A couple of years ago on Twitter, there was a post from the official account of a seal shop called Nagae Insyoudou, or 永江印祥堂. Simply put, in Japan as well as the Sinosphere, seals or stamps are often used as signatures on documents to confer personal identity. For individuals, this typically would use the family … Continue reading That hilariously long Japanese name
word origins
The language that gave us the word ‘kangaroo’ — Guugu Yimithirr
When we talk about marsupials, Australia immediately comes to mind. It is home to many kinds of iconic marsupials, such as the dingo, sugar glider, and the wombat. But amongst them all, is the national animal of Australia -- the kangaroo. The etymology of the word 'kangaroo' has been muddied in misconception before, but this … Continue reading The language that gave us the word ‘kangaroo’ — Guugu Yimithirr
Why do we pronounce ‘tomato’ differently but not ‘potato’?
I want to start today's Word Bites installment with yet another poll. This time, I want to ask, how do you pronounce 'tomato'? Do the last two syllables sound similar or identical to those of 'potato? For two words that might sound strangely similar for some, the presence of two possible pronunciations (or predominant patterns … Continue reading Why do we pronounce ‘tomato’ differently but not ‘potato’?
Why are there so many German names for this?
Let's start with a little question. What do you call this? If you are an English speaker, you might call this a jelly-filled donut or a jam doughnut. After all, these are doughnuts with a sweet filling, usually strawberry jam. Some Portuguese speakers might call this a malassada (a portmanteau of mal assada "badly baked"). … Continue reading Why are there so many German names for this?
Trying to understand Māori months
Recently, I have found myself back in the mood of learning te reo Māori more seriously, as I take larger strides in learning and familiarising myself with the words of the language. While some words sound like loanwords that have entered Māori, some others remind me of languages like Malay or Indonesian. But there is … Continue reading Trying to understand Māori months
Where did these new words come from?
If you have been anywhere on social media lately, or chatting with your friends, you might have come across some words that just sound, well, new. Words like 'rizz', or 'rizzler', or even 'gyatt' have started to enter popular colloquial use, ushering in a new wave of slang terms used amongst English speakers, typically skewed … Continue reading Where did these new words come from?
So, how did California get its name?
This is probably the most well-known state in the United States, alongside Texas, New York, and Florida. Among the largest states in the country, with among the highest populations, California is perhaps the state that has exported quite a fair bit of cultural, economic, and technological influences globally, from Hollywood to Silicon Valley. Yet, there … Continue reading So, how did California get its name?
Guinea — 4 Countries, 1 Former Currency
Guinea. Guinea-Bissau. Equatorial Guinea. Papua New Guinea. Other than the words "and", "the", "of", and "Islands", Guinea is one of the names more commonly shared among multiple nations. It definitely piques the curiosity of people, who might wonder, why are there so many countries with Guinea in its name? Are they all in the same … Continue reading Guinea — 4 Countries, 1 Former Currency
How did we get the word and place name Slough?
Slough. It is probably one of the words that somehow invoke negative connotations, even without actually being to that place itself. Located 32km west of Central London (defined as Charing Cross), this town in Berkshire has a population of more than 160 000, and is actually home to a lot of headquarters (or UK HQs, … Continue reading How did we get the word and place name Slough?
Who are the ‘wizards’ in our installation wizards?
From the surface, the mention of the word 'wizard' would conjure up connotations surrounding fantasy, magic, and spells. So often has that been portrayed in pop culture, from series such as Harry Potter, to the various isekai anime around here. But there is another place where we would find the word 'wizard'. One not so … Continue reading Who are the ‘wizards’ in our installation wizards?
What is Cockfosters meant to mean?
Picture this. You just landed in London Heathrow Airport, made it through passport control, and collected your checked baggage, if you brought some along. You now needed to make your way towards the city center (or Zone 1) because that is where your hotel is. You decided to board the London Underground because that is … Continue reading What is Cockfosters meant to mean?
The “-sex” in some British place names
The United Kingdom has some interesting place names. From names that could sound rather vulgar, like Bitchfield in Lincolnshire, Penistone, and Scunthorpe in South Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire respectively, to some outright ridiculous names like Braintree and Splatt. Many of these names are scattered throughout England, and to a smaller extent, Scotland. But today, we … Continue reading The “-sex” in some British place names
From politics to proverb
A proverb is meant to be simple, it is meant to be insightful, and it expresses a perceived truth based on common experiences. Often figurative or metaphorical, proverbs collectively form a sort of folklore passed down by oral traditions. You may have heard of "Your mileage may vary" or "ignorance is bliss", but how about … Continue reading From politics to proverb
Where did Idaho come from?
