('https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/?powerpress_pinw=2438-podcast');\" rel=\"nofollow\">Play in new window<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/amok.mp3\" class=\"powerpress_link_d\" title=\"Download\" rel=\"nofollow\" download=\"amok.mp3\">Download<\/a><\/p><p>In this Adventure we\u2019re looking into the origins of the words <strong>amok<\/strong> and <strong>havoc<\/strong>. It\u2019s a double bill this week as I had a break for Christmas last week.<\/p>\n<p><a data-flickr-embed=\"true\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/ginjaninja\/6870633478\/in\/photolist-2g84RJy-48Nhb-85xeMA-85xeJG-bt8MXU-6TG1bC-2dAKpgw-2FvkAT-6jGV38-21FbQ7f-ZCGA7E-XqZgiD-21D1mJW-ZCGDSf-21D1iZs-D8fV1t-2ntbByX-NVq3A-85xeNY-8yKsJX-dvVXdx-9YpL-71kTsE-aFP12F-pnwf3C-x3hee-pgP2bM-pyidSD-pgNj7A-pgN3YD-pgN3Sr-pgP25V\" title=\"cry havoc\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/7241\/6870633478_bdf315a72f_z.jpg\" alt=\"cry havoc\" width=\"640\" height=\"320\"><\/a><script async=\"\" src=\"\/\/embedr.flickr.com\/assets\/client-code.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><strong>Amok<\/strong> [\u0259\u02c8m\u0252k\/\u0259\u02c8m\u028ck] means:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Out of control, especially when armed and dangerous.<\/li>\n<li>In a frenzy of violence, or on a killing spree; berserk.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>It usually appears in the phrase <strong>to run amok<\/strong>, which means to go on a rampage, to be in an uncontrollable rage, to go beserk, to go postal or to wreak havoc [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/run_amok#English\">source<\/a>].<\/p>\n<p><strong>Amok<\/strong> comes from the Portuguese <strong>amouco<\/strong> (amok), from the Malay <strong>amuk<\/strong> (to go on a killing spree, to run amok), from the Proto-Malayo-Polynesian <em>*hamuk<\/em>. The Tagalog word <strong>hamok<\/strong> (fierce fighting, brawl) and the M\u0101ori word <strong>amo<\/strong> (to charge, attack) come from the same roots [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/amok#English\">source<\/a>].<\/p>\n<p>Other English words derived from Malay include <strong>bamboo<\/strong>,  <strong>camphor<\/strong>, <strong>cassowary<\/strong>, <strong>cockatoo<\/strong>, <strong>compound<\/strong> (as in an enclousure), <strong>gecko<\/strong>, <strong>gingham<\/strong>, <strong>gong<\/strong> and <strong>orangutan<\/strong> [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/Category:English_terms_derived_from_Malay\">source<\/a>].<\/p>\n<p>The word <strong>havoc<\/strong> [\u02c8h\u00e6v\u0259k] means:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Widespread devastation and destruction, mayhem<\/li>\n<li>to pillage, cause havoc<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>It comes from the Middle English <em>havok<\/em> (plunder, pillage), from the Old French <em>havok<\/em>, from <em>havot<\/em> (pillaging, looting) [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/havoc#English\">source<\/a>].<\/p>\n<p>It appears in the phrase <strong>to wreak havoc<\/strong>, which means to cause damage, disruption or destruction [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/wreak_havoc#English\">source<\/a>]. Incidentally, I wrote about the word <strong>wreak<\/strong> on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/bloggle\/?p=22641\">Omniglot blog<\/a> this week.<\/p>\n<p>In Middle English it was used in the phrases <em>crien havok<\/em> (to give the signal for general plundering, and <em>maken havok<\/em> (to plunder thoroughly and indscriminately) [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/havoc#English\">source<\/a>]. The phrase, <strong>to cry havoc<\/strong> (to give an army the order to plunder) was and possibly still is used in modern English [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/cry_havoc#English\">source<\/a>].<\/p>\n<p>Here&#8217;s a <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/MzbsRcZokig\">video<\/a> I made of this information:<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/MzbsRcZokig\" title=\"YouTube video player\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Video made with <a href=\"http:\/\/bit.ly\/37vAg5P\">Doodly<\/a> [afflilate link].<\/p>\n<p>I chose these words because I spent Christmas with my family (see below), including my niece and nephews, who are all under 10. While they didn\u2019t exactly run amok or wreak havoc, a house full of young children can be a bit chaotic.<\/p>\n<p><a data-flickr-embed=\"true\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/omniglot\/52598053584\/in\/dateposted\/\" title=\"My family \/ Fy nheulu\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/52598053584_9a045d55f0_z.jpg\" alt=\"My family \/ Fy nheulu\" width=\"640\" height=\"560\"><\/a><script async=\"\" src=\"\/\/embedr.flickr.com\/assets\/client-code.