Category: Words and phrases

Glass eyes

By Simon

Glasögon

Recently I learnt an interesting word in Swedish – glasögon, which means glasses or spectacles, and literally means “glass eyes”.

Glas means glass, and comes from the Proto-Germanic *glasą (glass), from the Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰel- (to shine, shimmer, glow) [source].

Ögon is the plural of öga (eye), and comes from the Old Swedish ø̄gha (eye), from Old Norse auga (eye), from Proto-Germanic *augô (eye), from Proto-Indo-European *h₃ekʷ- (eye; to see) [source].

The Swedish word glas reminds me of the Russian word for eye, глаз (glaz), which I remember by thinking of a glass eye. Глаз comes from the Old East Slavic глазъ (glazŭ – ball, eye), from the Proto-Slavic *glazъ (ball), from Proto-Indo-European *g(ʰ)el- (round, spherical, stone) [source].

The Russian word for glasses is очки (ochki), which comes from очи (ochi), the plural of око (oko), the old Russian word for eye, which comes from the same Proto-Indo-European root as öga and eye [source].

In Danish and Norwegian, the word for glasses is briller, which means ‘a person wearing glasses’ in Dutch, and to shine or sparkle in French [source]. The German word for glasses is simliar – Brille, and the Dutch is bril [source].

Briller, Brille and bril come from the Middle High German berillus (beryl), from the Latin beryllus (beryl), probably from the Ancient Greek βήρυλλος (bḗrullos – beryl), from Sanskrit वैडूर्य (vaidurya – a cat’s eye gem; a jewel), from Dravidian. Probably named after the city Velur (modern day Belur / ಬೇಲೂರು) in Karnataka in southern India. The first glasses, made in about 1300 in Italy, were made from beryl [source].

Beryl is a mineral which comes from three forms: morganite (orange), aquamarine (blue-green – pictured top right) and heliodor (green-yellow).

The French word for glass, lunettes, means “little moons” [source].

Are there interesting words for glasses, spectacles, specs, or eyes in other languages?

Bulging Budgets!

By Simon

What do the words bulge, budge and budget have in common?

The answer is, they all come from the same root.

Bulge comes from the Old Northern French boulge (leather bag), from the Late Latin bulga (leather sack), from the Gaulish *bulga / *bulgos, from the Proto-Celtic *bolgos (sack, bag, stomach) [source], from the Proto-Indo-European *bʰelǵʰ- (to swell) [source].

Budge, in the sense of “a kind of fur prepared from lambskin dressed with the wool on, formerly used as an edging and ornament, especially on scholastic habits”, comes from the Middle English bouge (to swell out, to bilge) from the Late Latin bulga (leather sack) [source].

Budget comes from the Middle English bogett / bouget / bowgette (leather pouch), from the Old French bougette (purse for carrying coins), the diminutive of bouge (leather bag, wallet), from the Late Latin bulga (leather sack) [source].

The Proto-Celtic word *bolgos is also the root of bolg, which means belly, stomach, abdomen, buldge or hold in Irish; belly, stomach, abdomen, corporation, bilge or bowl in Manx; and blister, bilge, bulb or womb in Scottish Gaelic [source].

In the Brythonic languages *bolgos became bol (belly, paunch, abdomen, stomach, bowels; tripe; appetite, desire, gluttony, liking) in Welsh [source], bolgh (breach, gap, opening) in Cornish [source], and bolc’h in Breton [source].

Budge, in the sense of to move, comes from a different root: from the Middle French bougier, from Old French bougier, from the Vulgar Latin *bullicāre (to bubble; seethe; move; stir), from the Latin bullīre (to boil; seethe; roil) [source].

Kabei

By Simon

Examples of the Esperanto word kabei

The word kabei [ka.ˈbe.i] appears in one of the Duolingo Esperanto lessons I did today in the sentences, “Mi ne volas kabei” and “Neniu kabeos pro tio”.

From the words available for the translation, I worked out what it meant, but it’s not obvious. In order to understand this word, you have to know something about the history of Esperanto.

Kabei means “to leave the Esperanto movement”, so the first example means “I don’t want to leave the Esperanto movement”, and the second means “Nobody will leave the Esperanto movement because of that”.

