Sunday, April 19, 2015

Navel, in my words + navels

nambel : navel

The Illunse word for navel (belly button) is nambel. Nambel is a rare last name. Nambel is a rare language of Vanuatu. Similar Nambela is the name of a place in Tanzania.

This word is a mixture of the Old English word for navel, nafela, and the Latin word for navel, umbilicus (navel; the middle or center; the ornamented end of a scroll).

nambelan : navels

The Illunse word for navels (nominative plural) is nambelan. Nambelan may mean something in Malagasy.

Navels in Latin is umbilici. Navels in Old English is nafelan.

Sunday, April 12, 2015

Thumb, in my words + thumbs

polum : thumb

The Illunse word for thumb is polum. Polum is an unusual last name. Polum is a rare first name. Similar Polum'yane is a place in Ukraine.

This word is a mixture of the Old English word for thumb, þúma (which I transliterate to thuma), and the Latin word for thumb, pollex (thumb; also big toe).

polumas : thumbs

The Illunse word for thumbs (nominative plural) is polumas. Polumas is a very rare last name.

Thumbs in Latin is pollices. Thumbs in Old English is þúman (which I transliterate to thuman).

Saturday, April 04, 2015

Toe, in my words + toes

tig : toe

The Illunse word for toe is tig. Tig is an unusual generally masculine first name or nickname. Tig is an unusual last name. In Swedish tig means be silent, shut up. In Dutch tig means umpteen. Tig is the name of a place in Pakistan. Abu Tig is the name of a place in Egypt.

This word is a mixture of the Old English word for toe, , and the Latin word for toe, digitus (a finger, toe).

tigan : toes

The Illunse word for toes (nominative plural) is tigan. Tigan is an unusual to rare last name. Tigan is an unusual to rare generally feminine first name. Tigan is the name of places in Afghanistan and Burkina Faso. Tigan-Bulyak is the name of a place in Russia.

Toes in Latin is digiti. Toes in Old English is tán.

Saturday, March 28, 2015

Lip, in my words + lips

laber : lip

The Illunse word for lip is laber. Laber is an uncommon last name. Laber is a usually masculine rare first name. The Schwarze Laber is a river in Bavaria, Germany. Laber is the name of places in France and Germany.

This word is a mixture of the Old English word for lip, weler, and the Latin word for lip, labium. Another Old English word for lip is lippa.

labera : lips

The Illunse word for lips (nominative plural) is labera. Labera is a rare last name. Labera is a usually feminine very rare first name. Labera is the name of place in South Africa.

Lips in Latin is labia. Lips in Old English is weleras (or lippan).

Saturday, March 21, 2015

Buckle, in my words + buckles

fibleng : buckle

The Illunse word for buckle is fibleng. Similar Fabling is an unusual last name.

This word is a mixture of the Old English word oferfeng (fibula, buckle, clasp), and the Latin word for buckle, fibula (clasp, buckle, brooch). There are other Old English words that could be used for buckle.

Shown is a cropped image of a buckle from Daegrad Tools.

fiblenga : buckles

The Illunse word for buckles (nominative plural) is fiblenga.

Buckles in Latin is fībulae. Buckles in Old English is oferfengas.

Friday, March 20, 2015

Belt, in J.R.R. Tolkien's words

The Quenya word for belt is quilta (girdle, belt).

I didn't find a Sindarin word for belt.

Sunday, March 15, 2015

Belt, in my words + belts

fengel : belt

The Illunse word for belt is fengel. Fengel is an unusual to uncommon last name. In Tolkien's Middle-earth, Fengel was a king of Rohan. In Old English fengel means prince, and similar feng means a grasp.

This word is a mixture of the Old English word for belt, fetel, and the Latin word for belt, cingulum (belt, a girdle which encircles the hips). Another Old English word for belt is belt (belt, girdle). Another Latin word for belt is balteus (belt; shoulder-band / baldric).

fengelas : belts

The Illunse word for belts (nominative plural) is fengelas. Similar Fengalas is a World of Warcraft gaming character name.

Belts Latin is cingula. Belts in Old English is fetelas.

Sunday, March 08, 2015

Coin, in J.R.R. Tolkien's words

I couldn't find a Quenya word for coin or money.

