Radio Omniglot

Feb 02 2025 10 ep. 2 mins 1k

Radio Omniglot Podcast artwork

Radio Omniglot is a podcast about language and linguistics, brought to you by Simon Ager, the man behind Omniglot.com, the online encyclopedia of writing systems and languages.

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Omniglot News 02/02/25

Feb 02 2025 2 mins

Here’s the latest news from the world of Omniglot. New language pages: * Kabwa (Ekikabwa), a Northeast Bantu language spoken in the Mara Region in northern Tanzania. * Bagirmi (tàrà ɓármà), a Central Sudanic language spoken mainly in southwestern Chad, and also in Nigeria. * Naba (Tar Melbene), a Central Sudanic language spoken mainly in Batha-Est Prefecture in central Ch

Omniglot News (26/01/25)

Jan 26 2025 2 mins

Here’s the latest news from the world of Omniglot. New language pages: * Waiwai, a Cariban language spoken mainly in northern Brazil, and also in Guyana and Suirname. * Enawene Nawe (Enawenê-Nawê), a Southern Arawakan language spoken in State of Mato Grosso in western Brazil. * Jah Hut, an Aslian language spoken mainly in Pahang state in the south of peninsula Malaysia. * Br

Celtic Pathways – Calamitous Swords

Jan 25 2025 2 mins

In this episode we discover the possible Celtic roots of some words for sword, hammer and related things in Romance and Slavic languages. The Proto-Celtic word *kladiwos means sword, and comes from Proto-Celtic *kladeti (to stab, dig), from Proto-Indo-European *kl̥h₂dʰ-é-ti, from *kelh₂- (to beat, strike) [source]. Related words in the modern Celtic languages include: * c

Omniglot News (19/01/25)

Jan 19 2025 2 mins

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, and thanks for all th

Adventures in Etymology – Cluttered Klutzes

Jan 18 2025 2 mins

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 cloteren (to form

Omniglot News (12/01/25)

Jan 12 2025 2 mins

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-Polynesian language spoke

Celtic Pathways – Follow That Hound!

Jan 11 2025 1 mins

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, imitating, sequence, progression

Omniglot News (05/01/25)

Jan 05 2025 2 mins

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 the Philippines. N

Adventures in Etymology – Windy Wings

Jan 04 2025 2 mins

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 Middle English winge

Omniglot News (29/12/24)

Dec 29 2024 2 mins

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 Reza Sumanda for fun and as