Purpose of this blog

 The purpose of this blog is to post about random linguistics-related matters that interest me.

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isiBheqe / Ditema

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I am supporting the isiBheqe / Ditema projects to bring a local, indigenous script to the siNtu (""Bantu"") languages.  Here are the relevant websites www.isibheqe.org.za www.ditema.org.za
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Etymology of Work vs Arbeit, Travail, etc. A chat with ChatGPT

Hi. give me the name of a german job/career which has a ridculously large number of syllables, which has a short english equivalent. e.g. secretary / schreibertelefonantworterfraumensch or something like that. ChatGPT said: A classic example (though slightly tongue-in-cheek) is: "Rindfleischetikettierungsüberwachungsaufgabenübertragungsgesetz" (63 letters, ~20 syllables) Literal: "Beef labeling regulation & delegation law" English equivalent: "labelling law" or even just "regulation" For an actual job title, consider: "Fachkraft für Arbeitssicherheit" (≈11 syllables) English: "Safety officer" Or this exaggerated (but plausible) creation: "Donaudampfschifffahrtsgesellschaftskapitän" (≈16 syllables) English: "ship captain" Want a real but bureaucratically ridiculous one? Try: "Versicherungsleistungsabrechnungsbearbeiter" = insurance claim processor Would you like more genuine o...
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Horse, Car, Cursor, Courier... same thing

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The primary sense of all these words (horse, car, cursor, etc) is to run. HRS/KRS. Latin: curro, I run. Cursor: one who runs. Cursive: running writing. Courier: person who runs with something. Car: a thing that runs. Once it goes north the K becomes an H as per Grimm's law, e.g. Lating Cardio (heart), Canem (Hound), Cent (Hundred), etc. So, Hrs is from Krs, ie Horse is from Curs* (to run). 
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