New Years theme: Lions 🦁
Teaser
Singh, Sinhala, Singapore, shih tzu
Other articles
Word Family - Lion
New Years theme: Lions 🦁
Introduction
It has long been noted that the Ancient Greek λέων léon: "lion" (whence the word for lion in nearly all Balto-Slavic, Germanic, and Italic languages, as well as a few others) looks almost like it comes from Semitic *labu, but not quite. Pre-Classical Greek would …
read moreWord Family - Check
Introduction
All English meanings of "check" derive from the chess term:
checklist, checkup, checks and balances, checkers, checking account, checkered past, …
All of them.
Teaser
check, chess, checkers, shah, Xerxes
Full Text
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Proto-Indo-European *tek- to reach for, to take, to obtain, to receive
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Proto-Indo-European *téketi primary imperfective
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Balto-Slavic *tektei
- Lithuanian …
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Word Family - Brassica
Introduction
There's a very cool fact: cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, Brussels sprouts, collard greens, kohlrabi, and others are all the species of plant, namely Brassica oleracea, selectively bred for different parts of the plant. (https://www.google.com/search?q=brassica+oleracea+selection)
Only recently did I realized that many …
read moreWord Family - Path
Introduction
Find the Path
A few weeks ago, I picked up my phone to look up the etymology of "Pontic", but got distracted and looked up the etymology of "path" first. And it turned out they were the same! But wait, how does that work, cause Grimm's Law?
*paþaz is …
read moreWord Family - Crystal
Dark Crystal 🔮 bonus family
Teaser
crystal, crust, custard, crustacean, cryo-
Full Text
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Proto-Indo-European *krews- to harden, to freeze
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Proto-Indo-European *krustós hardened, frozen adjective
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Hellenic *krustós
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Ancient Greek κρύσταλλος krústallos ice, rock crystal [1]
- Greek κρύσταλλο krýstallo crystal, ice
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Latin crystallus
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Western Romance
- French cristal crystal
- Spanish cristal crystal, glass, window …
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Kalevakirjat
(Tegurala introduction: I have a D&D setting I have developed, which I call Tegurala. When I started working on it, I decided to use real world languages for the fantasy languages, for naming language consistency without having to create a bunch of new ConLangs. Giants use Uralic languages)
The …
read moreWord Family - Camel
June theme: Domestic Animals 🐕
Teaser
Full Text
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Semitic *gamal- camel
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Central Semitic
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Arabic جمل jámal camel
- Maltese ġemel camel
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Northwest Semitic
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Aramaic
- Classical Syriac ܓܡܠܐ gamlā’ camel
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Canaanite
- Hebrew גמל gamal camel
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Phoenician
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Ancient Greek κάμηλος kámēlos camel
- Greek καμήλα kamíla camel
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Latin camēlus camel
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Old French
- English …
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Word Family - Cow
June theme: Domestic Animals 🐕
Teaser
Full Text
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unknown source
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Proto-Indo-European *gʷṓws
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Pre-Albanian *gauka
- Albanian gak boar
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Anatolian
- Luwian 𔑺𔗬𔗔 BOS-wa/i-sa cow where 𔑺 BOS is a semantic determinative
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Old Armenian կով kov cow
- Armenian կով kov cow
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Balto-Slavic *gōw-
- Latvian govs cow
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Slavic *govę̀do head of …
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Word Family - Swine
June theme: Domestic Animals 🐕
Introduction
I present two families for "pig" here, partly because Armenian խոզ xoz is derivable from either family (see footnote [1])
Family 1, Indo-European *suH- pig, sow?", possibly related to Akkadian 𒊺𒄷𒌑 še-hu-u₂ and Sumerian 𒋚 šah; and family 2, Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰóryos: "pig", probably central PIE …
read moreWord Family - Canine
June theme: Domestic Animals 🐕
Introduction
I get a little speculative here, if not downright provocative. There are words for dog all over Eurasia that recall each other. These could be onomatopoeic, but they do not much resemble the common forms you find in words that actually used as dog sound …
read moreWord Family - Olive
May theme: Plants 🌱
Introduction
In which "olive oil" is redundant.
The Greek and Armenian words are often interpreted as being from a Mediterranean substrate word. But then there's the Slavic *lȏjь: "tallow, suet". And then the Old Chinese lɯw: "oil, grease", which is plausibly from the Tocharian equivalent of Slavic …
read moreWord Family - Flower
May theme: Plants 🌱
Teaser
bloom, flower, flourish, belladonna, blade, chlorophyll
Full Text
Word Family - Tree
May theme: Plants 🌱
Introduction
In which "dryad" and "druid" are basically the same word, "trust" and "tryst", "trees" and "truce". Plus horse racing history.