This word is based on the pseudonym, Kabe, which was used by Kazimierz Bein (1872-1959), a Polish ophthalmologist and prominent member of the Esperanto movement. He wrote prose in Esperanto, translated novels into the language, and produced one of the first Esperanto dictionaries. At least until 1911, when he left the movement, without saying why. In 1931 Bein said that he didn’t think Esperanto was a viable solution for an international language.

Not long after he left the Esperanto movement his pseudonym became a Esperanto word meaning “to fervently and successfully participate in Esperanto, then suddenly and silently drop out”.

Another word that’s very specific to Esperanto that came up in today’s lessons is krokodili (lit. “to crocodile”), which means “to speak among Esperantists in a language besides Esperanto, especially one’s native language or a language not spoken by everyone present” [source], for example “Ne krokodilu!” (Do not speak your native language when Esperanto is more appropriate!).

The origins of this word are uncertain. It may be related to crocodile having large jaws, and to the action of flapping one’s jaws carelessly. Maybe is was used to refer to noisy non-Esperantists who disturbed an Esperanto group in Paris in the 1930s. Or it may come from Andreo Cseh, an Esperanto teacher who’s students had to speak Esperanto when holding a wooden crocodile he always had with him [source].

The antonym of krokodili is malkrokodili, which means “to speak Esperanto among non-Esperanto speakers”.

You could use both words together perhaps: “Li ĉiam krokodilis, kaj pro tio li devis kabei.” (He always spoke his native language instead of Esperanto, and therefore he had to leave the Esperanto movement).

When is the sky not the sky?

By Simon

Useful phrase in Danish

In Danish, Norwegian and Swedish the word sky means cloud, as does ský in Icelandic. The word for sky in these languages is himmel (himinn in Icelandic), and in Swedish sky also means sky or gravy.

I learnt the Danish word sky the other day from the sentence: Enhjørningen flyver på en sky (The unicorn is flying on a cloud) – are very useful thing to be able to say.

Sky comes from the Old Norse ský (cloud), from Proto-Germanic *skiwją (cloud, cloud cover), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)kew- (to cover, conceal), which is also the root of the English word sky [source].

The English word cloud comes from the Old English clūd (mass of stone, rock, boulder, hill), from Proto-Germanic *klūtaz / *klutaz (lump, mass, conglomeration), from Proto-Indo-European *gel- (to ball up, clench), which is also the root of the English words chill, cold, congeal, cool, gel, gelatin and jelly [source].

In Old English there were different words for sky and cloud:

  • heofon was the sky or heaven [source], which survives in such modern English expressions as ‘the heavens opened’ (it started to rain heavily).
  • wolcen was cloud, and the plural, wolcnu was the sky or the heavens [source]. This became welkin in modern English, an archaic and poetic word for the sky, the upper air; aether; the heavens.

A sunny day in Bangor / Dydd heulog ym Mangor

Shlyap on a shapka

By Simon

шапка, шляпа, шляпка

A Memrise Russian lesson I’ve been working on this week includes two different words for hat: шапка (shapka), which is translated as ‘hat (to keep you warm)’ and шляпа (shlyapa), which is defined as ‘a hat (for style)’.

Шапка comes ultimately from the Old French chape (cape) [source].

Шляпа comes from the Old East Slavic шляпа (šljapa – hat, milksop, difficult situation), from Bavarian German Schlappe (defeat, flop, slap) [source].

When you search for шапка in Google Images, you mainly get pictures of knitted woollen hats, like the bobble hat in the image, plus a few fur hats.

When you do the same for шляпа you get mainly men’s hats, like the fedora in the image.

Another word for hat in Russian is шляпка (shlyapka), which seems to refer to a variety of quite elaborate women’s hats, like in the image. It is a diminutive of шляпа.

I like these words because they’re fun to say.

Are there other words for hat in Russian?

Here here!

By Simon

Here here!

There seem to be different ways to say here in Russian. In some contexts you use тут (tut), and in others здесь (zdyes’), or another word. I’m not sure when to use each one, so I thought I’d investigate.

Тут means here, then, at this point, and other things in some phrases [source]. For example:

  • У нас тут задержан подходящий подозреваемый
    = Look, we’ve got a pretty good suspect in holding here
  • Кстати, я работаю тут консультантом
    = Erm, I’m a consultant here, by the way
  • Поищу каких-нибудь заработков тут и там
    = I’ll try to pick up some odd jobs here and there

Тут comes from Old East Slavic тутъ (tutŭ – here; thereto; herewith), from ту (tu – there; thereto; then; here, herewith), from Proto-Slavic *tuto/*tu (there, here) [source].

