#protoindoeuropean — Public Fediverse posts

𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼 𝗘𝘁𝘆𝗺𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝘆, 𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀

English "cow" comes from Proto-Indo-European *gʷeh₃-u-s [gwous], perhaps something like this (listen):
🔊 https://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/cow-from-PIE-gwous.wav

which also developed into Dari گاو [gau] and Persian گاو [gov]:

🔊 https://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-gwous-to-Persian-gov.wav

and very many other Indo-European languages, such as Ancient Greek βοῦς [bous]:

🔊 https://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-gwous-to-Ancient-Greek-bous.wav

Image source: https://faradeed.ir/%D8%A8%D8%AE%D8%B4-%D9%88%DB%8C%D8%AF%DB%8C%D9%88-35/186305-%D9%88%DB%8C%D8%AF%D8%A6%D9%88-%D8%B1%D9%88%D8%B3%D8%AA%D8%A7%DB%8C%DB%8C-%D9%87%D8%A7%DB%8C-%D8%A2%D8%B0%D8%B1%D8%A8%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%AC%D8%A7%D9%86-%DA%86%DA%AF%D9%88%D9%86%D9%87-%D8%B4%DB%8C%D8%B1-%DA%AF%D8%A7%D9%88-%D8%B1%D8%A7-%D9%BE%D8%B3-%D8%A7%D8%B2-%D8%AF%D9%88%D8%B4%DB%8C%D8%AF%D9%86-%D8%A8%D9%87-%D9%BE%D9%86%DB%8C%D8%B1-%D8%AA%D8%A8%D8%AF%DB%8C%D9%84-%D9%85%DB%8C-%DA%A9%D9%86%D9%86%D8%AF

@linguistics #linguistics #etymology #EnglishLanguage #AcousticPhonetics #phonetics #ProtoIndoEuropean #Iranian #Persian #Dari #AncientGreek

𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼 𝗘𝘁𝘆𝗺𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝘆, 𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀

English "cow" comes from Proto-Indo-European *gʷeh₃-u-s [gwous], perhaps something like this (listen):
🔊 https://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/cow-from-PIE-gwous.wav

which also developed into Dari گاو [gau] and Persian گاو [gov]:

🔊 https://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-gwous-to-Persian-gov.wav

and very many other Indo-European languages, such as Ancient Greek βοῦς [bous]:

🔊 https://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-gwous-to-Ancient-Greek-bous.wav

Image source: https://faradeed.ir/%D8%A8%D8%AE%D8%B4-%D9%88%DB%8C%D8%AF%DB%8C%D9%88-35/186305-%D9%88%DB%8C%D8%AF%D8%A6%D9%88-%D8%B1%D9%88%D8%B3%D8%AA%D8%A7%DB%8C%DB%8C-%D9%87%D8%A7%DB%8C-%D8%A2%D8%B0%D8%B1%D8%A8%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%AC%D8%A7%D9%86-%DA%86%DA%AF%D9%88%D9%86%D9%87-%D8%B4%DB%8C%D8%B1-%DA%AF%D8%A7%D9%88-%D8%B1%D8%A7-%D9%BE%D8%B3-%D8%A7%D8%B2-%D8%AF%D9%88%D8%B4%DB%8C%D8%AF%D9%86-%D8%A8%D9%87-%D9%BE%D9%86%DB%8C%D8%B1-%D8%AA%D8%A8%D8%AF%DB%8C%D9%84-%D9%85%DB%8C-%DA%A9%D9%86%D9%86%D8%AF

@linguistics #linguistics #etymology #EnglishLanguage #AcousticPhonetics #phonetics #ProtoIndoEuropean #Iranian #Persian #Dari #AncientGreek

𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼 𝗘𝘁𝘆𝗺𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝘆, 𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀

English "cow" comes from Proto-Indo-European *gʷeh₃-u-s [gwous], perhaps something like this (listen):
🔊 https://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/cow-from-PIE-gwous.wav

which also developed into Dari گاو [gau] and Persian گاو [gov]:

🔊 https://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-gwous-to-Persian-gov.wav

and very many other Indo-European languages, such as Ancient Greek βοῦς [bous]:

🔊 https://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-gwous-to-Ancient-Greek-bous.wav

Image source: https://faradeed.ir/%D8%A8%D8%AE%D8%B4-%D9%88%DB%8C%D8%AF%DB%8C%D9%88-35/186305-%D9%88%DB%8C%D8%AF%D8%A6%D9%88-%D8%B1%D9%88%D8%B3%D8%AA%D8%A7%DB%8C%DB%8C-%D9%87%D8%A7%DB%8C-%D8%A2%D8%B0%D8%B1%D8%A8%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%AC%D8%A7%D9%86-%DA%86%DA%AF%D9%88%D9%86%D9%87-%D8%B4%DB%8C%D8%B1-%DA%AF%D8%A7%D9%88-%D8%B1%D8%A7-%D9%BE%D8%B3-%D8%A7%D8%B2-%D8%AF%D9%88%D8%B4%DB%8C%D8%AF%D9%86-%D8%A8%D9%87-%D9%BE%D9%86%DB%8C%D8%B1-%D8%AA%D8%A8%D8%AF%DB%8C%D9%84-%D9%85%DB%8C-%DA%A9%D9%86%D9%86%D8%AF