Teaser
true, endure, tree, derby, larch, druid, dryad, tray
Full Text
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Proto-Indo-European *drew- hard, firm, strong, wood, tree [1]
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Proto-Indo-European *droweh₂yéti
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Germanic *trūwijaną
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North Germanic
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Old …
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Word Family - Root
May theme: Plants 🌱
Teaser
root, orchard, radio, radish, eradicate
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Proto-Indo-European *wréh₂ds root
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Old Armenian *rgat
- Armenian արքատ arkʿat branch trimmings
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Germanic *wrōts
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North Germanic
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Old Norse rót root, origin [1]
- Danish rod root
- Icelandic rót root, origin
Old English rōt
- English root
- Icelandic rót root, origin
- Danish rod root
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Proto-Indo-European *wr̥h₂dés of root genitive …
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Word Family - Pterodactyl
April theme: Dinosaurs and Friends🦕
Introduction
Pterodactyl. Two cool realizations about Greek "pter-". 1) "Helicopter" is so strongly segmented as "heli-copter" in English, it's fun to realize that the Greek construction is actually "helico-pter": "twisting (helix) wing". 2) More recently I realized it's an awesome example of Grimm's Law: apply …
read moreWord Family - Ankylosaurus
April theme: Dinosaurs and Friends🦕
Introduction
Ankylosaurus! And as an unexpected bonus, I found Azhdarchid pterosaurs deep in the family, too. Pterosaurs are probably my very favorite Mesozoic animals (stay tuned for next week!). Also in this family: various spiders and snakes and fears and sins in various languages.
I … read moreWord Family - Stegosaurus
April theme: Dinosaurs and Friends🦕
Teaser
steganography, detect, Stegosaurus, thug, thatch, deck
Full Text
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Proto-Indo-European *(s)teg- to cover s-mobile root
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Proto-Indo-European *(s)tég-eti primary verb
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Balto-Slavic
- Lithuanian stíegti to roof, to thatch
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Hellenic
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Ancient Greek στέγω stégō to cover, to wrap, to make watertight
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Ancient Greek στέγη stégē roof …
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Word Family - Triceratops
April theme: Dinosaurs and Friends🦕
Teaser
horn, unicorn, cheer, migraine, carrot, Triceratops
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Proto-Afro-Asiatic
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Egyptian *qar- horn
- Egyptian qr.tj horns (dual)
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Semitic *qarn- horn
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Central Semitic
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Arabic قَرْن qarn horn, century
- Maltese qarn horn
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Northwest Semitic
- Aramaic קַרְנָא
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Canaanite
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Hebrew קֶרֶן …
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Word Family - Centum
January theme: 98, 99, 100! 💯
Introduction
This is the 100th Word Family Friday in 100 weeks, and the last before I take a break for a few weeks to work on infrastructure and pad my buffer. I originally had a different idea, but then I realized I of course had …
read moreWord Family - Bleak
January theme: 98, 99, 100! 💯
Teaser
blue, beluga, flame, bleach, black
Full Text
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Proto-Indo-European *bʰel-
to shine
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Proto-Indo-European *bʰoltós
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Balto-Slavic
- Lithuanian báltas
white
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Latin Balthae
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Medieval Latin Balticus
- English Baltic
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- Lithuanian báltas
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Illyrian balta
swamp
- Albanian baltë
mud
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Balto-Slavic *balta
- Latin Balthae
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Slavic *bolto
swamp, mud
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East Slavic болото boloto
- Russian боло …
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- Albanian baltë
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Word Family - Weasel
January theme: 98, 99, 100! 💯
Teaser
virus, virulent, weasel, wisent, bison
Full Text
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Proto-Indo-European *weys-
slime, poison, flow, melt
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Proto-Indo-European *wisós action noun, zero-grade variant
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Hellenic *wihos
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Ancient Greek ῑ̓ός īós
poison, venom
- Greek ιός iós
venom, virus
- Greek ιός iós
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Indo-Iranian *wišás
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Indo-Aryan *wíṣas
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Dardic *biṣá
- Kalasha biṣ
poison
- Kalasha biṣ
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Sanskrit व …
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Word Family - Arbiter
December theme: Pre-Classical Mediterranean 🏝
Teaser
Europe, Maghreb, Arabia, Erebus
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Semitic *[ʕ/ġ]rb
to depart, to set
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Central Semitic
- Arabic ġaraba
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Northwest Semitic
- Aramaic ערובה ʿrōbā
sunset, evening, (Sabbath) eve
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Canaanite
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Phoenician *'irōb
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Homeric Greek Εὐρώπη Eurṓpē
Western shore of the Aegean,\nmainland Greece\n(as opposed to …
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- Aramaic ערובה ʿrōbā
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Word Family - Phoenix
December theme: Pre-Classical Mediterranean 🏝️
Teaser
Punic, phoenix, Phoenicia, Tisiphone, bane
Full Text
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Egyptian fnḫ
carpenter, woodcutter
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Egyptian fnḫw
woodcutters, Canaanites, Syrians
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Mycenaean Greek 𐀡𐀛𐀑𐀍 po-ni-ki-jo
trade commodity of some sort
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Ancient Greek φοῖνῐξ phoînix
Phoenician, purple or crimson, date palm, a guitar-like instrument from Phoenicia, phoenix
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Latin Poenus
a Phoenician …
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Word Family - Egypt
December theme: Pre-Classical Mediterranean 🏝
Teaser
Full Text
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Afro-Asiatic *ptḥ to create?, to begin?
