{"id":2813,"date":"2023-06-16T13:13:17","date_gmt":"2023-06-16T13:13:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/?p=2813"},"modified":"2023-06-16T14:18:28","modified_gmt":"2023-06-16T14:18:28","slug":"adventures-in-etymology-bureau","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/?p=2813","title":{"rendered":"Adventures in Etymology &#8211; Bureau"},"content":{"rendered":"<div itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/AudioObject\"><meta itemprop=\"name\" content=\"Adventures in Etymology &amp;#8211; Bureau\" \/><meta itemprop=\"uploadDate\" content=\"2023-06-16T13:13:17+00:00\" \/><meta itemprop=\"encodingFormat\" content=\"audio\/mpeg\" \/><meta itemprop=\"description\" content=\"In this Adventure we are investigating the fiery origins of the word bureau.\n\n\n\nA bureau [\u02c8bj\u028a\u0279.\u0259\u028a\/\u02c8bj\u028a\u0279.o\u028a] is:\n\n \tAn administrative unit of government\n \tAn organization or office for collecting or providing information or news.\n \tA desk, usually wi...\" \/><meta itemprop=\"contentUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/bureau.mp3\" \/><div class=\"powerpress_player\" id=\"powerpress_player_4896\"><audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-2813-1\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/bureau.mp3?_=1\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/bureau.mp3\">https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/bureau.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\/bureau.mp3\" class=\"powerpress_link_pinw\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Play in new window\" onclick=\"return powerpress_pinw('https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/?powerpress_pinw=2813-podcast');\" rel=\"nofollow\">Play in new window<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/bureau.mp3\" class=\"powerpress_link_d\" title=\"Download\" rel=\"nofollow\" download=\"bureau.mp3\">Download<\/a><\/p><p>In this Adventure we are investigating the fiery origins of the word <strong>bureau<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><a data-flickr-embed=\"true\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/zigazou76\/48357427781\/in\/photolist-2gFbswR-5Sp5rR-cPTrro-3puGp6-9M92MD-2kUscfk-2SfKW8-4guFsh-4gqBBt-rS8L6M-J99G1x-3W1Ty6-6tK5f-hrdVUV-nkuYsd-7b74kC-9jV6DE-cWwKqf-5pu6kT-5pu6yk-65LWQF-fCcCHQ-DnRHoE-7rBdUR-2sASXm-dorZh-d1raBy-MWkPYL-9jV6zm-23VKXi4-N7wR5K-5PX549-MEhC93-MEhRDQ-fLBWzj-2nmx5xJ-9ATFB-2on4CV6-RgaMVC-9jV6uy-2kPj2mq-cPTrGb-Ya6pu5-YqcWhD-fjD2jr-59iFLc-d1rzNd-9ATEu-7tHoP-2nefMTd\" title=\"Bureau du ch\u00e2teau de Beaumesnil\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/65535\/48357427781_0c411085ee_z.jpg\" alt=\"Bureau du ch\u00e2teau de Beaumesnil\" width=\"640\" height=\"425\"><\/a><script async=\"\" src=\"\/\/embedr.flickr.com\/assets\/client-code.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>A <strong>bureau<\/strong> [\u02c8bj\u028a\u0279.\u0259\u028a\/\u02c8bj\u028a\u0279.o\u028a] is:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>An administrative unit of government<\/li>\n<li>An organization or office for collecting or providing information or news.<\/li>\n<li>A desk, usually with a cover and compartments (<em>mainly UK<\/em>)<\/li>\n<li>A chest of drawers for clothes (<em>mainly USA<\/em>)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>It comes from French <em>bureau<\/em> [by.\u0281o] (desk, office, ticket office, office staff), from Old French <em>burel<\/em> (frieze [coarse woolen cloth], garment made of frieze) from Late Latin <em>burra<\/em> (a small cow with a red muzzle; a shaggy garment), from <em>burrus<\/em> (red, reddish-brown), from Ancient <em>\u03c0\u03c5\u03c1\u03c1\u03cc\u03c2<\/em> [pyr\u0325.r\u0325\u00f3s] (flame-coloured, redheaded) from <em>\u03c0\u1fe6\u03c1<\/em> [p\u0177\u02d0r] (fire, lighning, fever), from PIE <em>*p\u00e9h\u2082wr\u0325<\/em> (fire) [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/bureau#English\">source<\/a>].<\/p>\n<p>How did we get from <strong>coarse fabric<\/strong> to a <strong>desk<\/strong> to an <strong>office<\/strong>? Well, back in the 14th century the French word <em>bureau<\/em> meant a carpet on which one did one\u2019s accounts, probably made of coarse fabric. Later a table for doing accounts, then a place where you do your accounts, and by the 16th century it meant an establishment open to the public where a service of collective interest is undertaken [<a href=\"https:\/\/fr.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/bureau\">source<\/a>].