Podcast Episodes

Celtic Pathways - Engaged Hostages

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Season 1 Episode 93

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In this episode we discover the Celtic roots of words for hostage in Germanic languages, and words related to engagement in Finnic languages.

The Proto-Celtic word *geistlos means hostage or bail, a…

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Published on 9 hours ago

Omniglot News (07/09/25)

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Season 1 Episode 209

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Here’s the latest news from the world of Omniglot.

New language pages:

Inuinnaqtun (ᐃᓄᐃᓐᓇᖅᑐᓐ‎), an Inuit language spoken in Nunavut and the Northwest Territories in northern Canada. Pare (Kipare),…

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Published on 6 days, 9 hours ago

Adventures in Etymology - Unkempt Combs

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Season 1 Episode 163

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You can be unkempt, but can you be just kempt? Let’s find out in this Adventure in Etymology on Radio Omniglot.

An unkempt llama

Unkempt [ˌʌnˈkɛmpt] means uncombed or dishevelled (hair), disorderly,…

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Published on 1 week ago

Omniglot News (31/08/25)

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Season 1 Episode 208

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Here’s the latest news from the world of Omniglot.

New language pages:

Naman, a Southern Oceanic language spoken on Malekula Island in central Vanuatu. Mbugu (kiMbugu) / Maʼa (kiMaʼa), a Bantu lan…

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Published on 1 week, 6 days ago

Celtic Pathways - Birches

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Season 1 Episode 92

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In this episode we unearth the Celtic roots of words for birch (tree) in various languages.

The Proto-Celtic word *betuyā means birch tree, and comes from Proto-Indo-European *gʷetu-yo-s, from *gʷet…

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Published on 2 weeks ago

Omniglot News (24/08/25)

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Here’s the latest news from the world of Omniglot.

New language pages:

Kwangali (Rukwangali), a Bantu language spoken in northern Namibia and southern Angola. Lega (Kilega), a Bantu language spoke…

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Published on 2 weeks, 6 days ago

Adventures in Etymology - Sticky Climbs

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Season 1 Episode 162

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In this Adventure in Etymology we uncover the sticky roots of the word climb.

Meanings of climb [klaɪm] include:

To ascend, rise or go up To mount, move upwards To scale, get to the top of To move …

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Published on 3 weeks, 1 day ago

Omniglot News (17/08/25)

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Season 1 Episode 206

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Here’s the latest news from the world of Omniglot.

New constructed script: Surat Binua, which was created by Reza Sumanda as a way to write Kendayan, a Land Dayak language spoken in Indonesia and Ma…

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Published on 3 weeks, 6 days ago

Celtic Pathways - Herons

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Episode 91

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In this episode we uncover the possible Celtic roots of words for heron in Romance languages.

The Proto-Celtic word *korxsā / *korxsiyos means heron or crane [source], and possibly comes from Proto-…

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Published on 4 weeks ago

Omniglot News (10/08/25)

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Season 1 Episode 205

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Here’s the latest news from the world of Omniglot.

New constructed script: Urup Bidayuh’, which was created by Reza Sumanda as a way to write Biatah (Bidayuh), a Land Dayak language spoken in West K…

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Published on 1 month ago