kobayashi ḫamṭu
@mattboot.bsky.social
language enjoyer, he/him
hard to believe this predates "The Call of Cthulhu" by almost 100 years
January 16, 2026 at 4:32 PM
hard to believe this predates "The Call of Cthulhu" by almost 100 years
my eyes read that word as ضخم at first but apparently it is its own thing .. TIL
January 16, 2026 at 4:15 PM
my eyes read that word as ضخم at first but apparently it is its own thing .. TIL
just randomly stumbled upon my old high school checkbook and found where i bought Thackston's Intro to Syriac and Mitchell & Robinson's Guide to Old English on January 9, 2007. prob one of my most consequential purchases ever in terms of life trajectory, for $63.05
January 10, 2026 at 10:28 PM
just randomly stumbled upon my old high school checkbook and found where i bought Thackston's Intro to Syriac and Mitchell & Robinson's Guide to Old English on January 9, 2007. prob one of my most consequential purchases ever in terms of life trajectory, for $63.05
the Praeneste Fibula (if authentic, wh it probably is) bears one of the oldest Latin attestations, 7th cent. BC:
𐌌𐌀𐌍𐌉𐌏𐌔:𐌌𐌄𐌃:𐌅𐌇𐌄:𐌅𐌇𐌀𐌊𐌄𐌃:𐌍𐌖𐌌𐌀𐌔𐌉𐌏𐌉
Manios mēd fhe fhakēd Numasioi
"Manius made me for Numerio"
the verb <fhe fhakēd> (=Latin fēcit) shows reduplication of the 1st syllable of faciō "make"
𐌌𐌀𐌍𐌉𐌏𐌔:𐌌𐌄𐌃:𐌅𐌇𐌄:𐌅𐌇𐌀𐌊𐌄𐌃:𐌍𐌖𐌌𐌀𐌔𐌉𐌏𐌉
Manios mēd fhe fhakēd Numasioi
"Manius made me for Numerio"
the verb <fhe fhakēd> (=Latin fēcit) shows reduplication of the 1st syllable of faciō "make"
January 9, 2026 at 3:19 PM
the Praeneste Fibula (if authentic, wh it probably is) bears one of the oldest Latin attestations, 7th cent. BC:
𐌌𐌀𐌍𐌉𐌏𐌔:𐌌𐌄𐌃:𐌅𐌇𐌄:𐌅𐌇𐌀𐌊𐌄𐌃:𐌍𐌖𐌌𐌀𐌔𐌉𐌏𐌉
Manios mēd fhe fhakēd Numasioi
"Manius made me for Numerio"
the verb <fhe fhakēd> (=Latin fēcit) shows reduplication of the 1st syllable of faciō "make"
𐌌𐌀𐌍𐌉𐌏𐌔:𐌌𐌄𐌃:𐌅𐌇𐌄:𐌅𐌇𐌀𐌊𐌄𐌃:𐌍𐌖𐌌𐌀𐌔𐌉𐌏𐌉
Manios mēd fhe fhakēd Numasioi
"Manius made me for Numerio"
the verb <fhe fhakēd> (=Latin fēcit) shows reduplication of the 1st syllable of faciō "make"
it's interesting that Ancient Egyptian (Coptic ⲟⲩⲟⲉⲓ /woy/ < <wy> */way/) and Proto-Indo-European (*wáy) have the exact same "woe!" interjection.
this seems like either a wanderwort or one of those para-linguistic utterances that keep reinventing themselves (papa, mama, caca)
this seems like either a wanderwort or one of those para-linguistic utterances that keep reinventing themselves (papa, mama, caca)
![wiktionary page for *wai: Descendants
Proto-Anatolian: *uwáy
Hittite: [script needed] (uwai)
Albanian: vaj
Proto-Balto-Slavic: *wái, *uwái
Latvian: vai
Lithuanian: vai̇̃
Proto-Slavic: *uvy
Proto-Celtic: *wai (see there for further descendants)
Proto-Germanic: *wai (see there for further descendants)
>? Proto-Hellenic: *wái
>? Ancient Greek: αἴ (aí), αἶ (aî), αἰαῖ (aiaî), οἴ (oí), οἶ (oî), ὀῐ̈́ (oĭ̈́) — Ionic
>? Ancient Greek: οὐαί (ouaí) (possibly)
Proto-Indo-Iranian: *wáy, *uwáy
Proto-Indo-Aryan: *uwáy
Sanskrit: उवे (uvé)
Kashmiri: وای (wāy)
Proto-Iranian: *wáy
Avestan: 𐬬𐬀𐬫𐬋𐬌 (vayōi)
Middle Persian: [Book Pahlavi needed] (wʾd /wāy/), 𐫇𐫀𐫏 (wʾy /wāy/)
Persian: وای (vây)
→ Turkish: vay
Parthian: 𐫇𐫀𐫏 (wʾy /wāy/)
Zazaki: way
→ Old Armenian: վայ (vay)
Armenian: վայ (vay)
Proto-Italic: *wai
Latin: vae (see there for further descendants)](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:26gfiesadzjgf44w2dv5yeo7/bafkreidvjlicmhitlsi4am4nzml55vdcoxviza45rqcxe3kc2tgppntrmq@jpeg)
January 5, 2026 at 5:08 PM
it's interesting that Ancient Egyptian (Coptic ⲟⲩⲟⲉⲓ /woy/ < <wy> */way/) and Proto-Indo-European (*wáy) have the exact same "woe!" interjection.
