Here’s the latest news from the world of Omniglot. New writing system: Novo Tupi, an alphabet created in the early 19th century as a way to write Old Tupi, a language that was spoken by the Tupi people in Brazil until about the 19th century, and which developed into Nheengatu. New adapted script: Finnish Tengwar (Tengwar suomeksi), a way to write F…

In this episode of the Celtic Pathways podcast, we discover the possible Celtic roots of words for gravel in English and other languages. Gravel [ˈɡɹævəl] is small fragments of rock, used for laying on the beds of roads and railways, and as ballast, and other things (other meanings are available). It comes from Middle English gravel / gravail / gra…

Here’s the latest news from the world of Omniglot. New language pages: Central ǃKung (ǃXun), a Kxʼa language spoken in northern Namibia. Ik (Icétôd), a Kuliak language spoken in Karamoja in the Northern region of Uganda. Markwet (Markweta), a Southern Nilotic language spoken in Elgeyo-Marakwet County in western Kenya. Sudanese Arabic (لهجة سودانية)…

In this Adventure in Etymology, we unweave the origins of the word text. A text [tɛkst] is: A writing consisting of multiple glyphs, characters, symbols or sentences. A book, tome or other set of writings. A brief written message transmitted between mobile phones. (other meanings are available) It comes from Middle English text, from Old French tex…

Here’s the latest news from the world of Omniglot. New language pages: Kwasengen (Hanga Hundi), a Sepik language spoken in East Sepik Province in the northwest of Papua New Guinea. Dirasha (D’iraassh), a Lowland East Cushitic language spoken in southwestern Ethiopia. Saho (Saahot Af), a Lowland East Cushitic language spoken mainly in Eritrea and Et…

In this episode we discover the possible Celtic roots of words for larch (tree) in various non-Celtic languages. A larch [ˈlɑːtʃ/ˈlɑɹtʃ] is a confierous tree of the genus Larix having deciduous leaves in fascicles (bundles). The most common type of larch tree in Europe is the European larch (Larix decidua), which is native to northern Italy. Other …

Here’s the latest news from the world of Omniglot. New language pages: Kamasau, a Torricelli language spoken in East Sepik Province in the northwest of Papua New Guinea. Bukiyip (Bukiyúp), a Torricelli language spoken in East Sepik Province in the northwest of Papua New Guinea. Mufian, a Torricelli language spoken in East Sepik Province in Papua Ne…

In this Adventure in Etymology, we determine the limits of the word term, and find out how it’s connected to the Daleks in Dr Who. St Pancras International Station – a major railway terminus in London A term [tɜːm/tɝm] is: That which limits the extent of anything; limit, extremity, bound, boundary, terminus. A chronological limitation or restrictio…

Here’s the latest news from the world of Omniglot. New language pages: Djabugay, a Pama-Nyungan language spoken in Queensland in northeastern Australia. Lamalama, a Pama-Nyungan language spoken in Queensland in the northeastern Australia. Warao, a language isolate spoken in Venezuela, Guyana and Suriname. Kapóng, a Cariban language spoken in Guyana…

In this episode, we discover the Celtic roots of words for garter in English and French. The English word garter refers to a band around the leg to hold up a sock or stocking. It comes from Old Northern French gartier (garter), from Old French garet (knee, leg), from Vulgar Latin *garra (shank, calf), from Gaulish *garrā (leg), from Proto-Celtic *g…