Здесь means here or therein [source]. For example:

  • Мы можем провести больше времени здесь = I don’t know, we could spend more time here.
  • Так, подпишите здесь = Okay, sign here
  • Нам нужно зайти здесь = We need to go in here

Здесь comes from the Proto-Slavic *sьde (here, in this place) [source].

Сюда means here or therein [source]. For example:

  • (и) туда и сюда = both here and there
  • то туда, то сюда = sometimes here, sometimes there
  • ни туда ни сюда neither here nor there
  • туда-сюда = backwards and forwards, everywhere, all over the place
  • иди сюда! = come here!

Сюда comes from the Proto-Slavic *sǫda [source].

Отсюда means from here, hence [source]. For example:

  • После приёма я увезу тебя отсюда
    = After the party, I will get you out of here
  • Я выследил логово русских недалеко отсюда
    = I tracked the Russians to a warehouse not far from here
  • Я потерял их запах недалеко отсюда
    = Now, I lost their scent not too far from here.

Вот means here (is) [source]. For example:

  • вот моя мама = here is my mother
  • вот мои дети = here are my children
  • вот он идёт = here he comes

According to Reverso, здесь refers to location, сюда refers to destination, отсюда refers to departure point (from here), and тут means at this point or in the past.

Do other languages have several ways to express the idea of here?

Now now!

By Simon

Now Now!

I’ve noticed that there are several ways to say now in Russian. In some contexts you use сейчас (sejchas), and in others теперь (teper’), but I haven’t worked out when to use each one yet. So I thought I’d investigate.

Сейчас means now, just now or (only) just [source]. For example:

  • Он сейчас работает = He’s working just now
  • Сейчас приду = I’m just on my way
  • Сейчас же! = Right now!
  • прямо сейчас = right now
  • Я действительно хочу заняться чаем сейчас = I’d really like to get some of that tea now

Сейчас comes from сей (this) & час (hour, o’clock, time, time of day) [source].

Сей also appears in сегодня (sevódnja — today).

Часы (chasy) = watch or clock.

Теперь means now or nowadays [source]. For example:

  • Теперь обсудим следущий вопрос = Let us now move on to the next question
  • А теперь мне пора представить вам участников = And now it’s time for me to introduce to you our contestants
  • И теперь начнем нашу совместную жизнь = So, now we’re going to start a life together

From these examples, I’m guessing that сейчас is more immediate than теперь. Is that right?

There are other ways to say now in Russian it seems:

  • в настоящее время = now, currently, at present
  • к настоящему времени = by now
  • время от времени = now and then or again
  • впредь = from now on
  • до сих пор = until now
  • пока всё = that’s all for now

Теперь comes from the Old East Slavic топере (topere), and is apparently used in contrast with the past [source].

Welsh also has several words for now [source]:

  • nawr = now; shortly, presently (South Wales)
  • rŵan = now; shortly, presently (North Wales)
  • bellach = any more, henceforth, from now on, again; now, by this time, in the end; moreover
  • ar hyn o bryd = now, at this (point in) time, at the present moment, at this juncture
  • erbyn hyn = by this time, by now
  • yn awr = now, forthwith
  • awron = now, at present, at the present time, nowadays, by this time

Do other languages have several ways to express the idea of now?

Так, пока всё, пока пока (So that’s all for now, bye bye)

Lost and confused?

By Simon

A useful phrase that came up in my Swedish lessons on Memrise this week is Jag är lite förvirrad, which means “I’m a little confused”. This is quite a useful phase when you’re learning a new language, or trying to make sense of a new place, country or custom.

Another phrase that came up is Vi har gått vilse, which means “We’re lost” or literally “We have gone/walked astray”.

Förvirrad means confused, perplexed, addled, addlepated, bewildered, bumbling, chaotic, crazed, discombobulated, distracted, disturbed, dizzy, flighty, muddled, befuddled, diffuse, according to bab.la.