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Egyptian ptḥ Ptah, self-created divinity of craft and creation
- English Ptah
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Egyptian ḥwt-kꜣ-ptḥ Temple of the Soul of Ptah, Memphis
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Mycenaean Greek *ai-ku-pi-to
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Ancient Greek Αἴγυπτος Aíguptos Egypt, the Nile
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Latin Aegyptus Egypt
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Western …
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Word Family - Greek
December theme: Pre-Classical Mediterranean 🏝️
Teaser
Greek, Charles, corn, grain, grenade
Full Text
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Proto-Indo-European *ǵerh₂-
to grow old, to mature
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Proto-Indo-European *ǵerh₂e-ti primary verb
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Balto-Slavic
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Slavic *zьrěti
to ripen
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East Slavic
- Russian зреть zretʹ
to ripen, to mature
- Ukrainian зрі́ти zríty
to ripen, to grow, to form
- Russian зреть zretʹ
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South Slavic
- Serbo-Croatian …
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Word Family - Attercop
November theme: Spiders 🕷
Teaser
edema, Oedipus, oat, atter, attercop
Full Text
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Proto-Indo-European *h₂eyd- to swell, abcess, tumor
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Proto-Indo-European h₂oydéy-eti
- Old Armenian այտնում aytnum to swell, to be inflamed, to be bloated
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Hellenic
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Ancient Greek οἰδέω I swell, I become swollen
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Ancient Greek οἴδημᾰ oídēma a swelling, a tumor
- English edema …
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Word Family - Venom
November theme: Spiders 🕷
Teaser
win, wean, wish, wont, Venus, venereal, venerate, Edwin, Baldwin, Winfred, venom, wonder, winsome, venial
Full Text
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Proto-Indo-European *wenh₁- to love
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Proto-Indo-European *wn̥h₁néw-ti? variant ne imperfective
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Germanic *winnaną to strive, to work, to gain, to win
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East Germanic
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Gothic
- Ostrogothic 𐍅𐌹𐌽𐌽𐌰𐌽 winnan to suffer
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North Germanic …
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Word Family - Web
November theme: Spiders 🕷
Teaser
sweep, weave, web, wasp, Vespa, whip, veer, vibrate
Full Text
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Pre-Proto-Indo-European *ksweyb-
to swiftly, to swing, to shake, to cast
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Proto-Indo-European *kswéyP-eti
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Germanic *swībaną
to revolve, to sway, to stray
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East Germanic
- Gothic 𐍃𐍅𐌴𐌹𐌱𐌰𐌽 sweiban
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North Germanic
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Old Norse svífa
to rove, to ramble, to swerve …
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Word Family - Spider
November theme: Spiders 🕷
Teaser
spin, spider, span, poise, peso, ponder
Full Text
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Proto-Indo-European *(s)pen- to stretch, to spin
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Proto-Indo-European *(s)penH-
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Proto-Indo-European *(s)penH-ti primary verb
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Balto-Slavic *pinˀtei to braid, to stretch
- Lithuanian pìnti to braid, to twine, to chatter
Slavic *pęti to stretch
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East Slavic пꙗти pjati
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Russian …
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- Lithuanian pìnti to braid, to twine, to chatter
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Word Family - Witch
Halloween Bonus Family
Introduction
Bonus word family for Halloween by special request from my 4 year old: "witch".
Teaser
Full Text
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Proto-Indo-European *weyk- to separate, to choose, to consecrate
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Proto-Indo-European *wiknéh₂-ti
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Germanic *wikkōną
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West Germanic *wikkōną
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Old English wiċċian
- English (be)witch
- Frankish *wikkon
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Old High German …
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Word Family - Cyborg
October theme: Science Fiction 🤖
Introduction
Got out of hand, never managed to finish, as yet.
Teaser
curve, search, circle, cross, ring, cyborg, clavicle, close
Full Text
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Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker- to bend, to curve, to turn
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Proto-Indo-European *(s)kerwós bent, curved
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Balto-Slavic *krivъ
- Slavic *krivъ crooked, bent, wrong, guilty
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Proto-Indo-European *(s …
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Word Family - Moon
October theme: Nighttime 🌃
Teaser
measure, meal, moon, month, medicine, modem, accommodate
Full Text
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Proto-Indo-European *meh₁- to measure
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Proto-Indo-European *miméh₁-ti reduplicate imperfective
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Indo-Iranian *mimáHti
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Indo-Aryan
- Sanskrit मिमीते mimīte to measure, to mark off
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Iranian
- Avestan 𐬟𐬭𐬀𐬨𐬍𐬨𐬀𐬚𐬁 framīmaθā set the limits of, assign, authorize
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Proto-Indo-European *moh₁ros big, great
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Celtic *māros …
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Word Family - Star
October theme: Nighttime 🌃
Teaser
Full Text
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Proto-Indo-European *h₂eh₁s-
to be dry, to burn, ashes, hearth
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Proto-Indo-European *h₂eh₁seh₁(ye)-ti stative
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Italic *āzēō
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Latin āreō
I am dry, I am parched, I am withered
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Latin āridus
dry, withered, arid, shrivelled, uninspired
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Western Romance
- Italian arido
arid, barren …
- Italian arido
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Word Family - Sleep
October theme: Nighttime 🌃
Teaser
Full Text
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?
