Episodios

  • Omniglot News (13/07/25)

    Omniglot News (13/07/25)
    Jul 13 2025
    Here’s the latest news from the world of Omniglot. New writing system: Khom Thai, a descendent of the Old Khmer script used mainly to write religious texts in Pali, Sanskrit, Khmer, Thai and Lao. From: Wikimedia Commons, from the wellcome collection New constructed script: Hunter × Hunter Alphabet (ハンター文字), an alternative script for Japanese created […]
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    3 m
  • Adventures in Etymology – Enumerating Numbers

    Adventures in Etymology – Enumerating Numbers
    Jul 12 2025
    In this Adventure in Etymology we untangle the roots of the word number. A number [ˈnɐmbə(ɹ) / ˈnʌ̟mbɚ(ɹ)] is: Quantity An abstract entity used to describe quantity. A numeral: a symbol for a non-negative integer. An element of one of several sets: natural numbers, integers, rational numbers, etc other meanings are available It comes from […]
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    2 m
  • Omniglot News (06/07/25)

    Omniglot News (06/07/25)
    Jul 6 2025
    Here’s the latest news from the world of Omniglot. New language pages: Talinga, a Northeast Bantu language spoken in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Kobo (Kɨkobo) a Bantu language spoken in North Kivu Province in the northeast of the DRC. West Teke (Teke-Tsaayi), a Bantu language spoken in the south of the […]
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    2 m
  • Celtic Pathways – Healing Medics

    Celtic Pathways – Healing Medics
    Jul 6 2025
    In this episode we discover the possible Celtic roots of words for doctor in some Germanic languages. The Proto-Celtic word *leigis means healer and either comes from Proto-Germaic *lēkiz (healing, medicine, healer), or directly from the Proto-Indo-European *h₂leg- (to care for) [source]. Descendants in the modern Celtic languages include: lia [l̠ʲiə] = healer, physician in […]
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    3 m
  • Omniglot News (29/06/25)

    Omniglot News (29/06/25)
    Jun 29 2025
    Here’s the latest news from the world of Omniglot. New writing system: Lai Tay, which was used to write Tai Yo, a Southwestern Tai langauge spoken in Vietnam, Laos and Thailand. New language pages: Central Kilimanjaro, a Northeast Bantu language spoken mainly in Kilimanjaro Region in the northeast of Tanzania. Tetela (Ɔtɛtɛla) a Bantu language […]
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    3 m
  • Adventures in Etymology – Minions

    Adventures in Etymology – Minions
    Jun 28 2025
    In this Adventure in Etymology we unravel the roots of the word minion. A minion [ˈmɪnjən] is: A loyal servant of another, usually a more powerful being. A sycophantic follower. A small, yellow creature that appears in the Despicable Me and Minions films. It used to mean: A loved one; one highly esteemed and favoured. […]
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    2 m
  • Omniglot News (22/06/25)

    Omniglot News (22/06/25)
    Jun 22 2025
    Here’s the latest news from the world of Omniglot. New writing system: Leke (Chicken Scratch) Script, a script created in the 19th century to write Karen languages in Myanmar and Thailand. New adapted script: Kannada for Tamil (ಕನ಼್ ನ಼ಡ ಎೞುತ್ತುಮುಱೈ), a way to write Tamil with the Kannada script devised by Aahan Kotian. New language […]
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    3 m
  • Celtic Pathways – Cumbersome Confluences

    Celtic Pathways – Cumbersome Confluences
    Jun 21 2025
    In this episode we disencumber the cumbersome and confluent Celtic roots of words like encumber. The Proto-Celtic word *kombereti means to bring together and comes from Proto-Celtic *kom- (with, together) and *bereti (to bear), from PIE *bʰéreti (to be carrying) [source]. Descendants in the modern Celtic languages include: cumar = ravine, channel, rut in Irish […]
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    2 m