Radio Omniglot

Here’s the latest news from the world of Omniglot. New language pages: Thao (Thau a lalawa), a Formosan language spoken near Sun Moon Lake in central Taiwan. Cara, a Plateau language spoken in Plateau State in central Nigeria. Eleme, a Cross River language spoken in Rivers State in southeast Nigeria. Waimoa (Waima’a), a Timoric language […]

In this Adventure in Etymology we scratch at the roots of the word scribe. Thoth, Egyptian god of the Moon, wisdom, knowledge, writing, science, magic, art and judgement, scribe of the gods, inventor of (Egyptian hieroglyphic) writing, reading and music A scribe [skɹaɪ̯b] is someone who writes, a draughtsperson, a writer for another, a secretary, […]

Here’s the latest news from the world of Omniglot. New language pages: Anaang (Anaañ), a Cross River language spoken in Akwa Ibom State in the southeast of Nigeria. Kilivila (Kiriwana), a Western Oceanic language spoken in the Trobriand Islands in Papua New Guinea. Sudest (Vanatɨna), a Western Oceanic language spoken on Sudest Island in Milne […]

In this Adventure in Etymology we discover the odd roots of the word umpire. An umpire [ˈʌm.paɪə(ɹ) / ˈʌm.paɪɹ] is an official who presides over a sports match, or a person who arbitrates between contending parties. To umpire means to act as an umpire in a game, or to decide as an umpire. It comes […]

Here’s the latest news from the world of Omniglot. New language pages: Kara, a Western Oceanic language spoken in New Ireland Province in Papua New Guinea. Kenyah, a North Bornean language spoken in Indonesia and Malaysia on the island of Bornea. East Ambae, a Southern Oceanic language spoken on Ambae Island in Vanuatu. New numbers […]

In this Adventure in Etymology we find out what links the words symbol, ballet and problem. A symbol [ˈsɪmbəl] is a character or glyph representing an idea, concept or object; a thing considered the embodiment or cardinal exemplar of a concept, theme, etc – other meanings are available. It comes from French symbole (symbol), from […]

Here’s the latest news from the world of Omniglot. New language pages: Tupuri (Tpuri), a Northern Mbum language spoken in Chad and Cameroon. Akum, a Plateau Benue-Congo language spoken in Cameroon and Nigeria. Alumu (Alumu Təsu), a Plateau Benue-Congo language spoken in Nigeria. Karao, a Northern Luzon language spoken in the north of Luzon in […]

In this Adventure in Etymology we investigate the tardy roots of the word delay. A delay [dɪˈleɪ̯ / dəˈleɪ̯] is a period of time before an event occurs; the act of delaying; procrastination; lingering inactivity, and various other things. To delay can mean to put off until later; to defer; to retard; to temporarily stop; […]

In this Adventure in Etymology we untangle the befuddling roots of the word confusion. Confusion [kənˈfjuːʒən] can mean a lack of clarity or order; the state of being confused; a misunderstanding; the act of mistaking one thing for another, or a lack of understanding due to dementia. It is also the collective noun for a […]