Here’s the latest news from the world of Omniglot. New language pages: Lawangan, an East Barito language spoken in Central Kalimantan Province in Indonesia. Belait, a North Bornean language spoken mainly in Brunei, and also in northern Sarawak in Malaysia. I started putting together a new phrases page containing translations of the phrase ‘So long,…

In this Adventure in Etymology, we find connections between clutter, clods and klutzes. My cluttered kitchen part way through its current renovation Clutter [ˈklʌtə(ɹ) / ˈklʌtɚ] is: A confused disordered jumble of things Background echoes, from clouds etc., on a radar or sonar screen. Clatter; confused noise. (obsolete) It comes from Middle English…

Here’s the latest news from the world of Omniglot. New language pages: Sambas Malay (Base Melayu Sambas), a Malayic language spoken mainly in the Sambas Regency in West Kalimantan Province of Indonesia. Brunei Malay (Bahasa Melayu Brunei), a Malayic language spoken mainly in Brunei Darussalam, and nearby parts of East Malaysia. Enggano, a Malayo-Po…

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, imi…

Here’s the latest news from the world of Omniglot. New language pages: Ghulfan (Wuncu), an Eastern Sudanic language spoken mainly in the Nuba Mountains in the south of Sudan. Kadaru (Kodhin), a Northern Luo language spoken in the state of South Kordofan in the south of Sudan. Ponosakan, a Greater Central Philippine language spoken in North Sulawesi…

In this Adventure in Etymology, we find connections between the words wing, wind and feather. A wing [wɪŋ] is: An appendage of an animal’s (bird, bat, insect) body that enables it to fly. A fin at the side of a ray or similar fish. Part of an aircraft that produces the lift for rising into the air. (other meanings are available) It comes from Middl…

Here’s the latest news from the world of Omniglot. New language pages: Yele, possibly a language isolate spoken on Rossel Island in the Louisiade Archipelago in east of Papua New Guinea. Hamtai, a Southeast Angan language spoken in Morobe and Gulf provinces in Papua New Guinea. New constructed script: Pakis (Fern) Alphabet, which was created by Rez…

Here’s the latest news from the world of Omniglot. New language pages: Yaaku, a Lowland East Cushitic language spoken in western Kenya. Afitti (Dinik), an Eastern Sudanic language spoken in North Kordofan province in central Sudan. Daju Mongo (Dɑjiŋɡe), an Eastern Sudanic language spoken in the Gúera region in central Chad. Dilling (Warki), an East…

Here’s the latest news from the world of Omniglot. New language pages: Kuku (Kʊ́tʊ́k nà kùkù), an Eastern Nilotic language spoken in South Sudan and Uganda. Nyepu (Kútúk nà ŋyɛ́pʊ̀), an Eastern Nilotic language spoken in South Sudan. Ecuadorian Siona (Ba̠icoca), a Western Tucanoan language spoken mainly in northeastern Ecuador. Siona (Gantëya coca)…

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. Bodnant Garden / Gardd Bodnant The Proto-Celtic word *mrogis means border(land), march, mark, region, country, territory or province, and comes from Proto-Indo-European *mórǵs (frontier, border) …