While browsing meme pages and terrible or not-so-terrible maps, I came across this one: Ignoring the notion of Proto-World, it appears that 48 of the 50 states plus Washington DC in the US of A have some sort of an etymology. After doing a bit of fact checking, that is correct. But now we come … Continue reading Where did Idaho come from?
Where did “pineapple” come from?
Ananas. That is the name of the fruit that contains bromelain, an enzyme that breaks down proteins. Known for its tropical and exotic feel, this fruit has also found itself deep in controversy over its status as a pizza topping, dividing gastronomic communities all over. Yet, there is also another thing this fruit has stirred, … Continue reading Where did “pineapple” come from?
The languages where you greet like pirates?
Greetings. Probably the second thing you learn in a new languages just after the swear words and profanities. Across Europe, you would hear something along the lines of "hello", "hi", "good day", and the like. But there is this area in Europe that has a more, well, maritime-sounding greeting. Meet the languages of Czech, Slovak, … Continue reading The languages where you greet like pirates?
Where did the word ‘scam’ come from?
A web of deception. Lies. All resulting in the financial loss in the victim, with almost nothing good in return. It comes in many different forms, from the street, to your phone as robocalls, or to your emails in your spam folder. With it, comes many different terminologies specifying the type of deception, like the … Continue reading Where did the word ‘scam’ come from?
Word Bites — Why does the word “irregardless” exist?
It sounds ungrammatical, yet seemingly so intuitive to say. Even so, this word has attracted much controversy about its use in the twentieth century, in definition, usage, and the like. While it has been recognised as a dictionary entry decades ago, it still shows up as a spelling error in some text editors, including the … Continue reading Word Bites — Why does the word “irregardless” exist?
Word Bites — Different cities, similar names (Helsinki / Helsingfors, Helsingborg, Helsingør)
There are many places in the world that share the same name, or rather similar names. Take the distribution of all the Londons, Parises, and Romes of the world. While the most popular versions are the "originals" found in the UK, France, and Italy respectively, it did not stop the US, Canada, and even Kiribati … Continue reading Word Bites — Different cities, similar names (Helsinki / Helsingfors, Helsingborg, Helsingør)
Word Bites — More notorious British place names to pronounce
Previously, we have covered three of the British place names which do not seem to follow any pronunciation rule at all. This week, we are back with another installation of three place names to dissect -- their etymology, possible evolution pattern, and what this place actually is. You might also want to keep a score … Continue reading Word Bites — More notorious British place names to pronounce
Word Bites — Why are people of the Netherlands called Dutch?
As we have covered before in the segment on the demonym "Soton" to refer to people in Southampton, there are many weird and interesting demonyms around the world. So today, we will take a look at an interesting etymology behind yet another demonym, this time, used to refer to residents residing in the Netherlands. Sometimes, … Continue reading Word Bites — Why are people of the Netherlands called Dutch?
Word Bites — Similar words, different origins
Sometimes, people suggest that languages are related just because of a small number of lexical similarities between them. However, it could be extremely likely that these words appear similar by sheer coincidence. Perhaps, one of the most well-known examples quoted is the rather striking similarity between English and Mbabaram, for the word "dog". However, English … Continue reading Word Bites — Similar words, different origins
Word Bites — From Ross to Pferd
There are odd etymologies in various languages, and here, I want to present one of them. One that is rather commonly used, identified, and known by all. That is the word "horse". Understandably, given that English is a Germanic language, we would expect to see a rather similar sounding translation for this word. Right? Well, … Continue reading Word Bites — From Ross to Pferd
Word Bites — The Mystery of Soton
Sometimes, place names can often make little to no sense. Take Southampton and Northampton, in the United Kingdom, for example. One might think that they are bordering each other, but no. While Southampton is a city in the county of Hampshire, curiously deriving its name from Southampton itself, Northampton is located in Northamptonshire, somewhere in … Continue reading Word Bites — The Mystery of Soton
The Language Closet 