@linguistics #linguistics #etymology #EnglishLanguage #AcousticPhonetics #phonetics #ProtoIndoEuropean #Iranian #Persian #Dari #AncientGreek

𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼 𝗘𝘁𝘆𝗺𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝘆, 𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀

English "cow" comes from Proto-Indo-European *gʷeh₃-u-s [gwous], perhaps something like this (listen):
🔊 https://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/cow-from-PIE-gwous.wav

which also developed into Dari گاو [gau] and Persian گاو [gov]:

🔊 https://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-gwous-to-Persian-gov.wav

and very many other Indo-European languages, such as Ancient Greek βοῦς [bous]:

🔊 https://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-gwous-to-Ancient-Greek-bous.wav

Image source: https://faradeed.ir/%D8%A8%D8%AE%D8%B4-%D9%88%DB%8C%D8%AF%DB%8C%D9%88-35/186305-%D9%88%DB%8C%D8%AF%D8%A6%D9%88-%D8%B1%D9%88%D8%B3%D8%AA%D8%A7%DB%8C%DB%8C-%D9%87%D8%A7%DB%8C-%D8%A2%D8%B0%D8%B1%D8%A8%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%AC%D8%A7%D9%86-%DA%86%DA%AF%D9%88%D9%86%D9%87-%D8%B4%DB%8C%D8%B1-%DA%AF%D8%A7%D9%88-%D8%B1%D8%A7-%D9%BE%D8%B3-%D8%A7%D8%B2-%D8%AF%D9%88%D8%B4%DB%8C%D8%AF%D9%86-%D8%A8%D9%87-%D9%BE%D9%86%DB%8C%D8%B1-%D8%AA%D8%A8%D8%AF%DB%8C%D9%84-%D9%85%DB%8C-%DA%A9%D9%86%D9%86%D8%AF

@linguistics #linguistics #etymology #EnglishLanguage #AcousticPhonetics #phonetics #ProtoIndoEuropean #Iranian #Persian #Dari #AncientGreek

𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼 𝗘𝘁𝘆𝗺𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝘆, 𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀

English "cow" comes from Proto-Indo-European *gʷeh₃-u-s [gwous], perhaps something like this (listen):
🔊 https://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/cow-from-PIE-gwous.wav

which also developed into Dari گاو [gau] and Persian گاو [gov]:

🔊 https://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-gwous-to-Persian-gov.wav

and very many other Indo-European languages, such as Ancient Greek βοῦς [bous]:

🔊 https://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-gwous-to-Ancient-Greek-bous.wav

Image source: https://faradeed.ir/%D8%A8%D8%AE%D8%B4-%D9%88%DB%8C%D8%AF%DB%8C%D9%88-35/186305-%D9%88%DB%8C%D8%AF%D8%A6%D9%88-%D8%B1%D9%88%D8%B3%D8%AA%D8%A7%DB%8C%DB%8C-%D9%87%D8%A7%DB%8C-%D8%A2%D8%B0%D8%B1%D8%A8%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%AC%D8%A7%D9%86-%DA%86%DA%AF%D9%88%D9%86%D9%87-%D8%B4%DB%8C%D8%B1-%DA%AF%D8%A7%D9%88-%D8%B1%D8%A7-%D9%BE%D8%B3-%D8%A7%D8%B2-%D8%AF%D9%88%D8%B4%DB%8C%D8%AF%D9%86-%D8%A8%D9%87-%D9%BE%D9%86%DB%8C%D8%B1-%D8%AA%D8%A8%D8%AF%DB%8C%D9%84-%D9%85%DB%8C-%DA%A9%D9%86%D9%86%D8%AF

@linguistics #linguistics #etymology #EnglishLanguage #AcousticPhonetics #phonetics #ProtoIndoEuropean #Iranian #Persian #Dari #AncientGreek

𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼 𝗘𝘁𝘆𝗺𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝘆, 𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀

English "choose" comes from Proto-Indo-European *ǵéus-, perhaps something like this (listen):
🔊 https://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/choose-from-PIE-geus.wav

You can't choose your relatives, but you can choose your friends. The same root *ǵéus- developed into Persian دوست duust "friend", i.e. (originally) one who is chosen:
🔊 https://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-geus-to-Persian-duust.wav

Image source: https://www.faramedia.co/%D8%A7%D9%88%D9%84%DB%8C%D9%86-%D8%AA%D8%B5%D9%88%DB%8C%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D8%B2-%D9%81%D8%B5%D9%84-%DA%86%D9%87%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%85-my-brilliant-friend-%D8%AF%D9%88%D8%B3%D8%AA-%D9%86%D8%A7%D8%A8%D8%BA/

