In this episode we discover the possible Celtic roots of some words for hound and sleuth in Romance languages.

The Proto-Celtic word sekʷetor means to follow, and comes from Proto-Indo-European *sékʷetor (to be following), from *sekʷ- (to follow) [source].

Related words in the modern Celtic languages include: seicheamh (following, taking after, imitating, sequence, progression) and fosheicheamh (subsequence) in Irish [source], and sewya (to follow, result) in Cornish [source].

For more about words for (to) follow and related things in Celtic languages, see the Celtiadur post: Pursuing Followers

Words from the same Proto-Celtic root, via Gaulish (?) and Latin segusius (a hunting dog) include: sabuxo (hound) in Galician, segugio (hound, bloodhound, private eye, sleuth) in Spanish, and sabujo (hound, submissive person) in Portuguese [source].

Words from the same PIE roots include: associate, sector, sequence, society, (to) sue, suit, suite and subsequent in English, suivre (to follow) in French, segno (sign, mark, indication, target) in Italian, and seguir (to follow, continue, keep (on)) in Spanish [source].

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

New language pages:

New numbers pages:

On the Omniglot blog we discover what links the word satorial with words for tailor in various languages in a post called Satorial Tailoring, and there’s the usual Language Quiz. See if you can guess what language there is:

Here’s a clue: this language is spoken in Canada and the USA.

The mystery language in last week’s language quiz was: Ge’ez, (ግዕዝ), the classical language of Ethiopia which is still used as a liturgical language by Ethiopian Christians and the Beta Israel Jewish community of Ethiopia.

In this week’s Adventure in Etymology, entitled Windy Wings, we find connections between the words wing, wind and feather.

It’s also available on Instagram and TikTok.

On the Celtiadur blog, there’s a new post entitled Dutiful Laws about words for duty, debt, law, rule and related things in Celtic languages.#

I also made improvements to the Munsee language page.

A Multilingual Happy New Year!

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In this Adventure in Etymology, we find connections between the words wing, wind and feather.

A wing [wɪŋ] is:

It comes from Middle English winge / wenge [ˈwinɡ(ə) / ˈwɛnɡ(ə)] (wing, flank of an army, shelter, refuge), from Old Norse vængr [ˈwɛ̃ːŋɡr̩] (wing), possibly from Proto-Germanic *wēingijaz, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂weh₁- (to blow) [source].

Words from the same Old Norse root include vinge (wing) in Danish, vængur (wing) in Icelandic, and vinge (wing) in Swedish [source].

Words from the same PIE root possibly include aeroplane, athlete, fan, vent, and weather in English, waaien (to blow, be windy, wave) in Dutch, vento (wind) Italian, and vent (wind, flatulence, empty words) in French [source].

The English word wind [wɪnd] also comes from the same roots, via Middle English wynd / wind [wi(ː)nd] (wind), from Old English wind [wind] (wind, flatulence), from Proto-West-Germanic *wind (wind from Proto-Germanic *windaz [ˈwin.dɑz] (wind) from Proto-Indo-European h₂wéh₁n̥ts (blowing, that which blows, air, wind), from *h₂weh₁- (to blow) [source].

Incidentally, ityn Old Englsh, a word for wing was fiþre [ˈfiθ.re], which was displaced by the Old Norse vængr (wing). It comes from Proto-Germanic *fiþriją [ɸi.θri.jɑ̃] (feathers, plummage, wing) from Proto-Indo-European *péth₂r̥ / pth₂én- (wing, feather), from *peth₂- (to fly). It became em>feþer / fether (feather) in Middle English, and feather in modern English. [source].

By the way, Happy New Year! Blwyddyn newydd dda! Bonne année ! ¡Feliz Año Nuevo! 新年快樂！ 新年快乐！ Felice anno nuovo! 新年おめでとうございます! Bliain úr faoi shéan is faoi mhaise duit! Bliadhna mhath ùr! Blein Vie Noa! Ein gutes neues Jahr! Feliĉan novan jaron! Поздравляю с Новым Годом! Šťastný nový rok! Godt nytår! Gott nytt år! La Mulți Ani! Onnellista uutta vuotta!

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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 blog.

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

New language pages:

New constructed script: Pakis (Fern) Alphabet, which was created by Reza Sumanda for fun and as an alternative way to write Indonesian.

New constructed script: Melronian, which was invented by Murray Callahan for his conlang of the same name.

New adapted script: Tengwar for Lingala (Tengwala), a way to write Lingala with Tolkien’s Tengwar alphabet devised by Paul Mbongo.

On the Omniglot blog there’s the usual Language Quiz. See if you can guess what languages there are:

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

The mystery languages in last week’s language quiz were: Isnag, a member of the Northern Luzon branch of the Philippine language family spoken in the north of Luzon in the Philippines.

And Blaan (B’laan), a member of the South Mindanao branch of the Philippine language family spoken in the south of Mindanao in the Philippines.

They are related, as they both belong to the Philippine branch of the Malayo-Polynesian language family.

I forgot to mention in the recoding, but I also made improvements to the Marma language page.

If you celebrate Christmas or anything else at this time of year, I hope you had a good one, and I wish you a Happy New Year for 2025.

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

New language pages:

New constructed script: Hosalipi, an alternative abugida for Kannada devised by Atharva Sreekar.

New constructed script: Tehreek-istani, an alternative script for Urdu devised by Willem and based mainly on the Korean script.

