Omniglot News (18/12/22)

Here’s the latest news from the world of Omniglot.

There’s a new writing system called the Naasioi Otomaung Alphabet, which was created by Chief Peter Karatapi to write Naasioi, a language spoken on the island of Bougainville in Papua New Guinea.

Sample text in the Naasioi Otomaung Alphabet

There are new language pages about:

  • Ghari, an Oceanic language spoken in Vaturanga in the northwest of Guadalcanal Island in the Solomon Islands.
  • Naasioi, a South Bougainville language spoken Kieta District of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville in Papua New Guinea.
  • Selaru (tel Masylarkwe), a Malayo-Polynesian language spoken in the Tanimbar Islands in the Maluku Tenggara Barat Regency of Maluku Province in the south of Malaysia.

New adapted script: Malay Shavian (𐑳𐑚𐑡𐑳𐑛 𐑥𐑩𐑤𐑳𐑘𐑫 𐑖𐑳𐑢𐑦), which was devised by Damian Izrullah bin Abdullah as an alternative way to write Malay, Indonesian and other Austronesian languages with the Shavian alphabet.

Sample text in Malay Shavian

New adapated script: Magyargari (मजगरि), a way to write Hungarian with the Devanagari script devised by Xavier Merica.

मिन्देन् एम्बेरि लैण् सबदोन् सिुलेतिक् ऐश् एजेन्लिै मैल्तशाग ऐश् योग वन्। अस़् एम्बेरेक्, ऐश्सेल् ऐश् लेल्किइश्मेरेत्तेल् बिर्वान्, एज्माश्शल् सेम्बेन् तेश्त्वैरि सेल्लेम्बेन् केल्ल् होज् विशेल्तेश्शेनेक्।

There are new numbers pages in:

  • Ghari, an Oceanic language spoken in Vaturanga in the northwest of Guadalcanal Island in the Solomon Islands.
  • Selaru (tel Masylarkwe), a Malayo-Polynesian language spoken in the Tanimbar Islands in the Maluku Tenggara Barat Regency of Maluku Province in the south of Malaysia.
  • Ida’an, a North Bornean language spoken in Sabah, Malaysia.

There are new translations of the Tower of Babel story in Roviana, Ghari, Cheke Holo, Central Sinama, Nigerian Pidgin, Western Bolivian Guaraní and Selaru.

On the Omniglot blog there’s a new post about the Japanese expression 歩行者天国 (hokōsha tengoku), which means a pedestrianised area, or literally “Pedestrian Paradise”, and there’s the usual Language Quiz. See if you can guess what language this is:

Here’s a clue: this is language is spoken in Nigeria.

The mystery language in last week’s language quiz was Bakhtiari Luri (بختیاری), a Western Iranian language spoken mainly in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province in southwestern Iran.

On the Celtiadur blog we’re looking at words for Speckled and Spotted and related things in Celtic languages.

In this week’s Adventure in Etymology we snuffle around the origins of the word Snort.

On the Celtic Pathways podcast we find out what links the word Javelin with words for fork and related things.

For more Omniglot News see:
https://www.omniglot.com/news/
https://twitter.com/Omniglossia
https://www.facebook.com/groups/omniglot/
https://www.facebook.com/Omniglot-100430558332117

You can also listen to this podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Stitcher, TuneIn, Podchaser, PlayerFM or podtail.

If you would like to support this podcast, you can make a donation via PayPal or Patreon, or contribute to Omniglot in other ways.

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Celtic Pathways – Javelin

In this episode we’re getting to grips with the word javelin.

Javlin

A javelin is a light spear thrown with the hand and used as a weapon, or a metal-tipped spear thrown for distance in an athletic field event. It comes from the Old French javelline (javelin), a diminutive of javelot (javelin), from the Vulgar Latin *gabalottus (spear), from the Gaulish *gabalos (fork), from the Proto-Celtic gablā- (fork, forked branch), from Proto-Indo-European *gʰabʰlos (fork, branch of tree) [source].

Related words in modern Celtic language include:

  • gabhal [ɡoːəl̪ˠ] = bifurcation, fork, crotch, junction in Irish
  • gobhal [ɡoːəl̪ˠ] = bifurcation, fork, crotch, junction in Scottish Gaelic
  • goal = fork, branch, crotch, crutch, junction, perineum in Manx
  • gafl [gafl] = fork, stride, lap, inner part of the thigh, groin, angle, nook in Welsh
  • gowl = crotch, fork in Cornish
  • goal = fork in Breton

The English word gable comes from the same Gaulish root, via the Old French gable [source]. The English word gaffle (a lever used to bend a crossbow) possibly comes from the same Gaulish root, via Middle English gaffolle, the Middle Dutch gaf(f)el (fork) and the Proto-West Germanic *gabulu (fork) [source].