this seems like either a wanderwort or one of those para-linguistic utterances that keep reinventing themselves (papa, mama, caca)
this seems like either a wanderwort or one of those para-linguistic utterances that keep reinventing themselves (papa, mama, caca)
Jacob of Sarug on the Christmas Star:
ܫܠܝܚܐ ܫܠܝܐ ܕܐܠܐ ܒܕܢܚܗ ܠܐ ܡܡܠܠ ܗܘܐ
ܐܝܟܢ ܐܟܪܙ ܡܠܦܢܘܬܐ ܘܐܬܩܒܠ ܗܘܐ
"A silent messenger that didn't speak except by its radiance—how did it announce its teaching, how was it received?"
šliḥā šalyā ḏ-ellā ḇ-ḏenḥeh lā mmallel-wā
aykan aḵrez mallp̄ānutā w-eṯqabbal-wā
ܫܠܝܚܐ ܫܠܝܐ ܕܐܠܐ ܒܕܢܚܗ ܠܐ ܡܡܠܠ ܗܘܐ
ܐܝܟܢ ܐܟܪܙ ܡܠܦܢܘܬܐ ܘܐܬܩܒܠ ܗܘܐ
"A silent messenger that didn't speak except by its radiance—how did it announce its teaching, how was it received?"
šliḥā šalyā ḏ-ellā ḇ-ḏenḥeh lā mmallel-wā
aykan aḵrez mallp̄ānutā w-eṯqabbal-wā
January 5, 2026 at 3:40 PM
Jacob of Sarug on the Christmas Star:
ܫܠܝܚܐ ܫܠܝܐ ܕܐܠܐ ܒܕܢܚܗ ܠܐ ܡܡܠܠ ܗܘܐ
ܐܝܟܢ ܐܟܪܙ ܡܠܦܢܘܬܐ ܘܐܬܩܒܠ ܗܘܐ
"A silent messenger that didn't speak except by its radiance—how did it announce its teaching, how was it received?"
šliḥā šalyā ḏ-ellā ḇ-ḏenḥeh lā mmallel-wā
aykan aḵrez mallp̄ānutā w-eṯqabbal-wā
ܫܠܝܚܐ ܫܠܝܐ ܕܐܠܐ ܒܕܢܚܗ ܠܐ ܡܡܠܠ ܗܘܐ
ܐܝܟܢ ܐܟܪܙ ܡܠܦܢܘܬܐ ܘܐܬܩܒܠ ܗܘܐ
"A silent messenger that didn't speak except by its radiance—how did it announce its teaching, how was it received?"
šliḥā šalyā ḏ-ellā ḇ-ḏenḥeh lā mmallel-wā
aykan aḵrez mallp̄ānutā w-eṯqabbal-wā
it's interesting that the passive participle ܐܚܝܕ aḥiḏ (lit. "taken") can also have the active meaning "having".
kind of like "possessed of" in English. "I am possessed of one little city"
kind of like "possessed of" in English. "I am possessed of one little city"
December 29, 2025 at 8:47 PM
it's interesting that the passive participle ܐܚܝܕ aḥiḏ (lit. "taken") can also have the active meaning "having".
kind of like "possessed of" in English. "I am possessed of one little city"
kind of like "possessed of" in English. "I am possessed of one little city"
do you also sometimes feel like literally anything worth doing in life requires knowledge of Persian poetry
December 27, 2025 at 7:40 PM
do you also sometimes feel like literally anything worth doing in life requires knowledge of Persian poetry
for some reason i thought grama was the standard Sp word for "grass" (i guess it's not, it's just a Caribbean word for "lawn"?) but it's cool that it comes from the plural of neut. grāmen (wh is probably < *ghras-mn- or something)
![Spanish
Etymology
Inherited from Latin grāmina, plural of gramen.