New numbers pages:

On the Omniglot blog, we discover what guillemets are, and what links chevrons to goats in a post entitled Guillemets & Goats, we find out what links the word epee/épée with the word spade in a post entitled Swords & Spades, and there’s the usual Language Quiz. See if you can guess what languages there are:

Here’s a clue: these languages are spoken in the Philippines.

On the Celtiadur blog there are new posts entitled Gorse & Furze and Swords & Spikes.

For more Omniglot News, see:

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

New language pages:

New adapated script: Tengwar for Russian, a way to write Russian with Tolkein’s Tengwar script devised by Murray Callahan.

New numbers pages:

On the Omniglot blog this week, we discover what guillemets are, and what links chevrons to goats in a post entitled Guillemets & Goats 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 Iran and Azerbaijan.

The mystery language in last week’s language quiz was Yaaku (Mogogodo), a Lowland East Cushitic language spoken in western Kenya.

In this week’s Celtic Pathways podcast, Country Gardens, we uncover links between words for country and land in Celtic languages, and words for garden, wood and related things in other languages. It’s also available on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok

On the Celtiadur blog there’s a new post entitled Cards in which we look into words for card and related things in Celtic languages.

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In this episode we uncover links between words for country and land in Celtic languages, and words for garden, wood and related things in other languages.

The Proto-Celtic word *mrogis means border(land), march, mark, region, country, territory or province, and comes from Proto-Indo-European *mórǵs (frontier, border) [source]

Related words in the modern Celtic languages include:

For more about words for border, land, country and related things in Celtic languages, see the Celtiadur post: Region and Country

Words from the same Proto-Celtic root, via Gaulish *brogis and Latin brogi-/broges, include brolo (vegetable garden, orchard, grove) in Italian, and breuil (wood, copse, coppice) in French, bröol (a lawn or vegetable garden surrounding house) in Cimbrian, and Brühl (enclosed land, (wet/swampy) meadow) in German (found mainly in place names).

Words from the same PIE root include margin, and march (a border region; formal, rhythmic way of walking) in English, and marge (margin, markup) in French, marca (brand, make, trademark) in Italian [source], Mark (a fortified border area, marches) in German, and mark (field) in Danish, as in Denmark [source].

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

New language pages:

New numbers pages:

New phrases page: Tugen, a Kalenjin language spoken in western Kenya.

On the Omniglot blog, there’s a new post entitled Paper Cards about the word carta which means paper in Italian and card in Spanish, and has various other meanings, another post entitled Mermaid Sirens, about differences between mermaids and sirens, 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 western Kenya.

The mystery language in last week’s language quiz was Shawiya (Tacawit / ⵜⴰⵛⴰⵡⵉⵜ), a Northern Berber language spoken in Algeria and Tunisia, specifically the variety of Shawiya spoken in western Tunisia.

In this week’s Adventure in Etymology, entitled Office Opus, we find connections between the word office and words like copy, manure, opera, opulence and opus. It’s also available on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok

On the Celtiadur blog there’s a new post entitled Disease about words for sickness, disease, grief and related things in Celtic languages, and I made improvements to the post about words for Death.

I also made improvements to the Wolaytta language page.

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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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In this Adventure in Etymology, we find connections between the word office and words like copy, manure, opera, opulence and opus.

An office [ˈɒfɪs/ˈɔfɪs] is:

It comes from Middle English office [ɔˈfiːs(ə)] (employment, occupation, obligation), from Old French office (office, job, service), from Latin officium (duty, service, office, obligation) from opificium (work), from opifex (someone who does [creative / constructive] work) from opus (work), from PIE *h₃ep- (to work, toil, make, ability) [source].

Words from the same roots include copy, manure, opera, operate, opulence and opus (a work of music or art) in English; usine (factory) in French; ofício (craft, trade, profession) in Portuguese; oficina (office, workshop, laboratory) in Spanish, and ufficio (office) and officina (workshop, laboratory) in Italian [source].

Hang on, manure? It comes from Middle English maynouren (to supervise, reign, exercise one’s authority), from Anglo-Norman meinourer, from Old French manouvrer (to work, make, create), from Vulgar Latin *manuoperare (to work by hand), from Latin manū (by hand) and operārī (to work). The word manoeuvre comes from the same roots [source].

You can also listen to this podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Podchaser, Podbay or Podtail and other pod places.

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

Radio Omniglot podcasts are brought to you in association with Blubrry Podcast Hosting, a great place to host your podcasts. Get your first month free with the promo code omniglot.

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 blog.

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

New language pages:

New numbers pages:

On the Omniglot blog, there’s a new post entitled Paved Floors, in which we investigate the Italian word pavimento (floor) and related words in other languages, 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 Tunisia.

The mystery language in last week’s language quiz was Ladin, a Gallo-Romance language spoken in northern Italy. The recording is specifically in Col Ladin (Ladin da Col), a variety of Ladin spoken in Livinallongo del Col di Lana in the Province of Belluno in the region of Veneto in Italy.

In this week’s episode of the Celtic Pathways podcast, entitled Tan Oaks, we look into the possible Celtic roots of words such as tan, tannery and Tannenbaum. It’s also available on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok

On the Celtiadur blog there’s a new post entitled Original Pedigree about words for origin, basisnobility, lineage and related things in Celtic languages, and I made improvements to the post about Oak (trees).

I also made improvements to the Yemba language page.

For more Omniglot News, see:

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