Search found 129 matches

by frank
Fri Dec 01, 2006 12:23 pm
Forum: Languages of the World
Topic: Purifying Persian
Replies: 56
Views: 191990

Surely the irony of a fundementalist Muslim protecting the 'purity' of Persian is that it doesn't matter! To him the only language God speaks is Arabic. Nope, to him, (what you generically seem to call the 'fundamentalist muslim'), the only language in which the Qoran can be read and fully understo...
by frank
Sat Aug 12, 2006 5:09 am
Forum: Res Diversae
Topic: Kinkajou
Replies: 3
Views: 13181

Re: Kinkajou

So where does the name "kinkajou" come from? Is it indiginous to Central/South America, whence my hero hails? Or is this some European overlay? Enquiring minds simply want to know. An arboreal mammal (Potos flavus) of Central and South America, having brownish fur and a long, prehensile t...
by frank
Sat Aug 12, 2006 4:52 am
Forum: Languages of the World
Topic: Cursive vs Print
Replies: 59
Views: 238046

Re: On the subject...

Hi, When I have been to the museum, I have noticed that Sanskrit and Arabic alphabets have many styles. Several of them seem to have a block form and then a cursive form. Am I correct is assuming some forms of these are cursive? Here you find excellent explanations about and examples of Arabic abjad...
by frank
Wed Aug 09, 2006 11:47 am
Forum: Languages of the World
Topic: "Foreign" language anomalies
Replies: 19
Views: 72849

...we have a short Babelonic discussion about 'peper' - 'paprika' Frank, I love that word! Can I borrow it? Be my guest :-). I was very surprised that the word doesn't exist in English. In Dutch we use it in connection with the Tower of Babel story (Babelonische spraakverwarring, lit. the "bab...
by frank
Wed Aug 09, 2006 10:59 am
Forum: Languages of the World
Topic: Cursive vs Print
Replies: 59
Views: 238046

One oddity from Japanese cursive tradition is 々. This is not a character because it has no independent sound value or meaning. This is more like a symbol, which indicates the kanji immediately before it is repeated. It's also used in Chinese, if I'm not wrong. BTW, hwo do you form it on your keyboa...
by frank
Wed Aug 09, 2006 10:38 am
Forum: Languages of the World
Topic: Cursive vs Print
Replies: 59
Views: 238046

We that speak and write English have two ways to write the written word. We can write in cursive and/or print. Cursive means having the successive letters joined. It comes from the Latin (scripta) cursiva, running (script). The cursive almost looks like a different language from printing when writt...
by frank
Mon Aug 07, 2006 2:59 pm
Forum: Etymology
Topic: dope
Replies: 3
Views: 19651

dope

With the Floyd Landis story still dominating the sports headlines over here, I started to get curious about the word ' dope '. 1. Informal a. A narcotic, especially an addictive narcotic. b. Narcotics considered as a group. c. An illicit drug, especially marijuana. 2. A narcotic preparation used to ...
by frank
Mon Aug 07, 2006 8:44 am
Forum: Good Word Discussion
Topic: PIZZA
Replies: 19
Views: 46831

Too bad the Good Doctor couldn't trace pizza back to PIE . . . :wink: Oh boy, and I took it seriously :oops: Is there a word for "feeling incredibly silly because of realising in a flash (after full three days) that it was meant as a joke"? EDIT : I really missed Stargzer great pun 'pizza...
by frank
Mon Aug 07, 2006 8:38 am
Forum: Languages of the World
Topic: Purifying Persian
Replies: 56
Views: 191990

We care, Frank. I just find all these countries that try to "purify" their language, especially the "Tongue Troopers" of Québec, a wee bit too much on the paranoid side. Oh, I hope it won't be perceived as a major contradiction to what I wrote before, but I completely agree with...
by frank
Sun Aug 06, 2006 7:05 pm
Forum: Languages of the World
Topic: Purifying Persian
Replies: 56
Views: 191990

I'm not sure whether this is worth the effort and the bandwidth, but it's holidays over here, after 3 weeks of maddening heat, we are getting maddening showers of rain. Enough time to sort it out Smile. Anyway, if it turns out not to be a myth, then you guys will be the first to know. As if anybody...
by frank
Sun Aug 06, 2006 6:55 pm
Forum: Languages of the World
Topic: "Foreign" language anomalies
Replies: 19
Views: 72849

I believe some cultures do not make the distinction. I noticed this in India as well, fwiw. Can't say a lot about lemons and limes, but i noticed similar 'confusion' with regards to fruit and veggies. Every year in class -- my students come from all overthe world --, we have a short Babelonic discu...
by frank
Sat Aug 05, 2006 9:13 am
Forum: Languages of the World
Topic: Purifying Persian
Replies: 56
Views: 191990

And tashakkor reeks so Arabic.
My Persian dictionary ineeds points out that 'tashakor' is of Arabic origin. I could find Arabic شکر.
'Thank' you in Arabic is 'shokran'.

F
by frank
Thu Aug 03, 2006 10:28 pm
Forum: Languages of the World
Topic: Congressional English rescinded
Replies: 9
Views: 24070

Re: Congressional English rescinded

If you haven't heard , French Fries and French toast have quietly reconstituted at the congressional café after a couple of reps' jingoistic jockeying had ludicrously renamed them "freedom fries" three years ago. They'll never learn it... The reversion may not appease the Belgians but at ...
by frank
Thu Aug 03, 2006 5:38 pm
Forum: Languages of the World
Topic: Purifying Persian
Replies: 56
Views: 191990

I'm not sure whether this is worth the effort and the bandwidth, but it's holidays over here, after 3 weeks of maddening heat, we are getting maddening showers of rain. Enough time to sort it out Smile. Anyway, if it turns out not to be a myth, then you guys will be the first to know. As if anybody...
by frank
Thu Aug 03, 2006 12:15 pm
Forum: Good Word Discussion
Topic: PIZZA
Replies: 19
Views: 46831

Too bad the Good Doctor couldn't trace pizza back to PIE . . . :wink:
bite < PIE *bheid-
bit < zero grade of *bheid-, i.e. PIE *bhid-
:-)

F

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