Here are a few examples of how it’s used:

  • Just nu ser han väldigt förvirrad ut
    Right now he’s got a real bewildered look on his face
  • Allt detta gör att man känner sig förvirrad
    All of this cannot fail to make one dizzy
  • Men i mitt förvirrade tillstånd, hamnade jag väldigt snabbt i självhjälpsavdelningen
    But given my befuddled state of mind, I ended up in the self-help section very quickly

Related words include:

  • förvirra = to confuse, confound, daze, bemuse, befuddle, bewilder, discombobulate, disorient, mix up, obscure
  • förvirrade = disconcerting
  • förvirrande = perplexity, confusing, bewildering, perplexing
  • förvirring = disorder, bafflement, bewilderment, confusion, daze, disorientation, distraction

förvirra comes from the Middle Low German vorwerren [source], which is also the root of verwirren (to confuse) in German and verwarren (to tangle, confuse, confound, befuddle) in Dutch.

The ver- and -en are affixes. The warr/wirr/werr part comes from Middle Dutch werre/warre (confusion, disarray, conflict), from Old Dutch *werra, from Proto-Germanic *werrō (confusion, disarray, conflict, strife), from the Proto-Indo-European *wers- (to grind, sand, sharpen, hone). The English war comes from the same root [source].

Vilse means lost, astray, wrong, according to bab.la.

Related words include:

  • vilsegången = lost
  • vilseföra = to confuse
  • vilsefört = blindsided
  • vilsekommen = lost, stray, wandering
  • vilseleda = to confuse, deceive, delude, misdirect, misguide, misinform, mislead
  • vilseledande = misleading, deceitful, deceptive, delusive, duplicitous, deceptively
  • vilseledat = misguided
  • vilseledd = to mislead

Vilse comes from vill (lost), from Old Norse villr (wild), from Proto-Germanic *wilþijaz (wild), from Proto-Indo-European *wel-/*welw- (hair, wool, grass, ear (of corn), forest), which is also the root of the English word wild [source].

Æbleskiver

By Simon

Æbleskiver

In the Duolingo Danish lessons I’ve been doing recently a number of words have popped with which are not really translated. One I noticed today is æbleskiver [ɛːbləˌsɡiːwɐ], which is simply translated as appleskives. That doesn’t really help as I don’t know what appleskives are.

Here’s an example sentence: Koen spiser mandens æbleskiver mens han kigger væk (The cow eats the man’s appleskives while he looks away).

From the context I guessed appleskives are something you eat and involve apples – æble = apple, but what?

The bab.la dictionary translates æbleskive as ‘pancake puff’, which doesn’t really help either.

According to Wikipedia, æbleskiver are ‘Pancake Puffs’ that are:

“spherical in shape. The name literally means apple slices in Danish, although apples are not usually an ingredient in present-day versions. Somewhat similar in texture to European pancakes crossed with a popover or Yorkshire pudding, æbleskiver are solid like a pancake but light and fluffy like a popover.”

Apparently they are traditionally eaten at Christmas, and are often served with gløgg (mulled wine). They are also served at children’s birthday parties.

This is more helpful, but what is a popover?

A popover is “a light, hollow roll made from an egg batter similar to that of Yorkshire pudding, typically baked in muffin tins or dedicated popover pans, which have straight-walled sides rather than angled.” [source].

So now we know.

Next time I go to Denmark, I will look out for æbleskiver, and try some. They sound quite tasty. I’ll have to make sure that no cows take them while I’m not looking though.

Jaså!

By Simon

Jaså!

An interesting Swedish word I learned recently is jaså [ˈjasɔ]. It is described by Wiktionary as an ‘expression of mild surprise’, and can be translated as ‘indeed, so, well then, oh, well, ah, huh’. So it’s quite a useful little word.

Here are some examples of how it’s used (from bab.la):

  • Jaså, så du vill gå i skolan här? = Oh, so you really want to go to school here?
  • Jaså, du vill prata om det? = Oh, you want to talk about that?
  • Jaså, vi skakade av oss dem? = Oh, we lost them, did we?
  • Jaså, du är här nu igen. = So you’re back again?
  • Jaså, någon annan. = Well, I’m someone else.
  • Jaså, du vill leka. = Oh, you wanna play?
  • Jaså, minsann?? = Oh, do you now?
  • Jaså, verkligen? = Oh really?

Equivalents in Danish appear to be åh, nå, nåh and tja.

What equivalent words are there in other languages?