Category Archives: language

Southbound

Posted on February 2, 2023 by JE

Typo of the day is soughtward (for an intended southward). Seems like it ought to mean something—“in the direction of seeking”, maybe. “He never found what he was seeking soughtward; he only found it when he stopped looking.” Or maybe … Continue reading →

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Goa, Going, Gone

Posted on January 31, 2023 by JE

I was scrolling through an electronic edition of a venerable Latin dictionary, which is a totally normal thing to do, and I was brought up short by the entry for superstitio: “excessive fear of the goas; unreasonable religious belief.” I … Continue reading →

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To Peeve or Not to Peeve?

Posted on January 16, 2023 by JE

That’s easy. Don’t be a language peever. It generally violates Wheaton’s Law and there’s always the danger of exposing one’s own ignorance of language. Well, easier said than done for some of us. People who write are also frequently in … Continue reading →

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The Ygg and I

Posted on July 28, 2022 by JE

Today I’m thinking about Weird water and eggs. Snorri says that the first root of Yggdrasil comes down in Ásgarð and that next to it is the Pool of Weird. The Norns come out to it each day and splash … Continue reading →

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Good for the Gander?

Posted on July 21, 2022 by JE

Apparently the gands that appear in Gandalf and in Jǫrmungandr (the name of the world-girdling serpent in Norse myth) are really the same root. Cleasby and Vigfusson say “the exact sense of this word is somewhat dubious; it is mostly … Continue reading →

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