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

There are new language pages about:

* Nukumanu, a Polynesian language spoken on Nukumanu Island in Bougainville province in eastern Papua New Guinea.

* Mono, a Central Banda language spoken in the northwest of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

* Lunda (chiLunda), a Bantu language spoken in Zambia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Angola and Namibia.

* Luba-Katanga (Kiluba), a Bantu language spoken in the southeast of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

New phrases pages:

* I would like … in various languages.

* Wymsorys (Wymysiöeryś), a West Germanic language spoken in Wilamowice in southern Poland.

New numbers pages:

* Nukumanu, a Polynesian language spoken on Nukumanu Island in Bougainville province in eastern Papua New Guinea.

* Luba-Katanga (Kiluba), a Bantu language spoken in the southeast of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

* Kinaray-a, a Visayan language spoken in the Western Visayas region of the Philippines

New Tower of Babel translation: Gilaki (گیلکی), an Iranian language spoken in northwestern Iran.

There’s a new Omniglot blog post about the expression Catty-cornered, which has nothing to do with cats, 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 northwestern Iran.

The mystery language in last week’s language quiz was Kurtöp, an East Bodish language spoken in the northeast of Bhutan.

In this week’s Adventure in Etymology, we’re uncover the origins of the word Bone.

On the Celtiadur blog there’s a new post called Deceitful Errors about words for error, deceit and related things, and I made improvements to the posts entitled Expensive Fools and Young.

Improved pages: Dzongkha numbers, Ticuna language and Matoran alphabet

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,

In this adventure we’re uncovering the origins of the word bone.

A bone is:

* A composite material consisting largely of calcium phosphate and collagen and making up the skeleton of most vertebrates.

* Any of the components of an endoskeleton, made of bone.

It comes from Middle English bon (bone), from Old English bān [bɑːn] (bone, ivory), from Proto-Germanic bainą [ˈbɑi̯.nɑ̃] (leg, bone), from *bainaz [ˈbɑi̯.nɑz] (straight), from PIE *bʰeyh₂- (to hit, strike, hew, cut) [source].

Words from the same roots include been (leg, limb, side) in Dutch, Bein (leg) in German, ben (leg, bone, sinecure) in Danish, bít (to beat, fight) in Czech, and buain (harvest, reap, cut) in Scottish Gaelic [source].

Incidentally, in Old English a poetic way to refer to the body was bānhūs [ˈbɑːnˌhuːs] (“bone house”). It was also called a sāwolhūs [ˈsɑː.welˌhuːs] (“soul house”) or feorhhūs [ˈfe͜orˠxˌhuːs] (“life/soul house”) [source].

Here’s a song in Scottish Gaelic about cutting the bracken (buain na rainich) called ‘Tha mi sgìth’ (I’m tired), sung by Brian Ó hEadhra:

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.

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.

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

There are new language pages about:

* Waorani (Wao Terero), a languge isolate spoken in eastern Ecuador and also in Peru.

* Lhao Vo (Lhaovo), a Burmish language spoken mainly in northern Myanmar, and also in the southwest of China.

* Lashi (Lacid), a Burmish language spoken in southwestern China and northeastern Myanmar.

* Rawang (Rvwàng), a Nungish language spoken mainly in northern Myanmar, and also in southwestern China and northeastern India.

New constructed script: Silabario Amazónico, a syllabic script for indigenous Amazonian and Andean languages created by Juan Casco from Ecuador.

New numbers pages:

* Kulisusu (Pogau Kolinsusu), a Celebic language spoken mainly on Buton Island in Southeast Sulawesi Province in Indonesia.

* Tukang Besi, a Celebic language spoken in the Tukangbesi Islands in Southeast Sulawesi Province in Indonesia.

* Cia-Cia (Bahasa Ciacia / 바하사 찌아찌아), a Celebic language spoken on the Buton, Binongko and Batu Atas islands in Southeast Sulawesi Province in Indonesia.

* Kurtöp, an East Bodish language spoken in the Lhuntse District in northeast Bhutan.

On the Omniglot blog we explore the question What is Writing?, and there’s a post entitled Tarragon Dragons in which we find out what links the word tarragon with dragons, 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 Bhutan.

The mystery language in last week’s language quiz was Sirmauri (सिरमौरी), a Western Pahari language spoken in Himachal Pradesh in northern India.

In this week’s Celtic Pathways podcast, we’re Holding On to some words about holding and related things in Celtic and other languages.

On the Celtiadur blog there’s a new post called Facing Opposition and related things, and I made improvements to the posts entitled Happy & fortunate and Animals

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,

In this episode we’re getting to grips with words for holding and and related things.

A Proto-Celtic word for to grab, seize, take or hold is *gabyeti, which comes from the Proto-Indo-European *gʰeh₁bʰ- (to grab, take) [source].

