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. After…
Tag: etymology
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 the…
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 luck…
10 Cool Things I Found On the Internet: Christmas 2020 Edition
It has been a weird year 😕 I hope wherever you are, Yule gives you a moment to pause, reflect and eat something nice. May the gods bless you and those you love this Yule. Santa invoking the dancing imps of hell https://twitter.com/HorribleSanity/status/1341802926633717760?s=20 Ring the Bells by Jessica Marie Baumgartner So right now I want…
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Ancient Word of the Day: Stravaig
Stravaig: v. to wander or amble without a purpose or destination in mind. Glad of the opportunity to explore and discover on foot, being unconstrained by time. (from Scots Gaelic) Travel: Hiking in Ireland Copyright Content Catnip 2010 Stravaig derives from eighteenth-century Scots extravage, meaning ‘wander about; digress, ramble in speech’, in turn derived from Medieval Latin extravagari ‘wander,…
Ancient Word of the Day: Sussurate
Sussurate: n: to whisper or murmur. The noise produced by a hive of bees, a rustling of leaves in the forest or the crackling of a fire It turns out that elemental experiences for ancient humans echo and whisper back over aeons and are universally received and recognised. No matter where we are on this…
10 Cool Things I Found on the Internet this week #26
Sometimes you just need a happiness infusion straight into your veins, so here is a little shot of endorphins I hope you enjoy it... A Day in the Life of my favourite artist family The lovely and soulful Bartons in their cosy den of creativity https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPV-wQ4JGiM The macabre story of The Sorceress by Jan van…
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Ancient Word of the Day: Weltschmerz
Weltschmerz: n: (literally) World Pain (from German). The feeling of sadness at the suffering that surrounds you in the world. The pain of being an empath and sensitive to all despair and distress in the world. An ill-defined weariness at the burdens carried universally by all of humankind. The Sensual World of The Unseen By…
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 the…
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 as…
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, including…
10 Interesting Things I found on the Internet #21
If the internet is making funny sounds and has crapped itself a few times in your house, well then perhaps it's time for a reboot.... Mountains, Cass, 1936 by New Zealand painter Rita Angus Mountains, Cass, 1936 by New Zealand painter Rita Angus Dead Can Dance- ACT II The Invocation video filmed in Bulgaria Dead…
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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 hulinesss…
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 including…
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