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Proto-Indo-European *(s)leh₂b-
to hang loosely, to be weak, lip, to lick
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Proto-Indo-European *(s)leh₂be-ti
to fall down? to relax?
primary verb-
Germanic *slēpaną
to sleep
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East Germanic
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Gothic 𐍃𐌻𐌴𐍀𐌰𐌽 slēpan
to sleep
- Crimean Gothic schlipen
to sleep
- Crimean Gothic schlipen
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West Germanic …
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Word Family - Persimmon
Bonus: Indigenous Peoples Day
Teaser
Full Text
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Algic *mene berry
- Yurok menomen Juneberry
Algonquian *mi·na berry
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Central Algonquian
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Cree ᒦᓂᐢ miinis (wild) berry or fruit
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Cree ᒥᓵᐢᑲᐧᑑᒥᐣ misa˙skwato˙min saskatoon berry
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English saskatoon
- English Saskatoon
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- Menominee -men- fruit, berry, grain
Ojibwe -min berry
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Ojibwe niibiminaa high-bush …
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- Yurok menomen Juneberry
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Word Family - Night
October theme: Night time 🌃
Teaser
naga, naked, gym, night, nocturnal
Full Text
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Proto-Indo-European *negʷ-
bare
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Proto-Indo-European *nogʷó-s
naked thing, naked one
noun-
Balto-Slavic *nōˀgás
naked
- Lithuanian núogas
naked
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Slavic *nȃgъ
naked
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East Slavic
- Russian наго́й nagój
naked
- Russian наго́й nagój
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South Slavic
- Serbo-Croatian наг nag
naked
- Serbo-Croatian наг nag
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West Slavic
- Polish nagi
naked
- Polish nagi
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- Lithuanian núogas
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Indo-Iranian …
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Word Family - Community
September theme: Community 🏘️
Teaser
municipal, common, communicate, Mithra, mix, mutant, miss
Full Text
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Proto-Indo-European *mey-
to exchange, to intermingle
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Proto-Indo-European *moyno-s
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Italic *moinos
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Latin mūnus
service, duty, obligation, public office
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Latin mūniceps
citizen (duty-taker)
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Latin mūnicipium
township, town
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Western Romance
- Italian municipo
town council, town hall, government office
- Italian municipo
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Word Family - Downtown
September theme: Community 🏘️
Teaser
Full Text
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Proto-Indo-European *dʰewH-?
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Proto-Indo-European *dʰuHnom
enclosure
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Celtic *dūnom
stronghold, rampart
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Brythonic *din
hill fort, hill
- Welsh din
fort
- Welsh din
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Old Irish dún
fort, fortress
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Irish dún
fort, fortress, refuge, haven
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Irish Dún na nGall
Fort of Foreigners, Donegal
- English Donegal
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hill …
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Word Family - Folk
September theme: Community 🏘️
Teaser
complete, supply, full, poly-, folk
Full Text
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Proto-Indo-European *pleh₁
to fill
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Proto-Indo-European *pleh₁-ti
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Hellenic
- Ancient Greek πλῆτο plêto
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Proto-Indo-European pleh₁st sigma perfective
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Proto-Indo-European *h₁n̥-pleh₁st
in-fill (perfective)
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Indo-Iranian *HápraHt
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Indo-Aryan
- Sanskrit अप्रात् áprāt
to fill
- Sanskrit अप्रात् áprāt
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Proto-Indo-European *pípleh₁-ti reduplicate imperfective
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Hellenic
- Ancient Greek πίμπλημι pímplēmi …
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Word Family - Guest
September theme: Community 🏘️
Teaser
guest and host, hospitality and hostility
Full Text
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Proto-Indo-European gʰes-
to eat
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Proto-Indo-European gʰese-ti primary verb
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Indo-Iranian
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Indo-Aryan
- Sanskrit घसति ghásati
to eat
- Sanskrit घसति ghásati
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Iranian
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East Iranian
- Avestan 𐬔𐬀𐬵 gah
to eat, to gorge
- Avestan 𐬔𐬀𐬵 gah
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Northwest Indo-European gʰóst-is
guest, stranger
~"eater"-
Balto-Slavic
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Slavic *gȏstь
guest
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East Slavic
- Russian …
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Tengwar for Te Reo (Māori)
Tengwar for Te Reo
"My language is my awakening, my language is the window to my soul."
I have a D&D setting I have developed, which I call Tegurala. When I started working on it, I decided to use real world languages for the fantasy languages, for naming language …
read moreWord Family - Alien
August theme: Science fiction 🤖
Teaser
else, Alsace, eldritch, allo-, allele, alias, alien, alienate, altruism, alter, adulter, altercation, other
Full Text
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Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- beyond, other
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Proto-Indo-European *h₂élyos other, another
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Old Armenian այլ ayl another, other, alien, foreign, also, however
- Armenian այլ ayl other, but
- Armenian էլ ēl also, too, anymore
- Armenian …
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Word Family - Android
August theme: Science Fiction 🤖
Teaser
Full Text
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Proto-Indo-European *h₂nḗr (adult/married) man
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Proto-Albanian *nera
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Old Albanian njer
- Albanian njeri man
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Hellenic *anḗr
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Ancient Greek ἀνήρ anḗr (adult) man, husband, mortal
- Greek άνδρας ándras (adult) man, husband
Ancient Greek ἀνδρο- andro-
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English andro-
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English android
- English droid
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Ancient …
- Greek άνδρας ándras (adult) man, husband
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Word Family - Robot
August theme: Science Fiction 🤖
Teaser
Full Text
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Proto-Indo-European *h₃erbʰ-
to be part of (a group or family)?, to owe allegiance to?, to change owernship?