Words in other languages from the same Gaulish root include Gaffel (gaff) in German, gaffel (fork) in Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, and kahveli (gaff, fork) in Finnish [source].

More details of fork-related words in Celtic languages can be found on the Celtiadur, a blog where I explore connections between Celtic languages in more depth. I also write about words, etymology and other language-related topics on the Omniglot Blog.

You can also listen to this podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Stitcher, TuneIn, Podchaser, PlayerFM or podtail.

If you would like to support this podcast, you can make a donation via PayPal or Patreon, or contribute to Omniglot in other ways.

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Adventures in Etymology – Snort

In this Adventure we are snuffling around the origins of the word snort.

harbor seal thrusting head back and snorting

Snort [snɔɹt] means:

  • The sound made by exhaling or inhaling roughly through the nose.
  • to exhale roughly through the nose; to make a snort
  • to inhale snuff or another snortable substance

It comes from the Middle English snorten (to snore, breathe heavily, snort), from fnorten/fnōren (to snore loudly, to snort in one’s sleep, (of a horse) to snort), from the Old English fnora (a sneeze, sneezing), from the Proto-Germanic *fnuzô, from the Proto-Indo-European *pnew- (to breathe, snort, sneeze) [source].

Words derived from snort include chortle (a joyful, somewhat muffled laugh, rather like a snorting chuckle) – a blend of chuckle and snort [source]; and snortle (a hearty laugh that is punctuated by a snort on the inhale) – a blend of snort and chortle [source].

Words from the same roots at snort include πνέω [ˈpne.o] (to blow) in Greek; niezen (to sneeze) in Dutch; sneeze, pneumonia and pneumatic in English; and fnysa (to snort, scoff, sniff, harumph) in Swedish [source].

Here’s a video I made of this information:

Video made with Doodly [afflilate link].

I also write about words, etymology and other language-related topics on the Omniglot Blog, and I explore etymological connections between Celtic languages on the Celtiadur.

You can also listen to this podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Stitcher, TuneIn, Podchaser, PlayerFM or podtail.

If you would like to support this podcast, you can make a donation via PayPal or Patreon, or contribute to Omniglot in other ways.

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Omniglot News (11/12/2022)

Here’s the latest news from the world of Omniglot.

There are new language pages about:

  • Bola (Bola-Bakovi), a Western Oceanic language spoken in West New Britain province of Papua New Guinea.

New constructed script: Geolmgeul (걺글), which is an alternative way to write Korean created by Heesu Kim, and was inspired by Korean handwriting and Japanese hiragana.

Sample text in Geolmgeul

New adapated script: Latvian Runes (ᛚᚨᛏᚡᛁᛃᚨᛊ ᚱᚤᚾᚨᛊ / Latvijas Rūnas) (걺글), a way to write Latvian with Runes devised by Xavier Merica.

Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Latvian Runes

There are new numbers pages in:

  • Wiradjuri, a Pama-Nyungan language spoken in New South Wales in Australia.
  • Bola (Bola-Bakovi), a Western Oceanic language spoken in West New Britain province of Papua New Guinea.
  • Kwara’ae, an Oceanic language spoken mainly on Malaita Island in the Solomon Islands.

There are new translations of the Tower of Babel story in Gonja and Kwara’ae

On the Omniglot blog there’s a new post about the latest UK Census, which shows a fall in the number of Welsh speakers, and there’s the usual Language Quiz. See if you can guess what language this is:

Here’s a clue: this is language is spoken in parts of Iran.

The mystery language in last week’s language quiz was Tombulu (a.k.a. Minahasan), a Philippine language spoken in the Minahasa Regency of North Sulawesi Province in Indonesia.

On the Celtiadur blog we unlock words for Prison, Coracles in Celtic languages.

Continuing the prison theme, this week’s Adventure in Etymology looks into the origins of the word Jail/Gaol.

On the Celtic Pathways podcast about the word Coracle.

For more Omniglot News see:
https://www.omniglot.com/news/
https://twitter.com/Omniglossia
https://www.facebook.com/groups/omniglot/
https://www.facebook.com/Omniglot-100430558332117

You can also listen to this podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Stitcher, TuneIn, Podchaser, PlayerFM or podtail.