@linguistics #linguistics #etymology #EnglishLanguage #AcousticPhonetics #phonetics #ProtoIndoEuropean #Iranian #Persian

𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼 𝗘𝘁𝘆𝗺𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝘆, 𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀

Here's a classic of Proto-Indo-European reconstruction. The English word "brother" descends from Proto-Indo-European *bʰréh₂tēr, perhaps something like this (listen):
🔊 https://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/brother-from-PIE-bhrater.wav

*bʰréh₂tēr also developed into Old Persian 𐎲𐎼𐎠𐎫𐎠 (b-r-a-t-a) and then Modern Persian برادر barodar:
🔊 https://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-bhrater-to-Persian-barodar.wav
and related forms in most other Indo-European languages.

Image source: Persian Wikipedia, https://fa.wikipedia.org/wiki/برادر

@linguistics #linguistics #etymology #EnglishLanguage #AcousticPhonetics #phonetics #ProtoIndoEuropean #Iranian #Persian

𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼 𝗘𝘁𝘆𝗺𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝘆, 𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀

English "bough" comes from Proto-Indo-European *bʰeh₂ǵʰu- (pronounced [bʱa:g̟ʲʱu]), something like this (listen):

🔊 https://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/bough-from-PIE-bheh2gh.wav

The same stem developed into Persian بازو bazu, maybe like this:

🔊 https://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-bheh2gh-to-Persian-bazu.wav

A bough is an "arm" of a tree, and the Persian word بازو bazu means "arm".

(Image from the website of an Iranian fitness centre, https://morabihamrah.com/)

@linguistics #linguistics #etymology #EnglishLanguage #AcousticPhonetics #phonetics #ProtoIndoEuropean #Iranian #Persian

𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼 𝗘𝘁𝘆𝗺𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝘆, 𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀

English "bellows" and "belly" come via Anglo-Saxon beliġ and Proto-Germanic *balgi- from Proto-Indo-European *bʰólǵʰ- "bag", perhaps something like this (listen):

🔊 https://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/bellows-from-PIE-bholgh.wav

This simulation of *bʰólǵʰ- has initial [b], not [bʱ], as it's computed from recordings of Irish bolg, "bag", also a cognate.

The same PIE root developed into Persian بالش bālish "pillow", like this:

🔊 https://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-bholgh-to-Persian-balesh.wav

Related words are found in other Iranian languages, e.g. Pashto بالښت balacht, Ossetian baʒ/baz, as well as in Slavic, e.g. Slovenian blazina.

When I originally posted about this in November 2021, the linguist Magnus Pharao @magnuspharao.bsky.social pointed out that Danish bælg (seed pod of legumes and bellows) is also a cognate!

@linguistics #linguistics #etymology #EnglishLanguage #AcousticPhonetics #phonetics #ProtoIndoEuropean #Iranian #Persian

𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼 𝗘𝘁𝘆𝗺𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝘆, 𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀

The English word “barrow”, i.e. a burial mound, comes via Proto-Germanic *berga from a Proto-Indo-European ancestor *bʰerǵʰ-os, meaning “height” and by extension “hill, mountain”.

🔊 https://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/barrow-from-PIE-bherghos.wav

The same Proto-Indo-European root *bʰerǵʰ- also developed into Persian برج borj “tower”:

🔊 https://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-bhergh-to-Persian-borj.wav

The Arabic word برج burj “tower”, as in the name of the Burj Khalifa tower, is not a Semitic word but is a loan-word from Persian.

Kurdish برج berdz (Kurmani birc), Balochi برز ئه borza “height”, and English “borough” (originally referring to a town with raised fortifications), are also descended from *bʰerǵʰ-.

@linguistics #linguistics #etymology #EnglishLanguage #AcousticPhonetics #phonetics #ProtoIndoEuropean #Iranian #Persian #Arabic #Kurdish #Balochi

𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼 𝗘𝘁𝘆𝗺𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝘆, 𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀

The word "khaki" is a loan from Urdu خاکی‎ xākī, a loan from Persian, from خاک xâk "earth", from Proto-Indo-European *h₂eh₂s [ħaχs], something like this (listen):

🔊 https://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/khaki-from-PIE-h2eh2s.wav

English "ash" (the grey-coloured burnt substance) also descends from *h₂eh₂s:

🔊 https://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/ash-from-PIE-h2eh2s.wav

In most Indo-European languages, *h₂ usually developed into [a], but in Iranian it's sometimes [x]. If you want a more detailed but much more technical explanation of the Proto-Indo-European "laryngeals" and how they were possibly or probably pronounced, try this: https://www.ancientsounds.net/laryngeals.html

(The image used below is from an Iranian wood industry supplier's site, venonwood.biz, which currently seems to be still working in spite of the general internet blackout in Iran right now.)

