An: ‘To breath’ from Proto-Indo-European If you empty your lungs you make an AHHHH sound on the exhale. The Proto-Indo-European word for this onomatopoeic sound is An. The word an remains the same in Anglo-Saxon, Old English, Icelandic, Swedish and Dutch. The ancient sound of an even exists within the word Human and Anmal. AfterContinue reading “Ancient Word of the Day: An”
Category Archives: Ancient Word of the Day
Ancient Word of the Day: Love-Drury
Love-Drury: n. A treasured token or keepsake given to a lover or partner. Origin: French. Comes from the French word Drut meaning a friend or lover. Drury made its way to English in the Middle Ages. In the 14th Century, a drury was a sweetheart or beloved person or a treasured object. Vincent Van Gogh’sContinue reading “Ancient Word of the Day: Love-Drury”
Ancient Word of the Day: Darth Vader
Fans speculate that the name Darth Vader means ‘Dark Father’ are in for a rude awakening. The real meaning of Darth Vader is actually way cooler than that. George Lucas, the creator of the Star Wars franchise has (according to online sources) explained that the name Darth Vader comes from ‘Darth’ (Dark Lord of theContinue reading “Ancient Word of the Day: Darth Vader”
Ancient Word of the Day: Serendipitist
Serendipitist: n. A person who benefits from a chance or serendipitous event Serendipity: happenchance or providence. This beautiful term was originally coined by writer Horace Walpole in 1754. Walpole was inspired by the ancient Persian tale The Three Princes of Serendip, about some titular characters who ran around in ancient Persia having some marvellous luckContinue reading “Ancient Word of the Day: Serendipitist”
Ancient Word of the Day: Deliquium
Latin v. delinquere: “to lack, to fail In 1836, Francis Baily travelled to the Scottish Borders to see a solar eclipse. He witnessed a macabre and beautiful phenomenon. A row of lucid points, like a string of bright beads of irregular distance and size from each other. These suddenly appeared around the circumference of theContinue reading “Ancient Word of the Day: Deliquium”
Ancient Word of the Day: Hell Kettle
Hell Kettle: n. A deep abyss or bottomless pool The deep pools in Darlington, Co. Durham in England are a part of fearsome local legend. These mysterious pools are said to have inspired Lewis Carroll’s endless rabbithole, where Alice tumbles into another world – in his classic book Alice in Wonderland. They are known asContinue reading “Ancient Word of the Day: Hell Kettle”
Ancient Word of the Day: Cuneiform
Cuneiform: n. The oldest known writing system that originated in Mesopotamia circa 3400BC. It was etched onto wet clay tablets using a wedge-shaped stylus. Cuneiform is the original ancient written language that underpins all modern forms of written communication. Many languages throughout a vast geographical span over thousands of years were written in cuneiform, includingContinue reading “Ancient Word of the Day: Cuneiform”
Ancient Word of the Day: Hooly
Hooly or Huly: Adv. ‘To proceed gently or softly, with steadiness or caution.’ Scottish/Irish The word Hooly first appeared in English in the 14th Century. It was found in the Scottish expression Hooly and Fairly, meaning ‘to proceed slowly, carefully and cautiously.’ Over time, the word came to have negative connotations and hooliness or hulinesssContinue reading “Ancient Word of the Day: Hooly”
Ancient Words of the Day: Anglii/Angle/Ankle
One of the oldest English words recorded is Anglii used first in the year 98 AD by Roman historian Gaius Cornelius Tacitus (ca. 56-120 AD) Anglii i.e “the Angles,” literally “people of Angul” (Old Norse Öngull). Tacitus wrote in 98AD in his book ‘Germania’ about the various Teutonic tribes he came into contact with includingContinue reading “Ancient Words of the Day: Anglii/Angle/Ankle”
Ancient Word of the Day: Nadir
Nadir ˈnā-ˌdir (from Arabic) The lowest or worst point. The sunken place of great depression or degradation. Astronomically, it is the point to opposite to the zenith. Merlin by Ralph Waldo Emerson He shall not seek to weave,In weak unhappy times,Efficacious rhymes;Wait his returning strength,Bird, that from the nadir’s floor,To the zenith’s top could soar,TheContinue reading “Ancient Word of the Day: Nadir”
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