{"id":4163,"date":"2025-10-18T14:08:02","date_gmt":"2025-10-18T14:08:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/?p=4163"},"modified":"2025-10-18T19:06:12","modified_gmt":"2025-10-18T19:06:12","slug":"adventure-in-etymology-fact-fiction","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/?p=4163","title":{"rendered":"Adventure in Etymology &#8211; Fact &#038; Fiction"},"content":{"rendered":"<div itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/AudioObject\"><meta itemprop=\"name\" content=\"Adventure in Etymology &amp;#8211; Fact &amp;#038; Fiction\" \/><meta itemprop=\"uploadDate\" content=\"2025-10-18T14:08:02+00:00\" \/><meta itemprop=\"encodingFormat\" content=\"audio\/mpeg\" \/><meta itemprop=\"duration\" content=\"PT3M29S\" \/><meta itemprop=\"description\" content=\"In this Adventure in Etymology we're uncovering some facts about the words fact and fiction.\n\n\n\nMeanings of fact [f\u00e6kt] include:\n\n Something actual as opposed to invented.\n Something which is real. \n Something concrete used as a basis for further int...\" \/><meta itemprop=\"contentUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/factandfiction.mp3\" \/><meta itemprop=\"contentSize\" content=\"2.6\" \/><div class=\"powerpress_player\" id=\"powerpress_player_4090\"><audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-4163-1\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/factandfiction.mp3?_=1\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/factandfiction.mp3\">https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/factandfiction.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\/factandfiction.mp3\" class=\"powerpress_link_pinw\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Play in new window\" onclick=\"return powerpress_pinw('https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/?powerpress_pinw=4163-podcast');\" rel=\"nofollow\">Play in new window<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/factandfiction.mp3\" class=\"powerpress_link_d\" title=\"Download\" rel=\"nofollow\" download=\"factandfiction.mp3\">Download<\/a><\/p><p>In this Adventure in Etymology we&#8217;re uncovering some <strong>facts<\/strong> about the words <strong>fact<\/strong> and <strong>fiction<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/images\/videos\/factandfiction.jpg\" width=\"634\" height=\"293\" alt=\"Fact &#038; Fiction\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Meanings of <strong>fact<\/strong> [f\u00e6kt] include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Something actual as opposed to invented.<\/li>\n<li>Something which is real. <\/li>\n<li>Something concrete used as a basis for further interpretation.<\/li>\n<li>An objective consensus on a fundamental reality that has been agreed on by a substantial number of experts. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>It comes from Old French <em>fact<\/em>, from Latin <em>factum<\/em> (fact, deed, act), from <em>faci\u014d<\/em> (to do, make, construct), from Proto-Italic <em>*fakj\u014d<\/em> (to make), from Proto-Indo-European <em>*d\u02b0h\u2081k-y\u00e9-ti<\/em> (to put, place), from <em>*d\u02b0eh\u2081-<\/em> (to do, put, place) [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/fact#English\">source<\/a>].<\/p>\n<p>Words from the same roots include <strong>affair<\/strong>, <strong>benefit<\/strong>, <strong>credit<\/strong>, <strong>deed<\/strong>, <strong>factory<\/strong>, <strong>family<\/strong>, <strong>perfect<\/strong>, <strong>thesis<\/strong> and <strong>tick<\/strong> in English, <strong>fare<\/strong> (to do, make, create) in Italian, <strong>hacer<\/strong> (to do, make) in Spanish, <strong>Ort<\/strong> (place, location, town) in German, <strong>\u0434\u0435\u043b\u043e<\/strong> (delo &#8211; affair, work, deed) in Russian, <strong>d\u00e1il<\/strong> (betrothal, legislature, Irish parliament) in Irish, and <strong>dadl<\/strong> (argument, debate, controversy) in Welsh [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European\/d%CA%B0eh%E2%82%81-\">source<\/a>].<\/p>\n<p>Meanings of <strong>fiction<\/strong> [\u02c8f\u026ak.\u0283\u0259n] include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>A type of literature using invented or imaginative writing, instead of real facts, usually written as prose. <\/li>\n<li>A verbal or written account that is not based on actual events (often intended to mislead)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>It comes from Middle English <em>ficcioun<\/em> [\u02c8fiksjun] (an invention or fabrication), Old French <em>ficcion<\/em> (dissimulation, ruse, invention), from Latin <em>ficti\u014d<\/em> (fashioning, forming, fiction), from <em>fing\u014d<\/em> [\u02c8f\u026a\u014b.\u0261o\u02d0] (to shape, fashion, form), from Proto-Italic <em>*fing\u014d \/ \u03b8ing\u014d<\/em> (to knead, form), from Proto-Indo-European <em>*d\u02b0i-n\u00e9-\u01f5\u02b0-ti<\/em>, from <em>*d\u02b0ey\u01f5\u02b0-<\/em> (to knead, form, shape) [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/fiction#English\">source<\/a>].<\/p>\n<p>Words from the same roots include <strong>dough<\/strong>, <strong>feign<\/strong>,  <strong>feint<\/strong>, <strong>figment<\/strong>, <strong>figure<\/strong> and <strong>lady<\/strong> in English, <strong>Teig<\/strong> (dough, paste, pastry, batter) in German, <strong>\u0926\u0947\u0939<\/strong> (deh &#8211; body, person) in Hindi, and <strong>fingere<\/strong> (to pretend, feign, dissemble) in Italian [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European\/d%CA%B0ey%C7%B5%CA%B0-\">source<\/a>].