@linguistics #linguistics #etymology #englishlanguage #acousticphonetics #phonetics #ProtoIndoEuropean #Iranian #Persian #Urdu

𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼 𝗘𝘁𝘆𝗺𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝘆, 𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀

The English word "ankle" comes from Proto-Indo-European *h₂eng-ul- [aŋgʊl], the stem *h₂eng- meaning perhaps "joint". Listen:

🔊 https://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/ankle-from-PIE-h2eng.wav

In Persian *h₂eng- developed into انگشت angusht, "digit" i.e. finger or toe:

🔊 https://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-h2eng-to-Persian-angusht.wav

@linguistics #linguistics #etymology #englishlanguage #acousticphonetics #phonetics #ProtoIndoEuropean #Iranian #Persian

Audio Etymologies of the Day, illustrating how Persian and English are related languages

The Persian word for border, marz ( مرز ), comes from Proto-Indo-European *morǵ-eh₂, something like this:
🔊 https://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-morgeh2-to-Persian-marz.wav

The somewhat archaic English word march, meaning "frontier region", comes from same root *morǵ-eh₂:
🔊 https://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/march-from-PIE-morgeh2.wav

This sense of "march" survives in the phrase "the Welsh Marches", the name of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Mercia, George Eliot's title "Middlemarch", and Tolkien's imagined "Red Book of Westmarch".

@linguistics #linguistics #etymology #englishlanguage #acousticphonetics #phonetics #ProtoIndoEuropean #Iranian #Persian

this book on #ProtoIndoEuropean #language looks promising:

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2025/apr/10/proto-by-laura-spinney-review-how-indo-european-languages-went-global #newbooks #review #LanguageEvolution

The #ProtoIndoEuropean (#PIE) #language, the reconstructed ancestor of the #IndoEuropean family, is a key discovery in historical linguistics. Spoken thousands of years ago, PIE gave rise to languages like #English, #Hindi, #Greek, and #Russian. These languages, integral to many cultures today, reflect PIE's legacy in #HumanMigration, #CulturalExchange, and #LanguageEvolution. Here’s a brief exploration:

🌍 https://www.fabriziomusacchio.com/weekend_stories/told/2024/2024-12-25-indo_european_language_family/

#WeekendStories #histodons

Audio Etymologies of the Day

As posted before, “one” comes from Proto-Indo-European *h₁ói-nos [oinos], like this:

🔊 https://ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/one-from-PIE-h1oinos.wav

The variant form *h₁ói-wos "one" developed into Ossetian иу [ju]:

🔈https://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-h1oiwos-to-Ossetian-yu.wav

Pashto یو yau:
🔊 https://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-h1oiwos-to-Pashto-yau.wav

and Ancient Greek οἶος hoios “only”:
🔊 https://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-h1oiwos-to-AncientGreek-hoios.wav

@linguistics #linguistics #etymology #englishlanguage #acousticphonetics #phonetics #ProtoIndoEuropean #Ossetian #Pashto #AncientGreek

Audio Etymologies of the Day

"Eat" comes from Proto-Indo-European *h₁éd-, perhaps like this (listen):
🔊 https://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/eat-from-PIE-h1ed.wav

The same root developed into Armenian ուտել utel:
🔊 https://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-h1ed-to-Armenian-utel.wav

Sanskrit अत्ति atti:
🔊 https://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-h1ed-to-Sanskrit-atti.wav

Bosnian jedem, and cognates:
🔊 https://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-h1ed-to-BCMS-jedem.wav

and Ancient Greek ἔδω edo:
🔊 https://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-h1ed-to-AncientGreek-edo.wav

@linguistics #audio #etymology #phonetics #EnglishLanguage #ProtoIndoEuropean #Armenian #Sanskrit #Bosnian #Greek

Audio Etymologies of the Day

Central to the Proto-Indo-European vowel system is the pattern of vowel changes named "ablaut" by 19th c. German-speaking linguists, e.g.:

root: √*s—d “sit, settle”
e-grade: *sed- > sit
o-grade: *sod- > sat
zero grade: *-sd-, in *ni-sd-o > nest
long e-grade: *se:d-i‑ > seat
long o-grade: *so:d-o- > soot

sometimes leading to differences between languages. Audio examples at
http://www.ancientsounds.net/ablaut.html

#linguistics #philology #phonology #phonetics #ProtoIndoEuropean

Audio Etymologies of the Day

How do we "know" (infer) the pronunciation of words in Proto-Indo-European? The next instalment of my sprawling web pages on this question focusses on fricatives and frictionless continants (basically, r and l):
https://www.ancientsounds.net/PIEconsonants3.html

Always glad to receive corrections, requests for clarification etc.

