Radio Omniglot

Adventures in Etymology – Absurdity

In this Adventure in Etymology we investigate the origins of the word absurd. Absurd [əbˈsɜːd / æbˈsɚd] can mean: Contrary to reason or propriety; obviously and flatly opposed to manifest truth; inconsistent with the plain dictates of common sense; logically contradictory; nonsensical; ridiculous; silly. Having no rational or orderly relationship to people’s lives; meaningless; lacking order or value. In the past in meant inharmonious or dissonant. It comes from Middle French absurde, from Latin absurdus (incongruous, dissonant, harsh, silly, stupid), from ab- (away from, out), and surdus (deaf, inattentive, silent, indistinct), from PIE *swer- (to resound, speak loudly, ringing, whistling) [source]. Words from the same roots include chwerw (bitter) in Welsh, searbh (bitter, sour, acid) in Irish, sword in English, zwaard (sword) in Dutch, assurdità (absurdity, rubbish) in Italian, and sordo (deaf, dull, muted) in Spanish [source]. The English word surd also comes from the same roots, and refers to an irrational number, a voicelss consonant, unvoiced or voiceless, and used to mean deaf or unheard [source]. 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. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

Omniglot News (14/12/25)

Here’s the latest news from the world of Omniglot. New language pages: Neo-Brittonic (Brettica), a reconstructed version of Common Brittonic, a Celtic language once spoken in southern England. Ngomba (cú mbɔ́ndaa), a Bamileke language spoken mainly in the Bamboutos Department in the West Region of Cameroon. Ngombale (Ngeombale), a Bamileke language spoken in the Bamboutos Department in the West Region of Cameroon. Hachijō (島言葉 / shima-kotoba), a Japonic language spoken mainly in the Izu Islands, part of Tokyo Prefecture in Japan. Tày (Tiểng Tày), a Central Tai language spoken mainly in northeastern Vietnam, and also in northern Laos. New constructed script: Hedhgadē, a script for Proto-Indo-Euopean created by Hebrejinia. New phrases page: Föhr North Frisian, a West Germanic language spoken in North Frisia in northern Germany. New numbers page: Jamaican (Jimiekn / Patwah), an English-based creole spoken mainly in Jamaica. On the Omniglot blog this week there’s a new post entitled Oceanic Lutes about some words for Chinese and Western instruments, and related things. There’s a new post entitled Shady Shadows on the Celtiadur blog about words for shadow, shade and related things in Celtic languages. The gateway to the road up Jiangjun Mountain In other news, this week I explored part of Jiangjun Mountain (将军山 – jiāngjūnshān) and got some great views of Zhaoqing from up high. There is a temple on the mountain that is lit up at night, and since coming here, we’ve been planning to visit it. We found a way up yesterday. The electric scooters had a hard time climbing up the steeper parts of the road, but we got there eventually, and it was well worth the effort. The temple itself is impressive, and the views from it are spectacular. Unfortunately, it was rather wet, cold and windy up there, so we didn’t stay long. The temple on Jiangjun Mountain A view of Zhaoqing from Jiangjun Mountain For more Omniglot News, see: https://www.omniglot.com/news/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/omniglot/ https://www.facebook.com/Omniglot-100430558332117 You can also listen to this podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn and Podchaser. If you would like to support this podcast, you can make a donation via PayPal or Patreon, or contribute to Omniglot in other ways. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); 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.

Omniglot News (23/11/25)

Here’s the latest news from the world of Omniglot. New language pages: Kwaʼ (Bakwa’), a Bamileke language spoken in the southwest of Cameroon. Ndau (ChiNdau), a Bantu language spoken mainly in Mozambique, Zimbabwe and South Africa. Ndonga (OshiNdonga), a Bantu language spoken mainly in the north of Namibia, and also in southern Angola. Arammba (Aramba), a Tonda language spoken in the Morehead area in the Western Province of Papua New Guinea. New numbers pages: Ndonga (OshiNdonga), a Bantu language spoken in northern Namibia and southern Angola. Arammba (Aramba), a Tonda language spoken in the Morehead area in the Western Province of Papua New Guinea. New Tower of Babel translation: Ndau (ChiNdau) New constructed script: Enjay, an alternative way to write English invented by Toonmaker. New adapted script: Thaana-Wayuu (ތާނަ ޥަޔޫ), was devised by Pablo Villa Uhia as a way to write Wayuu, an Arawakan language spoken in Venezuela and Colombia, with the Thaana script, as used for the Maldivian language. On the Omniglot blog this week there’s a new post entitled A Complete Canard!, which looks at the various meanings of the word canard in French and English, and there’s the usual Language Quiz. See if you can guess what language this is: http://www.omniglot.com/soundfiles/blog/quiz231125.mp3 Here’s a clue: this language is spoken in the northwest of Brazil. The mystery language in last week’s language quiz was Goral (Górolski), a West Slavic language (or dialect) spoken in southern Poland, northern Slovakia and northeastern Czechia. In this week’s Adventure in Etymology, Burning Focus, we focus on what links the words focus, fuel, focaccia and curfew. It’s also available on Instagram and TikTok. On the Celtiadur blog there’s a new post entitled Nettles about words for nettle and related things in Celtic languages. In other news, I’m going to China in a few days after recording this news. I’ll be staying with friends in Zhaoqing / Shiuhing (肇庆), a city in Guangdong Province in the south of China for nearly two months. In preparation for this trip, I’ve been brushing up my Mandarin and Cantonese, and I’m sure I’ll have plenty of opportunities to use both languages while I’m there. I may visit other parts of China, and maybe nearby countries. I haven’t been to Zhaoqing before, but did spend a few months travelling in southern China back in 1991. It’s probably changed a little since then. I’ll try to keep Omniglot ticking over while I’m away, but may not have as much time as usual for that. For more Omniglot News, see: https://www.omniglot.com/news/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/omniglot/ https://www.facebook.com/Omniglot-100430558332117 You can also listen to this podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn and Podchaser. If you would like to support this podcast, you can make a donation via PayPal or Patreon, or contribute to Omniglot in other ways. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); 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.

