Y'ALL. #Language is just so very weird.

I needed the etymology of "electrify."

This led me to the Ancient Greek ἤλεκτρον (ḗlektron), which meant "amber" or "shining sun."

I got curious, looked up "amber," and found that it comes from the Arabic عَنْبَر meaning "ambergris."

Which is the gray pasty stuff from the intestines of the sperm whale used in perfumes.

Electrified sperm whale intestines.

That is all.

BACK TO EDITING!

#etymology
#words
#IHeartLanguages
#English
#Greek
#Arabic
#NERDERY

Got a reminder this evening of a spectacular German word: "Arschgeige" (loosely pronounced "ARSH guy guh"). It's a word used for a person who's a complete screw-up.

Literally translated, it means "ass fiddle."

An example sentence is:

Der 45. US-Präsident ist voll die Arschgeige.

You're welcome!

#German
#GermanWordOfTheDay
#LanguageAcquisition
#IHeartLanguages
#Germerican
#ThirdCultureKid
#TCK