- Hittite ḫarp-
to associate with, to go over to, to change allegiance
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Proto-Indo-European *h₃orbʰyo-m
inheritance?
plural: <*h₃orbʰyéh₂>-
Celtic *orbyom
inheritance
plural: <*orbyā>- Old Irish …
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Word Family - Architecture Small Family Collection
July theme: Architecture 🏛️
I was preparing a family this week that I thought included the English word, wall. But as I researched it, I found that English wall is from Germanic *wallą from Latin vallum, but it is Germanic *waigaz (meaning "wall", no direct relation) that connects to the family …
read moreWord Family - Column
July theme: Architecture 🏛️
Teaser
Full Text
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Proto-Indo-European kelH-
to rise, to be tall
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Proto-Indo-European *kl̥néH-ti ne- imperfective
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Italic *kelnō
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Latin *cellō
to rise
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Latin excellō
I elevate, I raise up, I rise, I exult, I excel
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Western Romance
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French exceller
to excel
- English excel
- Italian eccellere …
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Word Family - Hall
July theme: Architecture 🏛️
Teaser
hall, cellar, lid, color, hell, apocalypse
Full Text
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Proto-Indo-European *ḱel-
to cover
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Proto-Indo-European *ḱéle-ti
to be covering, to be hiding
primary imperfective-
Celtic *keleti
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Brythonic *kelɨd
- Middle Welsh kelu
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Old Irish ceilid
to hide, to conceal
- Irish ceil
to hide, to conceal
- Old Irish con-ceil
to …
- Irish ceil
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Word Family - Celts
June theme: Celtic Iron Age
Introduction
June's theme is linguistic effects of the Celtic Hegemony of the early Iron Age. The rest of the month will focus on words that were borrowed from Gaulish into Latin (things like very iconic Latin word gladius being borrowed from Gaulish, which appears in …
read moreWord Family - Daughter
May theme: kinship terms 👨👩👧👧
Teaser
female, doe, filial, Tethys, daughter
Full Text
- startbody
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Proto-Indo-European *dʰewgʰ-
to produce, to be strong, to be fruitful, to give milk
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Proto-Indo-European *dʰéwgʰ-ti primary verb form
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Hellenic
- Ancient Greek τεύχω teúkhō
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Indo-Iranian *dáwgdʰi
to milk
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Iranian *dáwgdi
-
Western Iranian …
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Word Family - Moa
April Theme: Birds 🐦
Teaser
moa, manuk
Full Text
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Sino-Austronesian?
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Proto-Austronesian *manuk
bird
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Malayo-Polynesian
- Bajau memanuk
bird
- Javanese ꦩꦤꦸꦏ꧀ manuk
bird
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Malayic *manuk
- Malay manuk
bird, chicken
- Malay manuk
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Phillipine
- Tagalog manók
chicken
- Tagalog manók
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Oceanic
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Micronesian
- Chuukese machang
bird
- Kiribati man
bird
- Chuukese machang
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Polynesian *manu
bird
- Tongan manupuna
bird
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Nuclear Polynesian
- Samoan manu
bird …
- Samoan manu
- Tongan manupuna
-
- Bajau memanuk
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Word Family - Taran
February theme: Weather ⛈️
Teaser
Thor, thunder, astonish, tornado, detonate, Tarquinia
Full Text
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Proto-Indo-European *(s)tenh₂- thunder [1]
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Proto-Indo-European *(s)ténh₂e-ti to thunder
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Balto-Slavic
- Lithuanian steneti
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Slavic *stenàti to groan, to moan
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East Slavic стенати stenati
- Russian стена́ть stenátʹ to groan, to moan (archaic)
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South Slavic
- Bulgarian сте́на sténa …
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Word Family - Count
January theme: Royal and Noble Titles 👑
Teaser
count, constable, itinerary, January
Full Text
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Proto-Indo-European *h₁ey- to go (imperfective) possibly suppletive
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Indo-Iranian *hai
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Iranian
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Western Iranian
- Kurdish -ê- comes
- Persian آی ây comes, arrives suppletive present of âmadan
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Proto-Indo-European *h₁éyti goes primary verb [1]
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Proto-Albanian *eika
- Albanian iki I go, I …
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Word Family - Rex
December theme: Religion 📿
Introduction
This is the #WordFamilyFriday that no matter how long I work on it, it's never done. That's what I get for trying to explore the possibility that two extremely important and productive roots may be connected: *h₂er-, related to cosmic order, and *h₃reǵ-, related to societal …
read moreWord Family - Veda
December theme: Religion 📿
Teaser
idol, Rigveda, guide, vision, Hades, idea, history, wise
Full Text
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Proto-Indo-European weyd- to see
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Indo-Iranian *wayd- to know, to find
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Indo-Aryan
- Sanskrit विद् vid know, find
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Iranian *waid-
- Avestan vid know, understand
- Avestan vaēd find
Iranian *ni-waid invitation
- Avestan niuuaēδaiiemi to invite a deity to …
- Avestan vaēd find
- Avestan vid know, understand
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Word Family - Geyser
December theme: Religion 📿
Introduction
This root has been reconstructed as *ǵʰew-, *ǵʰewH-, *gewH, *gʷewH, *gʷewh₂, which is an unusually high amount of variation, and with different combinations of the definitions I've listed, but:
- It's an unusual amount of variation in the phonological reconstruction, but still awfully similar.