Adventures in Etymology – Burning Focus 🔥🔍

In this Adventure in Etymology we focus on the origins of the word focus. Focus [ˈfəʊ.kəs / ˈfoʊ.kəs] as a noun can mean: A point at which reflected or refracted rays of light converge. The quality of the convergence of light on the photographic medium. Something to which activity, attention or interest is primarily directed. As an verb, focus can mean: To cause (rays of light, etc) to converge at a single point. To adjust (a lens, an optical instrument) in order to position an image with respect to the focal plane. To direct attention, effort, or energy to a particular audience or task. To concentrate one’s attention. It comes from Latin focus (fireplace, hearth, brazier, house, family), possibly from Proto-Indo-European *bʰeh₂- (to shine), or from PIE *dʰegʷʰ- (to burn) [source]. Words from the same roots include fuoco (fire, torment) in Italian, feu (fire, lighter) in French, fogo (fire, house, family, flame) in Portuguese, φουφού (foufoú – brazier) in Greek, Fokus (focus) in German, and curfew in English [source]. The English word fuel, also comes from the same Latin root, via Middle English fewell (fuel), Old French fouaille (firewood, kindling), and f(o)u / foc (fire), and Late Latin focus (fire) [source]. The Italian flatbread, focaccia, also gets its name from the same roots, via Late Latin focācia, the plural of focācium (bread baked under ash), from (panis) focācius ((bread) of the hearth), as does hogaza (loaf) in Spanish and pogača (cake) in Slovenian [source]. 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. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

Omniglot News (16/11/25)

Here’s the latest news from the world of Omniglot. New language pages: Kgalagadi (SheKgalagadi), a Southern Bantu language spoken mainly in the Kgalagadi and Gantsi districts in southern Botswana. Saluan (Bahasa Saluan), a Celebic language spoken in the east of Sulawesi in Indonesia. Humburi Senni (humburi ciini / هُمْبُرِ ٺِينِ‎), a Southern Songhay language spoken mainly in southern Mali, and also in Burkina Faso. New constructed script: Azkarthelian (Azkarthe’elith), an abjad created by Murray Callahan for his conlang of the same name. New numbers pages: Saluan (Bahasa Saluan), a Celebic language spoken in the east of Sulawesi in Indonesia. Wintu (winthu:h), a Wintuan language that was spoken in northern California in the USA, and which is being revived. Emilian-Romagnol (emiliân-rumagnol), a Romance language spoken mainly in northern Italy, and also in San Marino. Föhr (Fering), a variety of North Frisian spoken on the island of Föhr in the German region of North Frisia. New family words page: Föhr (Fering), a variety of North Frisian spoken on the island of Föhr in the German region of North Frisia. On the Omniglot blog this week we look into idioms that mean Better Safe Than Sorry and similar things in various languages, and there’s the usual Language Quiz. See if you can guess what language this is: http://www.omniglot.com/soundfiles/blog/quiz161125.mp3 Here’s a clue: this language is spoken in Poland, Slovakia and Czechia. The mystery language in last week’s language quiz was Bouyei (Haausqyaix), a northern Tai-Kaidai language spoken mainly in southern China, and also in northern Vietnam. In this week’s Adventure in Etymology, we investigate the origins of the word Cardinal, and find out what it has to do with hinges and a Roman goddess. It’s also available on Instagram and TikTok. On the Celtiadur blog there’s a new post entitled What? about words for what? which? who? where? and related things in Celtic languages. I also made improvements to the North Frisian language page. For more Omniglot News, see: https://www.omniglot.com/news/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/omniglot/ https://www.facebook.com/Omniglot-100430558332117 You can also listen to this podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn and Podchaser. If you would like to support this podcast, you can make a donation via PayPal or Patreon, or contribute to Omniglot in other ways. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); 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.