Radio Omniglot

Here’s the latest news from the world of Omniglot. There are new language pages about: North Teke (Latege), a Bantu language spoken mainly in the southeast of Gabon, and also in the east of The Republic of the Congo. Benga, a Bantu language spoken in southwestern Equatorial Guinea and northwestern Gabon. Bamunka (Ŋgieməkɔʼkə), a Central […]

In this episode, we unfold the possible Celtic roots of the word brochure, and find out what it has to do with badgers. The word brochure comes from French brochure (brocade, needlework, brochure, booklet), from brocher (to stitch, sew, brocade), from Old French brochier (to jab, prod), from broche (brooch, pin), from Vulgar Latin brocca, […]

Here’s the latest news from the world of Omniglot. There are new language pages about: Oku (əblam əbkwo), a Central Ring Grassfields language spoken in the Bui Division of the North West Region of Cameroon. Mmen (Mə̂nə̀), a Central Ring Grassfields language spoken in the Menchum Division of the Northwest Region of Cameroon. New adapted […]

In this adventure, we’re examining the origins of the word virus, because I seem to have picked up a bit of coronavirus 😷 this week, or possibly last week. I’m feeling better now, at the time of writing this, but not completely yet. A virus is: A submicroscopic infectious agent that replicates only inside the […]

There are new language pages about: Yanomamö (Yąnomamɨ), a Yanomam language spoken in southern Venezuela and northwestern Brazil. Bafanji (Chufie’), a Southern Bantoid language spoken in the Northwest Region of Cameroon. Medumba (Mə̀dʉ̂mbɑ̀), a Southern Bantoid language spoken in the West Region of Cameroon. Yasa (Iyasa), a Bantu language spoken mainly along the coasts of […]

In this episode we discover the rotten Celtic roots of the English word bran, the Galician word braña (meadow, bog), and related words in other languages. The Proto-Celtic word *bragnos means rotten. It comes from the PIE *bʰreHg- (to smell, have a strong odour) [source]. Descendents in the modern Celtic languages include: bréan [bʲɾʲiːa̯nˠ] = […]

Here’s the latest news from the world of Omniglot. There are new language pages about: Tanga (Batanga), a Bantu language spoken in western Equatorial Guinea and western Cameroon. Kili (кили), a Tungusic language spoken in the southeast of the Russian Federation, and in northeastern China New fictional scripts: Final Fantasy scripts – the scripts that […]

In this adventure, we’re poking the origins of the word finger. A finger is: A slender jointed extremity of the human hand, (often) exclusive of the thumb. Similar or similar-looking extremities in other animals. It comes from Middle English fynger (finger, toes), from Old English finger (finger), from Proto-West-Germanic *fingr (finger), from Proto-Germanic *fingraz [ˈɸiŋ.ɡrɑz] […]

Here’s the latest news from the world of Omniglot. There are new language pages about: Hakha (Laiholh), a Kuki-Chin language spoken mainly in Chin State in western Myanmar. Falam (Lai ṭong), a Kuki-Chin language spoken mainly in Chin State in western Myanmar, and also in Mizoram State in the northeast of India. Zotung (Zo), a […]

In this episode we’re gazing into the origins of the words whisk(e)y and bourbon, both of which have Celtic roots. Whisk(e)y is a liquor distilled from the fermented mash of grain (such as barley, rye or corn). It’s typically written with an e in Scotland, Canada and Australia, and without an e in Ireland, England […]