- Looking at any …
Word Family - Bid
December theme: Religion 📿
Introduction
*bʰewdʰ- vs. *gʷʰedʰ-: two families that end up being super confusing in Germanic languages, since *bʰ and *gʷʰ merge at the beginning of a word. In English, they end up being homophones with complementary/opposite meanings: "offer" vs. "ask for".
I had to do these two …
read moreWord Family - Diurnal
December theme: Religion 📿
Introduction
We start religion words with *dyḗwos ph₂tḗr, Old Father Shining-Sky himself.
Interestingly English "day" is not from this root, despite similarity to many IE words for day, e.g. Latin diēs, etc. Germanic d corresponds to Latin f (PIE dʰ); Latin d corresponds to Germanic t …
read moreWord Family - Nectar
November theme: Mes de Muertos 💀
Teaser
innocent, noxious, necromancer, nectar
Full Text
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Proto-Indo-European *neḱ-
to perish, to disappear
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Proto-Indo-European *néḱy-eti
perishes, disappears
imperfective-
Indo-Iranian *náĉyati
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Indo-Aryan
- Sanskrit नश्यति naśyati
to be lost, to perish, to disappear, to be gone
- Sanskrit नश्यति naśyati
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Iranian
- Avestan nasiieiti
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Western Iranian
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Northwestern Iranian
- Parthian nʾsyd
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-
-
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Proto-Indo-European …
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Word Family - Death
November theme: Mes de Muertos 💀
Introduction
A root meaning "to run, to depart" can be reconstructed from Hellenic and Indo-Iranian. But in Northwest branches, Balto-Slavic, Celtic, Germanic, and possibly Italic, there is a phonologically identical root meaning "to die". So it's probably a euphemism coined in a Late Northwest Indo-European …
read moreWord Family - Quick
November theme: Mes de Muertos 💀
Teaser
quick, biology, vitamin, zoology, hygiene
Full Text
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Proto-Indo-European *gʷeyh₃-
to live
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Proto-Indo-European *gʷíh₃w-eti
to be alive
first person *gʷíh₃woh₂: "I live"-
Balto-Slavic
- Lithuanian gyventi
to live, to inhabit
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Slavic *žiti
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East Slavic
- Russian жить žitʹ
to live, to reside
- Russian жить žitʹ
-
South Slavic
- Old Church Slavonic …
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- Lithuanian gyventi
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Word Family - Mummy
October theme: Ancient Borrowings 𒅴
Teaser
Full Text
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Proto-Afro-Asiatic *maʾ-
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Berber
- Tashelhit aman
water
- Tuareg ⵎⵏ aman
water
- Tashelhit aman
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Chadic
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West Chadic
- Tangale am
water
- Tangale am
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Egyptian 𓈖 mw
water, rain, sea, lake
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Demotic Egyptian mw
- Coptic ⲙⲟⲟⲩ moou
water
- Egyptian Arabic امبو ʾumbū
water, drink
childish -
Ancient Greek μῦ …
- Coptic ⲙⲟⲟⲩ moou
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Word Family - Lily
October theme: Ancient Borrowings 𒅴
Teaser
Full Text
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Afro-Asiatic *ḥrr
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Egyptian 𓁷𓂋𓂋𓏏𓆰 ḥrr-t
flower, blossom
- Egyptian 𓁹 𓁷𓂋𓂋𓏏𓆰 jrj ḥrr-t
to blossom
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Demotic Egyptian ḥrrj
flower
- Coptic ϩⲣⲏⲣⲉ hrēre
flower
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Fayyumic Coptic ϩⲗⲏⲣⲓ hlēri
flower
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Ancient Greek λείριον leírion
lily
- Serbo-Croatian лије̑р lijȇr
lily
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Latin līlium
lily
plural …
- Serbo-Croatian лије̑р lijȇr
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- Coptic ϩⲣⲏⲣⲉ hrēre
- Egyptian 𓁹 𓁷𓂋𓂋𓏏𓆰 jrj ḥrr-t
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Word Family - Mort
October theme: Mes de Muertos 💀
Introduction
I'm not seriously proposing that words for "death" all across the Northern Hemisphere are related, but I'm not entirely not proposing that, or at least that there may be an ancient wander-word (possibly driven by taboo replacement?) that made its way across much Eurasia …
read moreWord Family - Elephant
October theme: Ancient Borrowings 𒅴
Teaser
Full Text
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Proto-Afro-Asiatic *leb-
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Chadic
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West Chadic
- Tangale labata
elephant
- Tangale labata
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Egyptian 𓍋𓃀𓅱(𓃰,𓌟) ābu
elephant, ivory
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Coptic ⲓⲏⲃ yēb
elephant
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Latin ebur
ivory
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French ivoire
ivory
- English ivory
- Italian avorio
ivory
- Irish eabhar
ivory
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- Sanskrit इभ ibha
elephant
rare; `हस्त …
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Word Family - Cane
October theme: Ancient Borrowings 𒅴
Teaser
Full Text
-
Sumerian 𒄀𒈾 gi.na
reed
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Akkadian 𒄀 qanû
reed
- Mycenaean Greek 𐀒𐀜𐀛𐀠 ko-no-ni-pi
cross bar?