#linguistics #philology #phonology #phonetics #ProtoIndoEuropean

It’s #PiApproximationDay! So here’s a video that’s approximately Pi(e):

#Etymology #Video #WordNerd #Linguistics #Language #Words #HistoricalLinguistics #LingComm #ProtoIndoEuropean #Dictionary

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5oqTLtxqEo

What are good articles (if any) about the relation of (Balto-)Slavic instrumental predicatives to cvi-/gúhā-construction in Sanskrit and Latin rubefaciō?

Is there something looking deeper at the BSl. side (rather than from Skrt. perspective, only mentioning BSl. in passing)?

(Looking for some IE #syntax reading more interesting than a millionth take on “default IE word order”)

@linguistics #historicallinguistics #ProtoIndoEuropean #slavic #baltoslavic

Audio Etymologies of the Day

“Cold” comes from Proto-Indo-European *ǵól-to-, something like this (listen):
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/cold-from-PIE-golt.wav

*ǵól-to is a form of *ḱel-to-, which developed into Persian سرد sard, Urdu serd:
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-kelt-to-Persian-sard.wav
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/Persian-sard-to-Urdu-serd.wav

Bosnian, Croatian, Montenegrin and Serbian hlad “shade”:
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-kelt-to-BCMS-hlad.wav

and Lithuanian šaltas:
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-kelt-to-Lithuanian-Saltas.wav

#linguistics #etymology #EnglishLanguage #phonetics #ProtoIndoEuropean #Persian #Lithuanian #Bosnian

Audio Etymologies of the Day

“Fire” comes from Proto-Indo-European *péh₂‐ur [pa(ħ)ur], something like this (listen):
🔈https://ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/fire-from-PIE-pahur.wav

The same root developed into Balochi پُر phor “ashes, flames”:
🔈https://ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-pahur-to-Balochi-phor.wav
(and Ancient Greek πῦρ [pyr], Latin pyra, pyre, pyro-, etc.)

In Armenian, it comes out as հուր hur:
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-pahur-to-Armenian-hur.wav

Image source: https://hoonch.am/post/grakanutyun/hay-grakanutyun/hur-ev-jur

#linguistics #etymology #EnglishLanguage #phonetics #ProtoIndoEuropean #Balochi #Armenian

Audio Etymologies of the Day

“Foot” comes from Proto-Indo-European *pōd-, something like this:
🔈https://ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/foot-from-PIE-pod.wav

*pōd- developed into Sanskrit पद pad, now a “learnèd word” in Hindi:
🔈https://ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-pod-to-Hindi-pad.wav

In Balochi, it's پاد paad:
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-pod-to-Balochi-paad.wav

And in Pashto, it comes out as پل pal “footstep”, with *d developing into [l] (“lambdacism”):
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-pod-to-Pashto-pal.wav

#linguistics #etymology #EnglishLanguage #phonetics #ProtoIndoEuropean #Sanskrit #Balochi #Pashto

#TIL the word MULCT.

noun: a fine or compulsory payment

verb: to extract money by taxation or by fraud

Possibly originates from a #ProtoIndoEuropean word for "to extract" or "to milk (something).

I have never heard or read this word in my life.

#English is gloriously weird.

#language
#words
#ILoveWords
#PIE
#etymology

Audio Etymologies of the Day

“Do” comes from Proto-Indo-European *dʰoh₁- [dʱo:], like this (listen):
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/do-from-PIE-dhoh1.wav
and also developed into Sanskrit धा dhaa:
🔈https://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-dhoh1-to-Sanskrit-dhaa.wav

*dʰoh₁- was a form of *dʰeh₁-:
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-dhoh1-from-PIE-dheh1.wav

*dʰeh₁- also lies behind Bosnian nedjelja/Serbo-Croatian nedelja “(a day of) not-doing i.e. Sunday; week” :
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-dheh1-to-BCMS-nedelja.wav

#linguistics #etymology #EnglishLanguage #phonetics #ProtoIndoEuropean #Sanskrit #Bosnian #Serbian #Croatian

Audio Etymologies of the Day

“Year” comes via Anglo-Saxon ġēar from Proto-Indo-European from *yeh₁ro, something like this (listen):
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/year-from-PIE-yeh1ro.wav

*yeh₁ro developed into Bosnian jar:
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-yeh1ro-to-Bosnian-jar.wav

A similar outcome is also part of the Persian expression دچار‎ doch-yar “bad year, famine”:
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-yeh1ro-to-Persian-dochyar.wav

#linguistics #etymology #EnglishLanguage #phonetics #ProtoIndoEuropean #Bosnian #Persian

Audio Etymologies of the Day

“Worm” comes from Proto-Indo-European *kʷr̥mis. Ignoring the final -is, like this (listen):
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/worm-from-PIE-kwrm.wav

*kʷr̥m- also developed into Odia କୃମି kurumi:
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-kwrm-to-Odia-kurumI.wav

Urdu کِرم kirm:
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-kwrm-to-Urdu-kirm.wav

