{"id":4267,"date":"2025-12-20T05:19:42","date_gmt":"2025-12-20T05:19:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/?p=4267"},"modified":"2025-12-20T05:19:43","modified_gmt":"2025-12-20T05:19:43","slug":"adventures-in-etymology-absurdity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/?p=4267","title":{"rendered":"Adventures in Etymology &#8211; Absurdity"},"content":{"rendered":"<div itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/AudioObject\"><meta itemprop=\"name\" content=\"Adventures in Etymology &amp;#8211; Absurdity\" \/><meta itemprop=\"uploadDate\" content=\"2025-12-20T05:19:42+00:00\" \/><meta itemprop=\"encodingFormat\" content=\"audio\/mpeg\" \/><meta itemprop=\"duration\" content=\"PT1M58S\" \/><meta itemprop=\"description\" content=\"In this Adventure in Etymology we investigate the origins of the word absurd.\n\n\n\nAbsurd [\u0259b\u02c8s\u025c\u02d0d \/ \u00e6b\u02c8s\u025ad] can mean:\n\n Contrary to reason or propriety; obviously and flatly opposed to manifest truth; inconsistent with the plain dictates of common sen...\" \/><meta itemprop=\"contentUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/absurd.mp3\" \/><meta itemprop=\"contentSize\" content=\"2.1\" \/><div class=\"powerpress_player\" id=\"powerpress_player_5376\"><audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-4267-1\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/absurd.mp3?_=1\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/absurd.mp3\">https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/absurd.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\/absurd.mp3\" class=\"powerpress_link_pinw\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Play in new window\" onclick=\"return powerpress_pinw('https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/?powerpress_pinw=4267-podcast');\" rel=\"nofollow\">Play in new window<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/absurd.mp3\" class=\"powerpress_link_d\" title=\"Download\" rel=\"nofollow\" download=\"absurd.mp3\">Download<\/a><\/p><p>In this Adventure in Etymology we investigate the origins of the word <strong>absurd<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/images\/blog\/absurdity.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"300\" alt=\"Absurdity\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Absurd<\/strong> [\u0259b\u02c8s\u025c\u02d0d \/ \u00e6b\u02c8s\u025ad] can mean:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Contrary to reason or propriety; obviously and flatly opposed to manifest truth; inconsistent with the plain dictates of common sense; logically contradictory; nonsensical; ridiculous; silly.<\/li>\n<li>Having no rational or orderly relationship to people&#8217;s lives; meaningless; lacking order or value.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>In the past in meant inharmonious or dissonant.<\/p>\n<p>It comes from Middle French <em>absurde<\/em>, from Latin <em>absurdus<\/em> (incongruous, dissonant, harsh, silly, stupid), from <em>ab-<\/em> (away from, out), and <em>surdus<\/em> (deaf, inattentive, silent, indistinct), from PIE <em>*swer-<\/em> (to resound, speak loudly, ringing, whistling) [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/absurd#English\">source<\/a>].<\/p>\n<p>Words from the same roots include <strong>chwerw<\/strong> (bitter) in Welsh, <strong>searbh<\/strong> (bitter, sour, acid) in Irish, <strong>sword<\/strong> in English, <strong>zwaard<\/strong> (sword) in Dutch, <strong>assurdit\u00e0<\/strong> (absurdity, rubbish) in Italian, and <strong>sordo<\/strong> (deaf, dull, muted) in Spanish [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European\/swer-\">source<\/a>].<\/p>\n<p>The English word <strong>surd<\/strong> also comes from the same roots, and refers to an irrational number, a voicelss consonant, unvoiced or voiceless, and used to mean deaf or unheard [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/surd#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=\"Adventures in Etymology &amp;#8211; Absurdity\" \/><meta itemprop=\"uploadDate\" content=\"2025-12-20T05:19:42+00:00\" \/><meta itemprop=\"encodingFormat\" content=\"audio\/mpeg\" \/><meta itemprop=\"duration\" content=\"PT1M58S\" \/><meta itemprop=\"description\" content=\"In this Adventure in Etymology we investigate the origins of the word absurd.\n\n\n\nAbsurd [\u0259b\u02c8s\u025c\u02d0d \/ \u00e6b\u02c8s\u025ad] can mean:\n\n Contrary to reason or propriety; obviously and flatly opposed to manifest truth; inconsistent with the plain dictates of common sen...\" \/><meta itemprop=\"contentUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/absurd.mp3\" \/><meta itemprop=\"contentSize\" content=\"2.1\" \/><div class=\"powerpress_player\" id=\"powerpress_player_5377\"><audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-4267-2\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/absurd.mp3?_=2\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/absurd.mp3\">https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/absurd.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\/absurd.mp3\" class=\"powerpress_link_pinw\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Play in new window\" onclick=\"return powerpress_pinw('https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/?powerpress_pinw=4267-podcast');\" rel=\"nofollow\">Play in new window<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/absurd.mp3\" class=\"powerpress_link_d\" title=\"Download\" rel=\"nofollow\" download=\"absurd.mp3\">Download<\/a><\/p><p>In this Adventure in Etymology we investigate the origins of the word absurd. Absurd [\u0259b\u02c8s\u025c\u02d0d \/ \u00e6b\u02c8s\u025ad] can mean: Contrary to reason or propriety; obviously and flatly opposed to manifest truth; inconsistent with the plain dictates of common sense; logically contradictory; nonsensical; ridiculous; silly. Having no rational or orderly relationship to people&#8217;s lives; meaningless; lacking [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[98,47,20,56,23,6,12,4,50,140,11,1,59,28,7],"tags":[360,361,90,9,167,15,88,8,362,103],"class_list":["post-4267","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-adventures-in-etymology","category-dutch","category-english","category-etymology","category-french","category-irish","category-italian","category-language","category-latin","category-middle-french","category-music","category-podcast","category-proto-indo-european","category-spanish","category-welsh","tag-absurd","tag-absurdity","tag-etymology","tag-language","tag-linguistics","tag-music","tag-omniglot","tag-podcast","tag-surd","tag-words"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4267","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=4267"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4267\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4272,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4267\/revisions\/4272"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4267"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4267"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4267"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}