{"id":4278,"date":"2026-01-03T04:49:24","date_gmt":"2026-01-03T04:49:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/?p=4278"},"modified":"2026-01-03T04:50:41","modified_gmt":"2026-01-03T04:50:41","slug":"adventures-in-etymology-code-trees","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/?p=4278","title":{"rendered":"Adventures in Etymology &#8211; Code Trees"},"content":{"rendered":"<div itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/AudioObject\"><meta itemprop=\"name\" content=\"Adventures in Etymology &amp;#8211; Code Trees\" \/><meta itemprop=\"uploadDate\" content=\"2026-01-03T04:49:24+00:00\" \/><meta itemprop=\"encodingFormat\" content=\"audio\/mpeg\" \/><meta itemprop=\"duration\" content=\"PT2M16S\" \/><meta itemprop=\"description\" content=\"In this Adventure in Etymology, we find what the word code has to do with books and trees.\n\n\n\nMeanings of code [k\u0259\u028ad \/ ko\u028ad] include:\n\n A short textual designation, often with little relation to the item it represents. \n A body of law, sanctioned by ...\" \/><meta itemprop=\"contentUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/codetrees.mp3\" \/><meta itemprop=\"contentSize\" content=\"2.4\" \/><div class=\"powerpress_player\" id=\"powerpress_player_7044\"><audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-4278-1\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/codetrees.mp3?_=1\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/codetrees.mp3\">https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/codetrees.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\/codetrees.mp3\" class=\"powerpress_link_pinw\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Play in new window\" onclick=\"return powerpress_pinw('https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/?powerpress_pinw=4278-podcast');\" rel=\"nofollow\">Play in new window<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/codetrees.mp3\" class=\"powerpress_link_d\" title=\"Download\" rel=\"nofollow\" download=\"codetrees.mp3\">Download<\/a><\/p><p>In this Adventure in Etymology, we find what the word <strong>code<\/strong> has to do with <strong>books<\/strong> and <strong>trees<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/images\/blog\/codetrees.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"300\" alt=\"Code Trees\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Meanings of <strong>code<\/strong> [k\u0259\u028ad \/ ko\u028ad] include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>A short textual designation, often with little relation to the item it represents. <\/li>\n<li>A body of law, sanctioned by legislation.<\/li>\n<li>Any system of principles, rules or regulations relating to one subject.<\/li>\n<li>A message represented by rules intended to conceal its meaning. <\/li>\n<li>Instructions for a computer.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>It comes from Middle English <em>code<\/em> (a system of law), from Old French <em>code<\/em> (a system of law), from Latin <em>c\u014ddex<\/em> (tree trunk; book, notebook), from <em>caudex<\/em> (tree trunk, block of woord, book), possibly from <em>c\u016bd\u014d<\/em> (I beat, strike), from PIE <em>*kewh\u2082-<\/em> (to hit, strike, forge) [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/code#English\">source<\/a>].<\/p>\n<p>Words from the same roots include <strong>codex<\/strong>, <strong>codicil<\/strong> (an addition or supplement modifying any official document) in English, <strong>c\u00f3digo<\/strong> (code) in Spanish, <strong>code<\/strong> (code) in French, <strong>kodex<\/strong> (code [of laws]) in Czech, and <strong>k\u00fct\u00fck<\/strong> (log [tree\/computer], official register) in Turkish [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European\/swer-\">source<\/a>].<\/p>\n<p>In Latin, <em>caudex<\/em> originally meant a tree trunk or block of wood. Later it came to refer to the wax tablets Romans used for writing on. From about the 1st Century AD\/CE, scrolls were gradually replaced by <strong>codices<\/strong>, books made of stacks of paper bound together along one edge. The word <em>c\u014ddex<\/em> was used to refer to such books [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Codex\">source<\/a>]. <\/p>\n<p>In English, the word <strong>codex<\/strong> refers to an early manuscript book, that is, one bound by joining pages, as opposed to a rolled scroll. Specifically, it refers to hand-writing books made using parchment, vellum or papyrus rather than paper. It can also mean an official list of medicines and medicinal ingredients. [<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/codex#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; Code Trees\" \/><meta itemprop=\"uploadDate\" content=\"2026-01-03T04:49:24+00:00\" \/><meta itemprop=\"encodingFormat\" content=\"audio\/mpeg\" \/><meta itemprop=\"duration\" content=\"PT2M16S\" \/><meta itemprop=\"description\" content=\"In this Adventure in Etymology, we find what the word code has to do with books and trees.\n\n\n\nMeanings of code [k\u0259\u028ad \/ ko\u028ad] include:\n\n A short textual designation, often with little relation to the item it represents. \n A body of law, sanctioned by ...\" \/><meta itemprop=\"contentUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/codetrees.mp3\" \/><meta itemprop=\"contentSize\" content=\"2.4\" \/><div class=\"powerpress_player\" id=\"powerpress_player_7045\"><audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-4278-2\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/codetrees.mp3?_=2\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/codetrees.mp3\">https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/codetrees.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\/codetrees.mp3\" class=\"powerpress_link_pinw\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Play in new window\" onclick=\"return powerpress_pinw('https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/?powerpress_pinw=4278-podcast');\" rel=\"nofollow\">Play in new window<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/media.blubrry.com\/radio_omniglot\/www.omniglot.com\/soundfiles\/etymology\/codetrees.mp3\" class=\"powerpress_link_d\" title=\"Download\" rel=\"nofollow\" download=\"codetrees.mp3\">Download<\/a><\/p><p>In this Adventure in Etymology, we find what the word code has to do with books and trees. Meanings of code [k\u0259\u028ad \/ ko\u028ad] include: A short textual designation, often with little relation to the item it represents. A body of law, sanctioned by legislation. Any system of principles, rules or regulations relating to one [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[98,33,20,56,23,4,50,58,11,109,1,59,28,127],"tags":[367,363,365,366,90,9,167,15,88,8,368,103],"class_list":["post-4278","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-adventures-in-etymology","category-czech","category-english","category-etymology","category-french","category-language","category-latin","category-middle-english","category-music","category-old-french-franceis","category-podcast","category-proto-indo-european","category-spanish","category-turkish-turkce","tag-books","tag-code","tag-codices","tag-codicil","tag-etymology","tag-language","tag-linguistics","tag-music","tag-omniglot","tag-podcast","tag-trees","tag-words"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4278","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=4278"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4278\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4282,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4278\/revisions\/4282"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4278"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4278"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/radio\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4278"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}