<\/p>\n<p>Incidentally, in Old English one word for fiction, and also false news or a made-up story, was <em>l\u0113asspell<\/em> [\u02c8l\u00e6\u035c\u0251\u02d0s\u02ccspe\u026b], which comes from <em>l\u0113as<\/em> (false, vain, worthless, a lie, mistake) and <em>spell<\/em> (story, news, argument) [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/leasspell#Old_English\">source<\/a>].<\/p>\n<p><em>L\u0113as<\/em> lives on in the English dialect word <strong>lease<\/strong> (to tell lies, slander) [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/leas#Old_English\">source<\/a>], and <em>spell<\/em> in <strong>gospel<\/strong> and <strong>(to) spell<\/strong> [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/spell#Old_English\">source<\/a>].<\/p>\n<p>The opposite was <em>s\u014d\u00fespell<\/em> [\u02c8so\u02d0\u03b8\u02ccspe\u026b] (a true story, nonfiction, history), which comes from <em>s\u014d\u00fe<\/em> (true, real, truth) and <em>spell<\/em> (story, news, argument) [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/leasspell#Old_English\">source<\/a>].<\/p>\n<p>The English word <strong>sooth<\/strong> (truth, augury, blandishment, reality, fact), as in <strong>soothsayer<\/strong> (one who attempts to predict the future using magic, intuition or intelligence) and <strong>forsooth<\/strong> (indeed, really, truthfully) comes from the same roots, as does <strong>sand<\/strong> (truth) in Danish, and <strong>sannur<\/strong> (true, authentic, real, genuine) in Icelandic [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/sooth#English\">source<\/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<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> blog.<\/p>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-5001128073855040\"\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><br \/>\n<!-- Blog horizontal --><br \/>\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\n     style=\"display:block\"\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-5001128073855040\"\n     data-ad-slot=\"1685480124\"\n     data-ad-format=\"auto\"\n     data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins><br \/>\n<script>\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\n<\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/AudioObject\"><meta itemprop=\"name\" content=\"Adventure in Etymology &amp;#8211; Fact &amp;#038; Fiction\" \/><meta itemprop=\"uploadDate\" content=\"2025-10-18T14:08:02+00:00\" \/><meta itemprop=\"encodingFormat\" content=\"audio\/mpeg\" \/><meta itemprop=\"duration\" content=\"PT3M29S\" \/><meta itemprop=\"description\" content=\"In this Adventure in Etymology we're uncovering some facts about the words fact and fiction.\n\n\n\nMeanings of fact [f\u00e6kt] include:\n\n Something actual as opposed to invented.\n Something which is real. \n Something concrete used as a basis for further int...\" \/><meta itemprop=\"contentUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/factandfiction.mp3\" \/><meta itemprop=\"contentSize\" content=\"2.6\" \/><div class=\"powerpress_player\" id=\"powerpress_player_4091\"><audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-4163-2\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/factandfiction.mp3?_=2\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/factandfiction.mp3\">https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/factandfiction.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\/factandfiction.mp3\" class=\"powerpress_link_pinw\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Play in new window\" onclick=\"return powerpress_pinw('https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/?powerpress_pinw=4163-podcast');\" rel=\"nofollow\">Play in new window<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/factandfiction.mp3\" class=\"powerpress_link_d\" title=\"Download\" rel=\"nofollow\" download=\"factandfiction.mp3\">Download<\/a><\/p><p>In this Adventure in Etymology we&#8217;re uncovering some facts about the words fact and fiction. Meanings of fact [f\u00e6kt] include: Something actual as opposed to invented. Something which is real. Something concrete used as a basis for further interpretation. An objective consensus on a fundamental reality that has been agreed on by a substantial number [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[98,31,20,56,24,113,29,6,12,4,50,58,55,109,1,59,133,32,28,7],"tags":[90,335,336,339,9,167,15,88,8,337,103],"class_list":["post-4163","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-adventures-in-etymology","category-danish","category-english","category-etymology","category-german","category-hindi-","category-icelandic","category-irish","category-italian","category-language","category-latin","category-middle-english","category-old-english-aenglisc","category-old-french-franceis","category-podcast","category-proto-indo-european","category-proto-italic","category-russian","category-spanish","category-welsh","tag-etymology","tag-fact","tag-fiction","tag-forsooth","tag-language","tag-linguistics","tag-music","tag-omniglot","tag-podcast","tag-sooth","tag-words"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4163","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=4163"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4163\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4170,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4163\/revisions\/4170"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4163"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4163"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4163"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}