If you would like to support this podcast, you can make a donation via PayPal or Patreon, or contribute to Omniglot in other ways.

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Celtic Pathways – Coracle

In this episode we’re getting out onto the river to look into the word coracle.

John Baker's Doppelmonk Brogue K188 Kalbsleder hellbraun (brown) (1)

A coracle is a small, rounded, lightweight boat traditionally used in Wales, in parts of the West Country of England. in Ireland and in Scotland. It is made of a framework of split and interwoven willow rods, tied with willow bark and traditionally covered with an animal skin such as horse or bullock hide, with a thin layer of tar to waterproof it. These days calico, canvas or fibreglass are used instead of animal hide [source].

They are also known as currachs/curraghs in Ireland and Scotland, and these words were all borrowed from Celtic languages: coracle from Welsh, currach/curragh from Irish or Scottish Gaelic.

Related words in Celtic language include:

  • curach [kəˈɾˠax] = currach, coracle in Irish
  • curach [kurəx] = coracle, curragh, frame (of a coracle or an animal) in Scottish Gaelic
  • curragh [ˈkɔrʊɡ(i)] = coracle, canoe in Manx
  • corwg(l) = coracle, skiff; vessel, drinking vessel in Welsh
  • koroug = coracle in Cornish
  • korac’h = coracle in Breton

These words comes from the Proto-Celtic *korukos (leather boat), probably from the PIE *(s)koro- (leather), from *(s)ker- (to cut off) [source].

Words from the same PIE roots include cuir (leather) in French, cuero (leather, animal skin, hide) in Spanish and couro (leather, hide) in Portuguese [source].

More details of shoe– and trouser-related words in Celtic languages can be found on the Celtiadur, a blog where I explore connections between Celtic languages in more depth. I also write about words, etymology and other language-related topics on the Omniglot Blog.

You can also listen to this podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Stitcher, TuneIn, Podchaser, PlayerFM or podtail.

If you would like to support this podcast, you can make a donation via PayPal or Patreon, or contribute to Omniglot in other ways.

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Adventures in Etymology – Jail / Gaol

In this Adventure we unlock the origins of the word jail / gaol.

Kilmainham Gaol

A jail / gaol [d͡ʒeɪ(ə)l] is:

  • A place of confinement for persons held in lawful custody.

Gaol was the standard spelling in the UK and Australia until about the 1930s, when apparently the game Monopoly popularised the jail spelling. It comes from the Middle English gai(o)le (jail, prison, birdcage), from the Old North French gaiole (cave, prison), from the Medieval Latin gabiola (cage) from the Late Latin caveola, a diminuative of cavea (hollow, cavity, cage), from cavus (hollow, concave) [source].

Jail comes from the Middle English jaile (jail, prison, birdcage), from the Old French jaiole (cage, prison), from the same Latin roots as gaol. Both words come from the Proto-Italic *kawos, and possibly from the PIE *ḱowh₁ós (hollow), from *ḱewh₁- (to swell) [source].

English words from the same roots include cave, cavern, cavity, cage and church [source].

Apparently in the USA a jail is under the jurisdiction of a local government (such as a county) and is used to confine people awaiting trail or those convicted of minor crimes [source], while a prison is under state jurisdiction and is used to confine those convicted of serious crimes [source].

I also write about words, etymology and other language-related topics on the Omniglot Blog, and I explore etymological connections between Celtic languages on the Celtiadur.

You can also listen to this podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Stitcher, TuneIn, Podchaser, PlayerFM or podtail.

If you would like to support this podcast, you can make a donation via PayPal or Patreon, or contribute to Omniglot in other ways.

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Omniglot News (04/12/22)

Here’s the latest news from the world of Omniglot.

There are new language pages about:

  • Akkala Sámi (Аһккэла саамь киилл), an Eastern Sámi language that was spoken on the Kola Peninsula in the Murmansk Oblast in the northwest of Russia.
  • East (James Bay) Cree (ᐄᔨᔫ ᐊᔨᒨᓐ / Îyiyû Ayimûn), a Cree language spoken around James Bay in northern Quebec in Canada.
  • Vitu, a Western Oceanic language spoken on the islands of Big Vitu (Garove) and Mudua in West New Britain Province in Papua New Guinea.