Latvian ķirmis:
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-kwrm-to-Latvian-kirmis.wav

Polish czerw:
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-kwrm-to-Polish-czerw.wav

and Bosnian crv:
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-kwrm-to-BCMS-crv.wav

#linguistics #etymology #EnglishLanguage #phonetics #ProtoIndoEuropean #Odia #Urdu #Latvian #Polish #Bosnian #Dune

Audio Etymologies of the Day

“Swan” comes from Proto-Indo-European *swenh₂ [swenɐ], “to sound” (listen):
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-swenh2.wav
(I thus infer that swans of the PIE homeland weren't Mute swans, Cygnus olor 🤓 )

*swenh₂ also developed into Ossetian хонын [xonɨn] “to call, invite”:
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-swenh2-to-Ossetian-xonyn.wav

Latin sonō, “to sound”, is also from the same root.

Image source: screenshot from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GG9fl7C1QiA

#linguistics #etymology #EnglishLanguage #phonetics #ProtoIndoEuropean #Ossetian

Audio Etymologies of the Day

“Weigh” comes from Proto-Indo-European *wéǵʰ- (listen):
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/weigh-from-PIE-wegh.wav

*wéǵʰ- also developed into (the second syllable of) Balochi and Persian پرواز parwaz “flight”:
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-wegh-to-Balochi-parwaz.wav

the first syllable of Sanskrit वहति vahati “to convey”:
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-wegh-to-Sanskrit-vahati.wav

and the first syllable of Urdu بہنا behna “to flow”:
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-wegh-to-Urdu-behna.wav

#linguistics #etymology #EnglishLanguage #phonetics
#ProtoIndoEuropean #Balochi #Urdu #Sanskrit

Audio Etymologies of the Day

“Wed” comes from Proto-Indo-European *h₁wedʰ so, like “web”, has hardly changed in pronunciation over 6000 years (listen):
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/wed-from-PIE-h1uedh.wav

*h₁wedʰ also developed into Sanskrit वधू vadhu:
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-h1uedh-to-Sanskrit-vadhu.wav

Classical Persian خویدوده‎ xweydōdah is related to “wed”, but it's not the “weyd” part that's cognate; it's the “ōd” 😜.

#linguistics #etymology #EnglishLanguage #AcousticPhonetics #phonetics #ProtoIndoEuropean #Sanskrit

Audio Etymologies of the Day

“Weave” and “web” come from Proto-Indo-European *h₁webʰ, like this (listen):
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/weave-from-PIE-h1webh.wav
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/web-from-PIE-h1webh.wav

*h₁webʰ also developed into Pashto اوبدل obdal "knit, crochet, weave":
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-h1webh-to-Pashto-obdal.wav

Balochi گْوَپت gwap:
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-h1webh-to-Balochi-gwap.wav

and Persian بافتن baaftan:
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-h1webh-to-Persian-baaftan.wav

Pic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BVb2zAZo-E

#linguistics #etymology #englishlanguage #acousticphonetics #phonetics #ProtoIndoEuropean #Pashto #Balochi #Persian

Audio Etymologies of the Day

The call of a buzzard: 🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/BuzzardCallRSPB.mp3, courtesy of RSPB.

The Slovak for buzzard, káňa, comes from Proto-Indo-European *keh₂n- [ka:n] “sing, call”, like this (listen):
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/Slovak-kaNa-from-PIE-keh2n.wav

English “hen” is also derived, via Proto-Germanic *hano “rooster”, from *keh₂n- :
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/hen-from-PIE-keh2n.wav

as is Persian خواندن khandan “sing”:
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-keh2n-to-Persian-khandan.wav

#linguistics #etymology #englishlanguage #acousticphonetics #phonetics #ProtoIndoEuropean

Audio Etymologies of the Day

“Birch” comes from Proto-Indo-European *bʰerh₁ǵ-eh₂-, like this (listen):
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/birch-from-PIE-bherh1g.wav
(ignoring the suffix -eh₂ [a])

*bʰerh₁ǵ-eh₂- also developed into Lithuanian beržas:
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-bherh1g-to-Lithuanian-berZas.wav

and Bosnian, Croatian, Montenegrin and Serbian breza:
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-bherh1g-to-BCMS-breza.wav

Image from
https://www.aromatica.hr/kategorije-proizvoda/vase-zdravlje/ljekovito-bilje/breza-list-30-g-betulae-folium-list/

#linguistics #etymology #englishlanguage #acousticphonetics #phonetics
#ProtoIndoEuropean #Lithuanian #Bosnian #Croatian #Montenegrin #Serbian

Audio Etymologies of the Day

“Wear” comes from Proto-Indo-European *wos, like this (listen):
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/wear-from-PIE-wos.wav

*wos is a form of *wes, which also developed into Sanskrit वस्ते vaste:
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-wes-to-Sanskrit-vaste.wav

and Albanian vesh:
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-wes-to-Albanian-vesh.wav

and Latin vestis:
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-wes-to-Latin-vestis.wav

which was borrowed into English as "vest" and in "vestments".