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>I also write about words, etymology and other language-related topics on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/bloggle\/\">Omniglot Blog<\/a>, and I explore etymological connections between Celtic languages on the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/celtiadur\/\">Celtiadur<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>You can also listen to this podcast on: <a href=\"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/gb\/podcast\/radio-omniglot\/id1432641094\">Apple Podcasts<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/music.amazon.com\/podcasts\/8b1b1d1b-b39e-4277-b28d-479a3b5043b3\/radio-omniglot\">Amazon Music<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.stitcher.com\/podcast\/radio-omniglot\">Stitcher<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/tunein.com\/podcasts\/Education-Podcasts\/Radio-Omniglot-p1154145\/\">TuneIn<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.podchaser.com\/podcasts\/radio-omniglot-716327\">Podchaser<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/player.fm\/series\/radio-omniglot\">PlayerFM<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/podtail.com\/da\/podcast\/radio-omniglot\/\">podtail<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>If you would like to support this podcast, you can make a donation via <a href=\"https:\/\/www.paypal.com\/uk\/cgi-bin\/webscr?cmd=_flow&amp;SESSION=aLjPfXL-vP_1gQ_U23Iz8_hSWLlhzLHPMFZrt32dIEfG8htoNFLYaPoWkv8&amp;dispatch=5885d80a13c0db1f8e263663d3faee8def8934b92a630e40b7fef61ab7e9fe63\">PayPal<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.patreon.com\/omniglot\">Patreon<\/a>, or <a href=\"http:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/donations.htm\">contribute to Omniglot in other ways<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.japanesepod101.com\/member\/go.php?r=759259&amp;i=b0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/images\/banners\/banner_japanesepod.jpg\" alt=\"The Fastest Way to Learn Japanese Guaranteed with JapanesePod101.com\" width=\"630\" height=\"83\"><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/AudioObject\"><meta itemprop=\"name\" content=\"Adventure in Etymology &amp;#8211; Amok and Havoc\" \/><meta itemprop=\"uploadDate\" content=\"2022-12-31T14:09:13+00:00\" \/><meta itemprop=\"encodingFormat\" content=\"audio\/mpeg\" \/><meta itemprop=\"duration\" content=\"PT2M07S\" \/><meta itemprop=\"description\" content=\"In this Adventure we\u2019re looking into the origins of the words amok and havoc. It\u2019s a double bill this week as I had a break for Christmas last week.\n\n\n\nAmok [\u0259\u02c8m\u0252k\/\u0259\u02c8m\u028ck] means:\n\n \tOut of control, especially when armed and dangerous.\n \tIn a frenzy of...\" \/><meta itemprop=\"contentUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/amok.mp3\" \/><meta itemprop=\"contentSize\" content=\"2.4\" \/><div class=\"powerpress_player\" id=\"powerpress_player_7273\"><audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-2438-2\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/amok.mp3?_=2\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/amok.mp3\">https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/amok.mp3<\/a><\/audio><\/div><\/div><p class=\"powerpress_links powerpress_links_mp3\" style=\"margin-bottom: 1px !important;\">Podcast: <a href=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/amok.mp3\" class=\"powerpress_link_pinw\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Play in new window\" onclick=\"return powerpress_pinw('https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/?powerpress_pinw=2438-podcast');\" rel=\"nofollow\">Play in new window<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/amok.mp3\" class=\"powerpress_link_d\" title=\"Download\" rel=\"nofollow\" download=\"amok.mp3\">Download<\/a><\/p><p>In this Adventure we\u2019re looking into the origins of the words amok and havoc. It\u2019s a double bill this week as I had a break for Christmas last week. Amok [\u0259\u02c8m\u0252k\/\u0259\u02c8m\u028ck] means: Out of control, especially when armed and dangerous. In a frenzy of violence, or on a killing spree; berserk. It usually appears in [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[98,20,56,4,134,136,58,109,1,27,135],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2438","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-adventures-in-etymology","category-english","category-etymology","category-language","category-malay-bahasa-melayu","category-maori-te-reo-maori","category-middle-english","category-old-french-franceis","category-podcast","category-portuguese","category-tagalog"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2438","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2438"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2438\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3995,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2438\/revisions\/3995"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2438"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2438"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2438"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}