Episodes
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Here’s the latest news from the world of Omniglot. New language pages: Terik (Tɛ́ɛrık), a Southern Nilotic language spoken in western Kenya. Nandi (Naanti), a Southern Nilotic language spoken in the Rift Valley Province in western Kenya. Kipsigis (Kıpsıkııs), a Southern Nilotic language spoken in the Rift Valley Province in the southwest of Kenya. Ngoni […]
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In this Adventure in Etymology, we’re finding connections between monitors and monsters. A monitor [ˈmɒn.ɪ.tə/ˈmɔn.ɪ.tɚ] is: Someone who watches over something; a person in charge of something or someone. A device that detects and informs on the presence, quantity, etc., of something. A device used to give a graphical display of the output from a […]
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Missing episodes?
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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), a variety […]
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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 […]
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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 Ethiopia. […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]