<\/p>\n<p>The word <strong>burel<\/strong> (a coarse woolen cloth) also exists in English and was borrowed from Old French [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/burel#English\">source<\/a>], and the old word <strong>borrel<\/strong> (a mean, ignorant or unlearned fellow) probably comes from the same roots [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/borrel#Etymology_2\">source<\/a>].<\/p>\n<p>The English prefix <strong>pyro-<\/strong> (fire, heat, fever), as in <strong>pyromancy<\/strong> (divination by fire), <strong>pyrometer<\/strong> (a thermometer designed to measure high temperatures) and <strong>pyroclast<\/strong> (solid matter ejected into the air by an active volcano) comes from the same PIE root [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/pyro-#English\">source<\/a>], as do such words as <strong>fire<\/strong>, <strong>pyre<\/strong> and <strong>purge<\/strong> [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/fire#English\">source<\/a>].<\/p>\n<p>Here&#8217;s a <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/TcUGKO5ypvs\">video<\/a> I made of this information:<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/TcUGKO5ypvs\" title=\"YouTube video player\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" 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 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>Radio Omniglot podcasts are brought to you in association with <a href=\"https:\/\/blubrry.com\/services\/podcast-hosting\/?code=omniglot\">Blubrry Podcast Hosting<\/a>, a great place to host your podcasts. Get your first month free with the promo code <strong>omniglot<\/strong>.<\/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=\"Adventures in Etymology &amp;#8211; Bureau\" \/><meta itemprop=\"uploadDate\" content=\"2023-06-16T13:13:17+00:00\" \/><meta itemprop=\"encodingFormat\" content=\"audio\/mpeg\" \/><meta itemprop=\"description\" content=\"In this Adventure we are investigating the fiery origins of the word bureau.\n\n\n\nA bureau [\u02c8bj\u028a\u0279.\u0259\u028a\/\u02c8bj\u028a\u0279.o\u028a] is:\n\n \tAn administrative unit of government\n \tAn organization or office for collecting or providing information or news.\n \tA desk, usually wi...\" \/><meta itemprop=\"contentUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/bureau.mp3\" \/><div class=\"powerpress_player\" id=\"powerpress_player_4897\"><audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-2813-2\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/bureau.mp3?_=2\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/bureau.mp3\">https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/bureau.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\/bureau.mp3\" class=\"powerpress_link_pinw\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Play in new window\" onclick=\"return powerpress_pinw('https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/?powerpress_pinw=2813-podcast');\" rel=\"nofollow\">Play in new window<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/bureau.mp3\" class=\"powerpress_link_d\" title=\"Download\" rel=\"nofollow\" download=\"bureau.mp3\">Download<\/a><\/p><p>In this Adventure we are investigating the fiery origins of the word bureau. A bureau [\u02c8bj\u028a\u0279.\u0259\u028a\/\u02c8bj\u028a\u0279.o\u028a] is: An administrative unit of government An organization or office for collecting or providing information or news. A desk, usually with a cover and compartments (mainly UK) A chest of drawers for clothes (mainly USA) It comes from French [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[98,97,20,56,23,4,50,1,59],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2813","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-adventures-in-etymology","category-ancient-greek-","category-english","category-etymology","category-french","category-language","category-latin","category-podcast","category-proto-indo-european"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2813","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\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2813"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2813\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2816,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2813\/revisions\/2816"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2813"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2813"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2813"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}