New constructed script: Ladowshand, which was created by Arcee Gonepike as an alternative way to write English

Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Ladowshand

There are new numbers pages in:

  • Vitu, a Western Oceanic language spoken in West New Britain Province in Papua New Guinea.
  • Yelmek, a Bulaka River language spoken in West Papua in Indonesia.
  • Biak (wós Vyak), a Malayo-Polynesian language spoken in the Biak Islands in Papua Province in eastern Indonesia.
  • Kelabit (karuh Kelabit), a North Bornean language spoken in Sarawak in Malaysia.

There a new translation of the Tower of Babel story in Eastern Arrernte, a Pama-Nyungan language spoken in Central Australia.

On the Omniglot blog there’s a new post about idiomatic ways to say you’re happy in English and Scottish Gaelic called As Happy As A Shoe, and there’s the usual Language Quiz. See if you can guess what language this is:

Here’s a clue: this is a Phippine language, but isn’t spoken in the Philippines

The mystery language in last week’s language quiz was Susu (Sosoxui), a Western Mande language spoken in Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Senegal and Sierra Leone in West Africa.

There’s a Celtiadur post about words for Boots and Shoes and one about Foreheads and related things in Celtic languages.

This week we have a joint Adventures in Etymology and Celtic Pathways podcast about the word brogue.

I also made improvements to the Klallam and Koasati language pages.

For more Omniglot News see:
https://www.omniglot.com/news/
https://twitter.com/Omniglossia
https://www.facebook.com/groups/omniglot/
https://www.facebook.com/Omniglot-100430558332117

You can also listen to this podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Stitcher, TuneIn, Podchaser, PlayerFM or podtail.

If you would like to support this podcast, you can make a donation via PayPal or Patreon, or contribute to Omniglot in other ways.

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Adventures in Etymology / Celtic Pathways – Brogue

In this episode we’re look into the tangled origins of the word brogue. I decided to make this a joint Adventures in Etymology / Celtic Pathways episode rather doing two separate ones. I hope you don’t mind.

John Baker's Doppelmonk Brogue K188 Kalbsleder hellbraun (brown) (1)

The word brogue in English refers to a type of shoe, or a strong accent, particularly a strong Irish accent when speaking English, although it originally referred to Irish spoken with a strong English accent, or a heavy shoe of untanned leather.

It comes from the Irish word bróg (boot, shoe), from the Old Irish bróc [broːɡ] (shoe, sandal, greave), from the Old Norse brók (trousers, breeches) or the Old English brōc (underpants), both of which come from the Proto-Germanic *brōks (rear end, rump, leggings, pants, trousers), from the PIE *bʰreg- (to break, crack, split) [source].

Related words in other Celtic languages include:

  • bròg [brɔːg] = shoe, boot, hoof in Scottish Gaelic
  • braag = brogue, shoe in Manx
  • brog = brogue (shoe) in Welsh

Brogue in the sense of accent might come from the Irish word barróg (hug, wrestling grip, brogue, impediment of speech) [source], which comes from the Old Irish barróc (fast hold, tight grip, embrace, gripe, stitch) [source],

Other words from the Proto-Germanic root *brōks include breeches/britches in English, brók (trousers, underpants) in Icelandic and Faroese, brok (trousers) in Swedish and Norwegian, and broek (trousers) in Dutch [source].

The Irish word bríste (trousers), the Manx word breeçhyn (breeches) and the Welsh word brits/britsh (breeches) were borrowed from the English word breeches. The Scottish Gaelic word briogais (trousers) comes from the Scots breeks (trousers, breeches), from the Middle English breke, from the Old English brēċ [breːt͡ʃ] (underpants) [source].

More details of shoe– and trouser-related words in Celtic languages can be found on the Celtiadur, a blog where I explore connections between Celtic languages in more depth. I also write about words, etymology and other language-related topics on the Omniglot Blog.

You can also listen to this podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Stitcher, TuneIn, Podchaser, PlayerFM or podtail.

If you would like to support this podcast, you can make a donation via PayPal or Patreon, or contribute to Omniglot in other ways.

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Omniglot News (27/11/22)

Here’s the latest news from the world of Omniglot.

There are new language pages about:

  • Aneityum (Anejom̃), a Southern Oceanic language spoken on Aneityum Island in Tafea Province in the south of Vanuatu.
  • Kokota (Ooe Kokota), a Western Oceanic language spoken on Santa Isabel Island in Isabel Province in the Solomon Islands.
  • Nobonob, a Madang language spoken in Madang Province in Papua New Guinea.

New constructed script: Latin Partabet, which is an alternative way to write English using parts of Latin letters.

Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Latin Partabet

New adapated script: Japan Arabic, a way to write Japanese with the Arabic script.

سوبوتي نو نينڬين وا جييوٓ ني اوماري، سونڬين تو كينري نو تيندي بيوٓدوٓديسو. كاريرا ني وا ايشيكي‌ تو كنجوٓ ڬا اري، اوتاڬاي ني كوٓدوٓ سورو هيتسويوٓ ڬا اريماسو كيوٓداي أي نو سييشين دي.

There are new numbers pages in:

  • Manam, a Western Oceanic language spoken on Manam Island in Papua New Guinea.
  • Sursurunga, a Western Oceanic language spoken in Namatanai district of New Ireland Province of Papua New Guinea.
  • Western Subanon (Sinubanon), a Philippine language spoken on the Zamboanga Peninsula in the Mindanao region of the Philippines.
  • Kokota (Ooe Kokota), a Western Oceanic language spoken on Santa Isabel Island in Isabel Province in the Solomon Islands.

New Tower of Babel translation in Aneityum

On the Omniglot blog there’s a new post called Water Trumpets, which is about the French phrase une trombe d’eau (cloudburst, downpour), and there’s the usual Language Quiz. See if you can guess what language this is:

Here’s a clue: this language is spoken in parts of West Africa.

The mystery language in last week’s language quiz was Inuinnaqtun, an Inuit language spoken in Nunavut and the Northwest Territories, of Canada.

There’s a new Celtiadur post about words for Sticks and Rods and related things in Celtic languages.

On the Celtic Pathways podcast we’re examining some words for flowers and related things.

In the Adventure in Etymology we’re looking into the origins of the word quiver, both the quiver for arrows, and quiver as in to shake, which come from different roots.

In other news, I went to a concert this week featuring N’famady Kouyaté, a singer and musician from Guinea in West Africa, who is based in Cardiff in Wales. He sings in Mandinka and Susu, and possibly in other languages, and also adds bits of English and Welsh in some songs. It was great fun. Here are a couple of his songs:

For more Omniglot News see:
https://www.omniglot.com/news/
https://twitter.com/Omniglossia
https://www.facebook.com/groups/omniglot/
https://www.facebook.com/Omniglot-100430558332117

You can also listen to this podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Stitcher, TuneIn, Podchaser, PlayerFM or podtail.

If you would like to support this podcast, you can make a donation via PayPal or Patreon, or contribute to Omniglot in other ways.

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Adventures in Etymology – Quiver

In this Adventure we investigate the origins of the word quiver.

Mongol Bow and Arrow Quiver

A quiver [ˈkwɪvə / ˈkwɪvɚ] is:

  • A portable case for holding arrows
  • A collection or store

To quiver means:

  • To shake with a slight, rapid, tremulous movement
  • To tremble, as from cold or strong emotion.

Quiver as an adjective means:

  • fast, speedy, rapid
  • energetic, vigourous, vibrant

The quiver for arrows comes from the Middle English quiver/whiver (a quiver, arrow case, case for a bow) from the Anglo-Norman quivre (a quiver), from the Old Dutch cocere/kokere (a quiver, case) from the Proto-West Germanic *kukur (container), possibly from Hunnic and/or ultimately from Proto-Mongolic *kökexür (leather vessel for liquids, snuff bottle) [source].

Words from the same Proto-Mongolic root include хөхүүр / ᠬᠥᠬᠦᠦᠷ [xoxur] (leather bag for holding liquid, wineskin, waterskin, snuffbox) in Mongolian, koker [ˈkoː.kər] (tube, cylinder, quiver) in Dutch, Köcher [ˈkœçɐ] (a quiver) in German, and kukkaro [ˈkukːɑro] (purse) in Finnish [source].

The verb to quiver and the adjective quiver (fast, energetic, vigourous) come from the Middle English quvier/cwiver (active, agile, lively, brisk, quick), from the Old English *cwifer, possibly related to cwic (alive. living, intelligent, keen), from which we get the modern English word quick [source].

Here’s a video I made of this information:

Video made with Doodly [afflilate link].

I also write about words, etymology and other language-related topics on the Omniglot Blog, and I explore etymological connections between Celtic languages on the Celtiadur.

You can also listen to this podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Stitcher, TuneIn, Podchaser, PlayerFM or podtail.

If you would like to support this podcast, you can make a donation via PayPal or Patreon, or contribute to Omniglot in other ways.

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