#linguistics #etymology #englishlanguage #acousticphonetics #phonetics #ProtoIndoEuropean #Sanskrit #Albanian #Latin

Audio Etymologies of the Day

“We” comes (via Proto-Germanic *wiz) from Proto-Indo-European *wey, like this (listen):
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/we-from-PIE-wey.wav

*wey also developed into Sanskrit वयम् vayam :
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-wey-to-Sanskrit-vayam.wav

#linguistics #etymology #englishlanguage #acousticphonetics #phonetics #ProtoIndoEuropean #Sanskrit

Audio Etymologies of the Day

“Wax” (to increase) comes from Proto-Indo-European *h₂wég-s- [ħwegs] (listen):
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/wax-from-PIE-h2wegs.wav

*h₂wégs- also developed into Sanskrit वक्ष् vaksh- :
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-h2wegs-to-Sanskrit-vaksh.wav
and (old-fashioned) Persian وخش vakhsh:
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-h2wegs-to-Persian-vaxS.wav

#linguistics #etymology #englishlanguage #acousticphonetics #phonetics #ProtoIndoEuropean #Sanskrit #Persian

Audio Etymologies of the Day

“Water” comes from Proto-Indo-European *wodr (listen):
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/water-from-PIE-wodr.wav
(This *wodr is a Philadelphia English speaker saying "water" 🙂 .)

Ancient Greek ὕδωρ ‎[hýdo:r] and Slavic вода/woda/voda too.

*wodr was a variant of *wodn, from the root *wed:
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-wodr-to-PIE-wodn.wav
The derived form *wedns developed into Sanskrit उदन् udan:
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-wedns-to-Sanskrit-udan.wav

#linguistics #etymology #englishlanguage #acousticphonetics #phonetics #ProtoIndoEuropean #Sanskrit

Audio Etymologies of the Day

“Wasp” comes (via Anglo-Saxon waps) from Proto-Indo-European *h₁wobʰ-seh₂, a form of *h₁webʰ-, “weave”. Ignoring the -seh₂ suffix, like this (listen):
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/wasp-from-PIE-wobh.wav

*h₁webʰ- also developed into Balochi گْوَپت gwap “weave”:
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-h1webh-to-Balochi-gwap.wav

#linguistics #etymology #englishlanguage #acousticphonetics #phonetics #ProtoIndoEuropean #Balochi

Audio Etymologies of the Day

“Was” comes from Proto-Indo-European *h₂wés- [ħwes], like this (listen):
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/was-from-PIE-h2wes.wav

*h₂wés- also developed into Sanskrit सति vasati:
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-h2wes-to-Sanskrit-vasati.wav
and Proto-Hellenic awesa:
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-h2wes-to-ProtoHellenic-awesa.wav

(I'm pleased with that *h₂ > a!) Awesa developed into Ancient Greek ἄεσα aesa “I slept”:
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/ProtoHellenic-awesa-to-AncientGreek-aesa.wav

#linguistics #etymology #englishlanguage #acousticphonetics #phonetics #ProtoIndoEuropean #Sanskrit #Greek

Audio Etymologies of the Season

“Warm” comes from Proto-Indo-European *gʷʰor-mo-, like this (ignoring the -o), listen:
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/warm-from-PIE-gwhorm.wav

*gʷʰor-mo- also developed into Sanskrit घर्म gharma-
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-gwhorm-to-Sanskrit-gharma.wav
which further developed into Urdu گرم garam
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/Sanskrit-gharma-to-Urdu-garam.wav

The root *gʷʰer- also developed into Ancient Greek θερμός thermos:
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-gwher-to-AncientGreek-thermos.wav

#linguistics #etymology #englishlanguage #acousticphonetics #phonetics #ProtoIndoEuropean #Sanskrit #Urdu #Greek

Audio Etymologies of the Day

“Wake” comes from Proto-Indo-European *uh₂ǵ-e- [wagə] “to be lively, strong”, like this (listen):
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-uh2ge.wav

*woǵʰ- also developed into Sanskrit वाज vaaja “strength, vigour”:
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-uh2ge-to-Sanskrit-vaaja.wav

*woǵʰ- > *[woʤ] > *[wodz] > *[woz] > [buz] in Persian بزرگ buzurg “large, big, great”:
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-uh2ge-to-Persian-buzurg.wav

Image: https://petlink.ir/blog/3/the-biggest-dogs-in-the-world/

#linguistics #etymology #englishlanguage #acousticphonetics #phonetics #ProtoIndoEuropean #Sanskrit #Persian

Audio Etymologies of the Day

“Teeth” comes from Anglo-Saxon tēþ, from earlier *[tœ:θi], from an older plural form of “tooth”, *[to:θi(z)]. Ultimately “teeth” comes from Proto-Indo-European *h₁d-ónt- “eater”, like this (listen):
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/teeth-from-PIE-h1dont.wav

*h₁d-ónt- also developed into Ancient Greek ὀδόντος odontos:
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-h1dont-to-AncientGreek-odontos.wav
from which English has more recently borrowed "orthodontist".