Descendents in the modern Celtic languages include:

* gabh [ɡavʲ/ɡo(ː)] = to take, arrest, go, come in Irish

* gabh [gav] = take, go, recite, break (in) in Scottish Gaelic

* gow = to take in Manx

* gafael [ˈɡavaɨ̯l/ˈɡaːvai̯l] = to hold, grasp, grip in Welsh

* gavel = capacity, grasp in Cornish

There doesn’t appear to be a related word in Breton.

The Spanish word gavilla (sheaf, gang, band) comes from the same Proto-Celtic root, via the Late Latin gabella and the Gaulish *gabali (taking, seizure) [source].

The word gwall (large amount), and which is apparently used in the English of Cork in Ireland comes from same Celtic roots via the Irish word gabháil (catch, seizure, assumption) [source].

Words from the same PIE roots include able, debt, debit, doubt and habit in English, avere (to have) in Italian, avoir (to have) in French, and haber (to hold, possess) in Spanish [source].

You can find more details of words for Taking Hold and related things on the Celtiadur blog. I also write about words, etymology and other language-related topics on the Omniglot Blog.

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.

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

There are new language pages about:

* Sawila (Manata), an East Alor language spoken in the Alor Regency in East Nusa Tenggara Province in southern Indonesia.

* Karai-karai (bo Karaikarai), a West Chadic language spoken mainly in Yobe State in the northeast of Nigeria.

* Bole (bṑ pìkkà), a West Chadic language spoken mainly in Yobe and Gombe states in the northeast of Nigeria.

* Zaiwa (Zaiwa mying), a Burmish language spoken in southwestern China and northeastern Myanmar.

New numbers pages:

* Bole (bṑ pìkkà), a West Chadic language spoken mainly in Yobe and Gombe states in the northeast of Nigeria.

* Badaga (படகா / ಬಡಗ), a southern Dravidian language spoken in Tamil Nadu and Kerala in southern India.

* Tokodede, a Malayo-Polynesian language spoken in East Timor.

There’s a new idiom page with versions of the saying As Snug as a Bug in a Rug in various languages.

On the Omniglot blog there’s a new post about Snudging & Snuggling and related words, 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 Himachal Pradesh in northern India.

The mystery language in last week’s language quiz was Guambiano (Nam Trik), a Barbacoan language spoken in southwestern Colombia.

In this week’s Adventure in Etymology podcast, we uncover the origins of the word Ghost 👻, and find out where that ghostly h comes from.

On the Celtiadur blog there’s a new post about words for Order and related things, and I made improvements to the posts entitled Bad, Frosty Ice and Quick, Fast & Lively.

I also made separate pages for the Lisu language and the Fraser alphabet.

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,

In this adventure we’re uncovering the origins of the word ghost.

A ghost is:

* The disembodied soul; the soul or spirit of a deceased person; a spirit appearing after death

* Any faint shadowy semblance; an unsubstantial image.

It comes from Middle English gost (angel, devil, spirit, the Holy Ghost), from Old English gāst [ɡɑːst] (spirit, ghost, breath, demon), from Proto-West-Germanic *gaist (ghost, spirit), from Proto-Germanic *gaistaz (terror, fear, spirit, ghost, mind), from PIE *ǵʰéysd-os, from *ǵʰeysd- (anger, agitation) [source].

Words from the same roots include geisa (to rage, storm) in Icelandic, gast (ghost) in Swedish, geest (ghost spirit, mind) in Dutch and ghastly and poltergeist in English, [source].

Incidentally, the h in ghost mysteriously materialised, a bit like a ghost, in the Prologue to William Caxton’s Royal Book, printed in 1484, in a reference to the ‘Holy Ghoost’. It was probably his assistant, Wynkyn de Worde, who was responsible, and who was influenced by Flemish word gheest (ghost) [source].

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.

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.

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

There are new language pages about:

* Arhuaco (Ikʉ), a Chibchan language spoken in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta region in northern Colombia.

* Mussau-Emira, an Oceanic language spoken on the islands of Mussau and Emira in New Ireland Province of Papua New Guinea.

* Gumuz (ŋgiša baha), a Nilo-Saharan language spoken in northwestern Ethiopia and southeastern Sudan.

* Avatime (Sị̀yàsɛ̄̀), a Kwa language spoken in eastern Ghana.

New adapted script: Suomalais-Ugrilainen Arabialainen Kirjaimisto (سوُوَمالایس-ئوُگریلاینەن ئارابیئالاینەن کیریامیستوَ ) / Finno-Ugric Arabic Alphabet, an adaptation of the Arabic script to write Finnish, Estonian and Hungarian devised by A. Elbrens.

New numbers pages:

* Arhuaco (Ikʉ), a Chibchan language spoken in northern Colombia.

* Mussau-Emira, an Oceanic language spoken in New Ireland Province in Papua New Guinea

* Kumak, a Northern New Caledonian language spoken in the North Province of New Caledonia

New idiom page: The Grass is Always Greener (on the other side of the fence) containing equivalents of this saying in various languages.