Compare Portuguese grama.
Pronunciation
• IPA(key): /'grama/['gra.ma]
• Audio (Colombia):
0:02
• Rhymes: -ama
• Syllabification: gra ma
Noun
grama f (plural gramas)
1. grass (mostly varieties intended for cattle fodder)
2. (Caribbean, Guatemala, El Salvador) lawn](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:26gfiesadzjgf44w2dv5yeo7/bafkreicqmvfiwfc5s5xzmhk5tewafjy7e2vurbbui5tyioubybwabl5t3q@jpeg)
December 19, 2025 at 1:55 PM
for some reason i thought grama was the standard Sp word for "grass" (i guess it's not, it's just a Caribbean word for "lawn"?) but it's cool that it comes from the plural of neut. grāmen (wh is probably < *ghras-mn- or something)
some memorials to Gaza genocide victims in a bookstore in Ponce, PR
December 18, 2025 at 4:27 PM
some memorials to Gaza genocide victims in a bookstore in Ponce, PR
Renaissance-era Latin sentence of the day
in 1526, when the city of Basel goes into lockdown after a sudden explosion, Erasmus is cautioned to remain indoors because, as he writes,
"It's not very safe to run into armed men; weapons instill wildness in the mind, especially when there's no danger."
in 1526, when the city of Basel goes into lockdown after a sudden explosion, Erasmus is cautioned to remain indoors because, as he writes,
"It's not very safe to run into armed men; weapons instill wildness in the mind, especially when there's no danger."
December 15, 2025 at 7:14 PM
Renaissance-era Latin sentence of the day
in 1526, when the city of Basel goes into lockdown after a sudden explosion, Erasmus is cautioned to remain indoors because, as he writes,
"It's not very safe to run into armed men; weapons instill wildness in the mind, especially when there's no danger."
in 1526, when the city of Basel goes into lockdown after a sudden explosion, Erasmus is cautioned to remain indoors because, as he writes,
"It's not very safe to run into armed men; weapons instill wildness in the mind, especially when there's no danger."
who wants to do this with me in 2026
December 15, 2025 at 5:13 PM
who wants to do this with me in 2026
one of the things i love(?) about many historical language textbooks is the tendency to teach new grammatical forms first, and then teach what they actually *mean* as an afterthought. this (imho) would be horrible pedagogy if you couldn't rely on the fact that people already know Hebrew or Arabic
December 12, 2025 at 4:37 PM
one of the things i love(?) about many historical language textbooks is the tendency to teach new grammatical forms first, and then teach what they actually *mean* as an afterthought. this (imho) would be horrible pedagogy if you couldn't rely on the fact that people already know Hebrew or Arabic
i love the fact that Charlemagne invented Frankish names for all the months (manoth < *mānōþ 'month'). what a guy
December 10, 2025 at 3:12 PM
i love the fact that Charlemagne invented Frankish names for all the months (manoth < *mānōþ 'month'). what a guy
well i'm not a Frisian expert but Bremmer's Old Frisian book says Old Frisian has the einheitsplural.
-at(h) for all plural persons in the indicative and -en in the optative.
did something happen between this and modern Frisian?
-at(h) for all plural persons in the indicative and -en in the optative.
did something happen between this and modern Frisian?
December 9, 2025 at 9:40 PM
well i'm not a Frisian expert but Bremmer's Old Frisian book says Old Frisian has the einheitsplural.
-at(h) for all plural persons in the indicative and -en in the optative.
did something happen between this and modern Frisian?
-at(h) for all plural persons in the indicative and -en in the optative.
did something happen between this and modern Frisian?
is this (ܚܡܫܐ ḥammšē) in Thackston ch. 13 a mistake?
the form of '5' to be used with masculine nouns is supposed to be ḥammšā which i think comes from *ḥammšat (chastic concord). i don't see in the chapter that a numeral should get an additional plural ending ('5' is already plural)
the form of '5' to be used with masculine nouns is supposed to be ḥammšā which i think comes from *ḥammšat (chastic concord). i don't see in the chapter that a numeral should get an additional plural ending ('5' is already plural)
December 9, 2025 at 4:52 PM
is this (ܚܡܫܐ ḥammšē) in Thackston ch. 13 a mistake?