#linguistics #etymology #englishlanguage #acousticphonetics #phonetics #ProtoIndoEuropean

Audio Etymologies of the Day

“Thousand” comes from Proto-Indo-European *tuh₂s-dḱm̥-t, "big hundred", like this (listen):
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/thousand-from-PIE-tuh2sdkmt.wav

*tuh₂s-dḱm̥-t probably also lies behind Lithuanian tūkstantis:
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-tuh2sdkmt-to-Lithuanian-tukstantis.wav

The related form *tuh₂s-ont- also developed into Croatian tisuća:
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-tuh2sont-to-Croatian-tisuca.wav

#linguistics #etymology #englishlanguage #acousticphonetics #phonetics #ProtoIndoEuropean #Lithuanian #Croatian

Latin "vehiculum", from which English gets "vehicle", is also from the same Proto-Indo-European root *woǵʰ-.

#linguistics #etymology #englishlanguage #acousticphonetics #phonetics #ProtoIndoEuropean #Latin

Audio Etymologies of the Day

“Wain” comes from Proto-Indo-European *woǵʰ-, like this (listen):
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/wain-from-PIE-wogh.wav

(Wag(g)on is a loan from Middle Dutch.)

*woǵʰ- also developed into Sanskrit वह्नि vahni “team of draft animals”:
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-wogh-to-Sanskrit-vahni.wav

and Bosnian, Croatian, Montenegrin, and Serbian voz “train, wagon”:
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-wogh-to-BCMS-voz.wav

#linguistics #etymology #englishlanguage #acousticphonetics #phonetics #ProtoIndoEuropean #Sanskrit #Bosnian #Croatian #Montenegrin #Serbian

Audio Etymologies of the Day

“Spring” comes from Proto-Indo-European *spré-n-gʰ-e-, like this (listen):
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/spring-from-PIE-sprenghe.wav

It has many meanings. The variant form *sprgʰ- developed into Sanskrit स्फूर्ज sphurja “be eager, strive after, desire”:
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-sprgh-to-Sanskrit-sphuurja.wav

Pashto sprəž “blossom”:
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-sprgh-to-Pashto-spraZ.wav

and Polish sprężyna “a (coil) spring”:
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-sprgh-to-Polish-sprEZyna.wav

#linguistics #etymology #englishlanguage #acousticphonetics #phonetics #ProtoIndoEuropean #Pashto #Polish

Audio Etymologies of the Day

“Six” comes from Proto-Indo-European *sweḱs, like this (listen):
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/six-from-PIE-sweks.wav

*sweḱs is from earlier *ḱsweḱs; a surviving outcome of the initial *ḱ is heard in #Ossetian æхсæз akhshazh:
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-ksweks-to-Iron-axSaZ.wav

*(ḱ)sweḱs also developed into #Pashto شپږ shpag:
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-ksweks-to-Pashto-shpag.wav

and #Persian شش shesh:
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-sweks-to-Persian-shesh-shish.wav

@linguistics #linguistics #etymology #englishlanguage #acousticphonetics #phonetics #ProtoIndoEuropean #Iranian

Audio Etymologies of the Day

“Seven” comes from Proto-Indo-European *septm, like this (listen):
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/seven-from-PIE-septm.wav

*septm also developed into Latvian septiņi:
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-septm-to-Latvian-septini.wav

Sanskrit सप्तन् saptan:
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-septm-to-Sanskrit-saptan.wav

Pashtoهفته hapta “week”:
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-septm-to-Pashto-hapta.wav

and Persian هفت haft:
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-septm-to-Persian-haft.wav

@linguistics #linguistics #etymology #englishlanguage #acousticphonetics #phonetics #ProtoIndoEuropean #Latvian #Sanskrit #Pashto #Persian

Audio Etymologies of the Day

“Up” comes from Proto-Indo-European *h₁upo, like this (listen):
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/up-from-PIE-h1upo.wav

... from earlier *supo:
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-h1upo-from-PIE-supo.wav

*supo also developed into the #Latin comparative super "over":
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-supo-to-Latin-super.wav

*h₁upo developed into #Sanskrit उप upa:
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-h1upo-to-Sanskrit-upa.wav

*h₁uper developed into #Balochi اور‎ awur:
🔈http://www.ancientsounds.net/eastern-origins/PIE-h1uper-to-Balochi-awur.wav

@linguistics #linguistics #etymology #englishlanguage #acousticphonetics #phonetics #ProtoIndoEuropean