There are two Sindarin words for coin: mirian (piece of money, coin used in Gondor) and canath ('quarter', silver coin used in Gondor, the fourth part of a mirian).

Saturday, March 07, 2015

Coin, in my words + coins

nomyn : coin

The Illunse word for coin is nomyn. The word nomyn appears in Middle English texts and may mean named. In Mongolian (transliterated) nomyn means bookish.

This word is a mixture of the Old English word for coin mynet (coin, money), and the Latin word for coin nomisma (coin, piece of money; coinage).

The picture is of an Anglo-Saxon penny coin from the reign of Offa, King of Mercia, minted around 785 AD.

nomyna : coins

The Illunse word for coins (nominative plural) is nomyna.

Coins Latin is nomismata. Coins in Old English is mynet (same as the singular).

Saturday, February 28, 2015

Sceat (a coin), in my words + sceattas

sceter : sceat (coin)

The sceat was a small, thick, silver Anglo-Saxon coin minted circa 675-750 AD. Sceattas pre-date Anglo-Saxon pennies. The modern English term sceat comes from the Old English word sceatt.

The Illunse word for sceat is sceter. Sceter is a rare last name. Sceter looks somewhat similar to the Modern English word sceptre.

This word is a mixture of the Old English word sceatt (property; money; payment), and the Latin word sesterius (a large brass coin minted during the Roman Empire; a small silver coin minted during the Roman Republic; worth 1/4 denarius).

The sceat and the sesterius were coins from completely different time periods, although both were, in their time, in everyday use. I'm not claiming that they are in any way equivalent. This Illunse word is admittedly something I threw together, a kludge, to construct another denomination of coins. I'm thinking of making the Illunse sceter worth more than the Illunse dening, or penny.

The picture is of an Anglo-Saxon sceat coin from Kent.

sceteras : sceattas (coins)

The Illunse word for sceattas (nominative plural) is sceteras.

In Latin the plural of sesterius is sestertii. In Old English the plural of sceatt is sceattas.

Saturday, February 21, 2015

Money, in my words + moneys or monies

feoca : money

The Illunse word for money is feoca. Feoca is a very rare last name. The Parish Church in Feock, Cornwall, UK is dedicated to Saint Feoca, about whom very little is known.

This word is a mixture of the Old English word for money, feoh (money, wealth; cattle; name of the rune for f), and the Latin word pecunia (money, cash; property).

The picture is of part of the Lenborogh Hoard of Anglo-Saxon silver coins.

feocae : moneys or monies

The Illunse word for moneys or monies (nominative plural) is feocae.

Moneys or monies in Latin is pecuniae. Moneys or monies in Old English is apparently feoh (same as the singular).

Saturday, February 14, 2015

Farthing, in my words + farthings

cwadring : farthing

The Illunse word for farthing (low-value coin) is cwadring. Similar Cadring is a rare last name.

This word is a mixture of the Old English word for farthing, féorðling or feórðlung (farthing, a fourthling, one quarter of a penny) (which I transliterate to feorthling or feorthlung), and the Latin word quadrans (fourth part, a quarter; Roman bronze coin worth one quarter of an as) (which I transliterate to cwadrans).

The Greek word for quadrans was translated in the King James Version of the Bible as farthing. (Picture shown is of an Roman quadrans coin).

cwadringas : farthings

The Illunse word for farthings (nominative plural) is cwadringas.

The Latin plural of quadrans is quadrantes. Farthings in Old English is féorðlingas or féorðlunga.

Saturday, February 07, 2015

Penny, in my words + pennies

dening : penny

The Illunse word for penny (small coin of little value) is dening. Dening is a unusual to uncommon last name. Dening is a rare first name. Dening is a place in Arunachal Pradesh, India.

This word is a mixture of the Old English word for penny, pening (a penny coin, in Anglo-Saxon England a silver coin worth 240th of a pound), and the Latin word denarius (a small silver coin issued during the Roman Empire). Neither of these were the smallest coin denomination of their time. (Picture shown is of an Æthelred the Unready penny from around 1000 AD.)

This is a new word. My first Illunse word for some time.

deningas : pennies

The Illunse word for pennies (nominative plural) is deningas. Deningas is a rare last name.

The Latin plural of denarius is denarii. Pennies in Old English is peningas.