- Hebrew קָנֶה kané
cane, stick, reed, windpipe
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? Pre-Greek substrate?
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Ancient Greek κάννα kánna
reed, reed mat
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Latin canna
reed, cane, pipe, flute …
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- Mycenaean Greek 𐀒𐀜𐀛𐀠 ko-no-ni-pi
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Word Family - Tepid
September theme: Fire 🔥
Teaser
Full Text
-
? Unknown original source
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Proto-Afro-Asiatic *dp-
heat, fire
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Semitic *di/ap(a)ʔ-
heat, be warm
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Central Semitic
- Arabic دَافِئ dāfiʾ
warm
- Arabic دَافِئ dāfiʾ
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Cushitic
- Blin dif
sweat
- Gedeo daffa
sweat
- Somali dhidid
sweat
- Blin dif
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Proto-Kartvelian *ṭep-
- Georgian თბილი tbili
warm
- Georgian თბილი tbili
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Proto-Indo-European *tep-
to be …
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Word Family - Aidan
September theme: Fire 🔥
Teaser
Ethiopia, ether, ethereal, Hugh, O'Hea, Hayes, Aidan, Enya, Egan, MacEgan, Keegan, Maddoc, Mogue, Kenneth, edify, edifice, anneal, mareel, estivation
Full Text
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Proto-Indo-European *h₂eydʰ- ignite, fire
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Proto-Indo-European *h₂éydʰe-ti burning, igniting primary verb
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Indo-Iranian *Háydʰati
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Indo-Aryan
- Sanskrit एधते édhate to spread, to grow, to increase, to prosper
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Hellenic …
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Word Family - Brew
September theme: Fire 🔥
Teaser
brew, fervent, ferment, brand, firebrand, brandish, burn, bourn, broth, bulgogi, broa, bread
Full Text
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Proto-Indo-European *bʰrewh₁- to boil, to brew
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Proto-Indo-European *bʰrewh₁-ti primary verb
- Albanian mbruaj to knead
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Celtic
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Brythonic
- Welsh berwi to boil
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Old Irish bruithid boils, seethes, cooks
- Irish bruith to boil, to bake …
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Word Family - Fire
September theme: Fire 🔥
Teaser
Full Text
-
Proto-Indo-European *péh₂- presumed verb root
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Proto-Indo-European *péh₂wr̥
fire, bonfire
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Anatolian
- Hittite 𒉺𒀪𒄯 pa-aḫ-ḫur
fire, torch, campfire, fever
- Hittite 𒉺𒀪𒄯 pa-aḫ-ḫur
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Balto-Slavic
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Slavic *pyrь
remains of a fire, ashes, cinders
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East Slavic
- Russian пыре́й pyréj
couch grass
- Russian пыре́й pyréj
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West Slavic
- Polish perz
couch grass
- Polish …
- Polish perz
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Word Family - Ignite
September theme: Fire 🔥
Teaser
Full Text
-
Proto-Indo-European *h₁n̥gʷnis
fire
animate, elemental fire as opposed to <*péh₂wr̥>: fire as an inanimate/contained substance-
Balto-Slavic *ungnis
- Lithuanian ugnìs
fire
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Slavic *õgnjь
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East Slavic
- Russian ого́нь ogónʹ
fire, light, weapons fire
- Russian ого́нь ogónʹ
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South Slavic
- Serbo-Croatian о̀гањ òganj
fire …
- Serbo-Croatian о̀гањ òganj
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- Lithuanian ugnìs
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Word Family - Aqua
August theme: Elements So Slow 🌎🌊
Teaser
Avon, Punjab, island, Scandinavia, aquarium, sober
Full Text
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Proto-Indo-European *h₂ep- water, body of water
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Anatolian *h₂epo river
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Hittite *hapa river
- Hittite 𒄩𒉺𒀀 ḫa-pa-a toward the river
-
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Balto-Slavic
- Lithuanian ùpė river
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Celtic *abonā river
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Brythonic *aβon
- Welsh afon river
English Avon
- English Stratford-upon-Avon
- Welsh afon river
-
Old Irish …
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Word Family - Water
August theme: Elements So Slow 🌎🌊
Introduction
I love how Indo-European *udrós, "aquatic", became the word for "otter" in 4 out of the 5 branches where it is attested, except for Greek where it became "sea serpent".
Teaser
vodka, whiskey, water, hydrogen, otter, hydra, wash
Full Text
-
Proto-Indo-European *wed- water
-
Proto-Indo-European …
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Word Family - Earth
Elements So Slow 🌎🌊
Teaser
Full Text
-
?
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Proto-Afro-Asiatic *ʔariĉ̣-
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Berber
- Tashelhit ṛṛgg
earth, soil
- Tashelhit ṛṛgg
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Chadic
-
West Chadic *Hrit͜ɬ’-
- Pa'a riŝa
earth
- Pa'a riŝa
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East Chadic *ʔirt͜ɬ’-
- Bidiyo 'iraadya
valley
- Bidiyo 'iraadya
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Semitic *ʾarṣ́-
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Central Semitic
-
Arabic أَرْض ʾarḍ
land, earth, country, ground
- Maltese art
earth
- Swahili ardhi …
- Maltese art
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Word Family - Human
August theme: Earth and Water 🌎🌊
Introduction
August and September will be element themed, starting with two "earth" families.