the form of '5' to be used with masculine nouns is supposed to be ḥammšā which i think comes from *ḥammšat (chastic concord). i don't see in the chapter that a numeral should get an additional plural ending ('5' is already plural)
the form of '5' to be used with masculine nouns is supposed to be ḥammšā which i think comes from *ḥammšat (chastic concord). i don't see in the chapter that a numeral should get an additional plural ending ('5' is already plural)
Latin sentence of the day (Vita Karoli Magni):
And at that point [near the end of his life] he was doing more things by his own judgement than by the guidance of his doctors, whom he practically loathed, because they urged him to give up roasted meats, which he was used to, and get used to boiled.
And at that point [near the end of his life] he was doing more things by his own judgement than by the guidance of his doctors, whom he practically loathed, because they urged him to give up roasted meats, which he was used to, and get used to boiled.
December 9, 2025 at 4:27 PM
Latin sentence of the day (Vita Karoli Magni):
And at that point [near the end of his life] he was doing more things by his own judgement than by the guidance of his doctors, whom he practically loathed, because they urged him to give up roasted meats, which he was used to, and get used to boiled.
And at that point [near the end of his life] he was doing more things by his own judgement than by the guidance of his doctors, whom he practically loathed, because they urged him to give up roasted meats, which he was used to, and get used to boiled.
can somebody explain to me why hibiscus infusion (كركديه) turns blue if you spray it with lysol multi-surface cleaner
December 8, 2025 at 7:56 PM
can somebody explain to me why hibiscus infusion (كركديه) turns blue if you spray it with lysol multi-surface cleaner
still not working for me unfortunately even though it does acknowedge it's a gift link!
December 7, 2025 at 3:42 AM
still not working for me unfortunately even though it does acknowedge it's a gift link!
this looks like a periphrastic past tense ("have"+pcpl.) that we sometimes see in Medieval Latin showing influence from the vernacular language.
meaning "he had bent the kings of the Scots to his will..." rather than something like "he had the kings of the Scots, who had been bent to his will, ..."
meaning "he had bent the kings of the Scots to his will..." rather than something like "he had the kings of the Scots, who had been bent to his will, ..."
December 5, 2025 at 7:09 PM
this looks like a periphrastic past tense ("have"+pcpl.) that we sometimes see in Medieval Latin showing influence from the vernacular language.
meaning "he had bent the kings of the Scots to his will..." rather than something like "he had the kings of the Scots, who had been bent to his will, ..."
meaning "he had bent the kings of the Scots to his will..." rather than something like "he had the kings of the Scots, who had been bent to his will, ..."
it's kind of interesting to me that in Syriac the masc. sg. active ppl of hollow verbs has qå(ʔ)em with glottal stop / vowel hiatus, which is like Classical Arabic قائم qāʔim ... but the fem. sg. & pl. forms have qåym- with /y/, which is like colloquial Arabic, e.g. Egyptian ʔayma (f), ʔaymīn (pl)!
December 5, 2025 at 5:05 PM
it's kind of interesting to me that in Syriac the masc. sg. active ppl of hollow verbs has qå(ʔ)em with glottal stop / vowel hiatus, which is like Classical Arabic قائم qāʔim ... but the fem. sg. & pl. forms have qåym- with /y/, which is like colloquial Arabic, e.g. Egyptian ʔayma (f), ʔaymīn (pl)!
a saying among the Byzantines when Charlemagne started calling himself "emperor" and making everybody nervous:
τὸν Φρανκον φίλον ἔχεις, γείτονα οὐκ ἔχεις.
"You've got a good friend in the Frank but not a good neighbor."
τὸν Φρανκον φίλον ἔχεις, γείτονα οὐκ ἔχεις.
"You've got a good friend in the Frank but not a good neighbor."
December 4, 2025 at 10:26 PM
a saying among the Byzantines when Charlemagne started calling himself "emperor" and making everybody nervous:
τὸν Φρανκον φίλον ἔχεις, γείτονα οὐκ ἔχεις.
"You've got a good friend in the Frank but not a good neighbor."
τὸν Φρανκον φίλον ἔχεις, γείτονα οὐκ ἔχεις.
"You've got a good friend in the Frank but not a good neighbor."
Syriac composition exercises
(Thackston ch. 10)
(Thackston ch. 10)
December 4, 2025 at 4:33 PM
Syriac composition exercises
(Thackston ch. 10)
(Thackston ch. 10)