I also wrote a new song based on this idiom called The Side Other. It goes something like this:

Simon Ager · The Other Side (TT)

On the Omniglot blog there’s a new post called Losing the North, which is about various ways to say that you’re lost, dazed or confused in French, 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 Colombia.

The mystery language in last week’s language quiz was Zaiwa (Tsaiwa), a Burmish language spoken in southwestern China and eastern Myanmar.

There are new Celtiadur posts about words for Sure, Certainly and Hiding & Concealment, and I made improvements to the post about words for Hills.

In this week’s Celtic Pathways podcast, entitled Protruberences, we look into words for hill, breast and related things in Celtic languages, and find related words in other languages.

For more Omniglot News see:

https://www.omniglot.com/news/

https://twitter.com/Omniglossia

https://www.facebook.com/groups/omniglot/

In this episode we’re looking at Celtic words for hill and breast and related things.

A Proto-Celtic word for hill is *brusnyos, which comes from Proto-Celtic *brusū (belly, abdomen, breast), possibly from the Proto-Indo-European *bʰrews- (belly, to swell) [source].

Descendents in the modern Celtic languages include:

* broinne = breast, bosom, brink, verge in Irish.

* broinne [brɤin̪ʲ] = belly, stomach, womb, bulge in Scottish Gaelic

* brein = big, great, grand, heavy, tall in Manx

* bron [brɔn] = breast, bosom, thorax, hill-side, slope in Welsh

* bronn [brɔn] = breast, hill in Cornish

* bronn [brɔ̃n] = breast in Breton

Words from the same Proto-Celtic root, via the Proto-West-Germanic *brunnjā (chainmail shirt), include: brynja (coat of mail) in Icelandic, Swedish and Faroese, brynje (mail, armour) in Danish, brynje (coat of armour, protective clothing for motorcyclists) in Norwegian, and броня [brɔˈnʲa] (armour, armoured vehicle, shell) in Ukrainian [source].

The English words breast, brisket and bruise come from the same PIE root, as do borst (chest, thorax, breast) in Dutch, and bröst (breast, chest, thorax) in Swedish [source].

You can find more details of words for Hills and related things on the Celtiadur blog. I also write about words, etymology and other language-related topics on the Omniglot Blog.

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.

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

There are new language pages about:

* Lavukaleve, a Central Solomons language spoken in the Russell Islands in the Central Province of the Solomon Islands.

* Cocama (Kokáma), a Tupi-Guarani language spoken mainly in northwestern Peru, and also in Brazil and Colombia.

* Nùng, an Central Tai language spoken mainly in northeastern Vietnam, and also in southern China.

* Cua – an East Bahnaric language spoken in the South Central Coast region of Vietnam.

* Ta’Oi (ຕາໂອ້ຍອ໌‎) – a Katuic language spoken in southern Laos and central Vietnam.

Also this week, the number of language profiles on Omniglot reached 1,900! Which seems like a bit of an achievement. It’s now at 1,903.

New numbers pages:

* Cocama (Kokáma), a Tupi-Guarani language spoken mainly in northwestern Peru, and also in Brazil and Colombia.

* Paicî, a New Caledonian language spoken on the east coast of New Caledonia.

* Cèmuhî, a Northern New Caledonian language spoken in the North Province of New Caledonia.

Meanwhile on the Omniglot blog we ask ‘How much is a smidgen? How about a tad, dash, drop or pinch?’ in a post entitled Just a Smidgen, 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 southwestern China and eastern Myanmar (Burma).

The mystery language in last week’s language quiz was Lule Sámi (julevsámegiella), a Western Sámi language spoken in Norway and Sweden .

There’s a new Celtiadur post about words for Size & Quantity and related things, and I improved the post about words for Good, Left & North

In this week’s Adventure in Etymology, we untangle the ruddy roots of the word Robust.

I also made improvements to the Georgian numbers page.

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

In this adventure we’re untangling the ruddy roots of the word robust.

Robust means:

* Strong and healthy (of people or animals)

* Strong and unlikely to break or fail (of objects or systems)

It comes from Latin rōbustus (oak, oaken, hard, firm, solid), from rōbur (an oak tree, hardness, strength, stronghold), from rōbus (red [esp. oxen]), from Proto-Italic *rouβos (red, ruddy, redheaded), from PIE *h₁rewdʰ- (red) [source].

Words from the same roots include red, rowan, ruby, ruddy and rust in English, rouge (red) in French, and rubor (blusing, blush, embarrassment, shame) and roble (oak, strong object/person, strength) in Spanish [source].

Rufous Owl (Ninox rufa)

The name Rufus also comes from the same roots, as does the English word rufous, which refers to a reddish brown colour, like rust. It’s mainly found in the name of birds, such as the rufous owl (Ninox rufa, a.k.a. rufous boobook), and the rufous-capped antshrike (Thamnophilus ruficapillus) [source].

Rufous-capped antshrike (Thamnophilus ruficapillus)

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.

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.