Teaser
chthonic, Demeter, George, geometry, Daoine Sidhe, human
Full Text
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Proto-Indo-European *dʰéǵʰōm earth
- Albanian dhe earth
Anatolian
- Hittite 𒋼𒂊𒃷 te-e-kán earth
Balto-Slavic *źemē earth
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Lithuanian žẽmė land, earth
- Lithuanian Žemyna Earth Mother …
- Albanian dhe earth
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Word Family - Kore
July Miscellaneous
Teaser
creole, create, crescent, kore, Ceres
Full Text
-
Proto-Indo-European *ḱer(h₁)-
to grow, to increase
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Proto-Indo-European *ḱreh₁eh₂yé-ti
to make grow
transitive-
Italic *krēāō
-
Latin creō
I create, I give birth to, I prepare, I choose
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Western Romance
- French créer
to create
- Italian creare
to create, to appoint, to …
- French créer
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Word Family - Edge
Teaser
oxygen, vinegar, edge, axe, hammer, hear, acoustic, coin, cuneiform
Full Text
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Proto-Indo-European *h₂eḱ- sharp
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Proto-Indo-European *h₂oḱós sharp
-
Hellenic
-
Ancient Greek ὀξύς oxús sharp, pointed, clever, swift
-
French oxygène oxygen Greek technical formation "sharp-forming", for oxygen's role in forming acids
- English oxygen
- Translingual O
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Ancient Greek ὀξύμωρος oxúmōros a witty …
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Word Family - Be
July Miscellaneous
Teaser
be, hobbit, kit and (ca)boodle, physician, prove, tribe
Full Text
-
Proto-Indo-European *bʰuH-
to become, grow, appear
-
Proto-Indo-European *bʰúH-t
- Albanian bëhem
become, get
-
Balto-Slavic *būtei
to be
- Lithuanian būti
to be
-
Slavic *byti
to be
-
East Slavic
- Russian быть bytʹ
to be
- Russian быть bytʹ
-
South Slavic
- Serbo-Croatian би̏ти …
-
- Lithuanian būti
- Albanian bëhem
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Word Family - Seven
July theme: Miscellaneous 🔨
Introduction
This week begins a very loose July "theme" of a handful of miscellaneous everyday words, before we move into some strongly themed months for most of the rest of the year.
For 2017-07-07, I just had to do "seven".
All words mean "seven" unless otherwise specified …
read moreWord Family - Liberty
Holiday Bonus ⭐
Introduction
It is the right and proper state of a people or nation to be free, generous, honorable, hairy, libertine, and liberal children and vegetables.
Teaser
Ragnar Lothbrok, deliver, liberty, Luther
Full Text
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Proto-Indo-European *h₁lewdʰ- growth, people
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Proto-Indo-European *h₁léwdʰe-ti primary verb
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Germanic *leudaną
-
Old Norse loðinn hairy, shaggy …
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Word Family - Avatar
June theme: Pride In Words 🏳️🌈
Teaser
avatar, trans-, nectar, through
Full Text
-
Proto-Indo-European *terh₂-
to cross over, pass through, overcome
-
Proto-Indo-European *térh₂e-ti primary verb form
-
Indo-Iranian *tárHati
-
Indo-Aryan *tárHati
-
Sanskrit तरति tarati
pass over, float, swim
-
Sauraseni *tiradi
-
Madhya
- Hindi तैरना tairnā
to float
- Hindi तैरना tairnā
-
-
-
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Iranian *tárHatī
- Avestan titarat̰
overcame …
- Avestan titarat̰
-
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Word Family - Fabric
May theme: Cloth 👘
Teaser
Full Text
-
Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₂bʰ-
fit together, fitting, make
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Proto-Indo-European *dʰh₂bʰén-ti imperfective
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Balto-Slavic
- Lithuanian dabinti
to decorate, to beautify
- Lithuanian dabinti
-
Germanic *(ge)dabaną
to fit, to be fitting
-
East Germanic
- Gothic 𐌲𐌰𐌳𐌰𐌱𐌰𐌽 gadaban
to happen, to be appropriate
- Gothic 𐌲𐌰𐌳𐌰𐌱𐌰𐌽 gadaban
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North Germanic
-
Old Norse dafna
thrive …
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Word Family - Silk
Word Family - Easter
April theme: Miscellaneous light and cat words 🦁
Teaser
Easter, air, Austria, Australia
Full Text
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Proto-Indo-European *h₂ews- dawn, east
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Proto-Indo-European *h₂éwsōs Divinity of Dawn
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Germanic *auzi
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Germanic *Auziwandilaz Bright-Wanderer, Dawn-Wanderer, Morning Star personal name
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East Germanic
- Gothic 𐌰𐌿𐌶𐌰𐌽𐌳𐌹𐌻 auzandil morning star (Venus), Lucifer
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North Germanic
- Old Norse Aurvandil
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West Germanic
-
Old …
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Word Family - Mare
March theme: Horses 🐎
Introduction
On St. Patrick's Day, I reveal the secret reason I did horses in March.
Also, this one is really cool and just might go back all the way to the original domestication of horses in Central Asia. Maybe—just maybe—the Thai word for the knight …
read more