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…

Here’s the latest news from the world of Omniglot. New language pages: Datooga, a Southern Nilotic language spoken in parts of northern Tanzania. Sobei, a Western Oceanic language spoken in Papua Province in eastern Indonesian. Defaka (défàkà), an Ijoid language spoken in Rivers State in southern Nigeria. New numbers pages: Defaka (défàkà), an Ijoi…

In this Adventure in Etymology, we’re looking into the origins of the word origin, and randomly looking at the word random. A random and original rowing boat Origin [ˈɒɹ.ɪ.dʒɪn/ˈɔɹ.ɪ.dʒɪn] is: The beginning of something The source of a river, information, goods, etc It comes from Middle English origyne [ɔˈridʒin(ə)] (origin, lineage, provenance), f…

Here’s the latest news from the world of Omniglot. New language pages: Anuak (Dha-Anywaa), a Western Nilotic language spoken in western Ethiopia and eastern South Sudan. Belanda Bor (di Bor), a Western Nilotic language spoken in South Sudan. Bawm, a Kuki-Chin-Naga language spoken mainly in Bangladesh, and also in India and Myanmar. Keiyo, a Souther…

In this episode we discover the possible Celtic roots of the word jeans, and also the place names Genoa and Geneva. Jeans are trousers made from denim cotton, traditionally dyed dark blue, and also known as blue jeans. The word jeans is an abbreviation of jean fustian, from Middle English Gene (Genoa, Genovese) and fustian (a strong cotton fabric) …

Here’s the latest news from the world of Omniglot. New language pages: Adhola (DhoPadhola), a Western Nilotic language spoken in the Eastern Region of Uganda. Ntcham (ncam), a Northern Gur language spoken in Togo and Ghana. Akha (A˯ka˯daw˯), a Southern Loloish language spoken in China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam. New constructed script and…

In this Adventure in Etymology we’re looking into the origins of the word swan. A swan [swɒn/swɑn] is: Any of various species of large, long-necked waterfowl, of genus Cygnus (bird family: Anatidae), most of which have white plumage. One whose grace etc. suggests a swan. It comes from Middle English swan [swan] (swan, swan meat), from Old English s…