{"version":"https://jsonfeed.org/version/1","title":"Micro.blog - Yoïn van Spijk","home_page_url":"https://micro.blog","feed_url":"https://micro.blog/posts/yvanspijk@toot.community","_microblog":{"about":"https://micro.blog/about/api","id":"1354446","username":"yvanspijk@toot.community","bio":"DJO-in ['dʑowɪn]\n\nHistorisch taalkundige, schrijver van 'Die goeie ouwe taal' en 'Woord voor woord, en vaste auteur bij Onze Taal\n\nHistorical linguist, writer\n\nphoto: Dirk-Jan van Dijk","pronouns":"","is_following":false,"is_you":false,"following_count":0,"discover_count":0},"author":{"name":"Yoïn van Spijk","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk","avatar":"https://micro.blog/photos/200/https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.toot.community%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F364%2F817%2F764%2F036%2F126%2Foriginal%2F592d8f8750770dc0.jpg"},"items":[{"id":"89510294","content_html":"

@pmmeurcatpics Thank you so much! 😊

","url":"https://toot.community/users/yvanspijk/statuses/116511252578800892","date_published":"2026-05-03T15:03:46+00:00","author":{"name":"Yoïn van Spijk","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.toot.community%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F364%2F817%2F764%2F036%2F126%2Foriginal%2F592d8f8750770dc0.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"yvanspijk@toot.community"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"15:03","date_timestamp":1777820626,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":true,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":true}},{"id":"89507317","content_html":"

The word ‘dame’ is part of a huge word family.

It contains the same root as ‘damsel’, ‘domain’, ‘to dominate’, ‘danger’, ‘dome’, and ‘despot’.

In the Romance languages, it’s related to Spanish ‘don’ (Mr.), French ‘dimanche’ (Sunday), and Italian ‘duomo’ (cathedral).

All of these words were built on the foundations of a Proto-Indo-European word meaning “house”.

Click my new infographic to learn more:

\"\"

","summary":"","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk/116511009998873566","date_published":"2026-05-03T14:02:05+00:00","author":{"name":"Yoïn van Spijk","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.toot.community%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F364%2F817%2F764%2F036%2F126%2Foriginal%2F592d8f8750770dc0.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"yvanspijk@toot.community"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"14:02","date_timestamp":1777816925,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":true,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":false,"note":"","syndication":[]}},{"id":"89375085","content_html":"

@chicob That's right. By comparing related words in sister languages, you can deduce the common ancestral word they descend from. This branch of linguistics is called comparative linguistics, and it was developed in the 19th century.

","url":"https://toot.community/users/yvanspijk/statuses/116498893151305792","date_published":"2026-05-01T10:40:36+00:00","author":{"name":"Yoïn van Spijk","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.toot.community%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F364%2F817%2F764%2F036%2F126%2Foriginal%2F592d8f8750770dc0.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"yvanspijk@toot.community"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-05-01 10:40","date_timestamp":1777632036,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":true,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":true}},{"id":"89332129","content_html":"

@d10c Interesting, thanks!

","url":"https://toot.community/users/yvanspijk/statuses/116494972018032242","date_published":"2026-04-30T18:03:24+00:00","author":{"name":"Yoïn van Spijk","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.toot.community%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F364%2F817%2F764%2F036%2F126%2Foriginal%2F592d8f8750770dc0.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"yvanspijk@toot.community"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-04-30 18:03","date_timestamp":1777572204,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":true,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":true}},{"id":"89256838","content_html":"

@at Yes, it stems from the older meaning \"ruler\" - in this case a religious ruler.

","url":"https://toot.community/users/yvanspijk/statuses/116489155079696574","date_published":"2026-04-29T17:24:05+00:00","author":{"name":"Yoïn van Spijk","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.toot.community%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F364%2F817%2F764%2F036%2F126%2Foriginal%2F592d8f8750770dc0.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"yvanspijk@toot.community"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-04-29 17:24","date_timestamp":1777483445,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":true,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":true}},{"id":"89256821","content_html":"

@bartavi Die is tussen het Oudlatijn en het Latijn weggevallen. In oudere teksten komen we hem nog tegen in sommige woorden. /gn/ werd versimpeld tot /n/, net zoals /kn/ in het Engels nu /n/ is geworden.

","url":"https://toot.community/users/yvanspijk/statuses/116489152622269911","date_published":"2026-04-29T17:23:27+00:00","author":{"name":"Yoïn van Spijk","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.toot.community%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F364%2F817%2F764%2F036%2F126%2Foriginal%2F592d8f8750770dc0.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"yvanspijk@toot.community"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-04-29 17:23","date_timestamp":1777483407,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":true,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":true}},{"id":"89254912","content_html":"

2/

The early Germanic cognates of ‘king’ were borrowed into the Finnic and Slavic languages, becoming Finnish ‘kuningas’ (king), Polish ‘ksiądz’ (priest), Serbo-Croatian ‘knez’ (prince) and many others.

","url":"https://toot.community/users/yvanspijk/statuses/116489023440736627","date_published":"2026-04-29T16:50:36+00:00","author":{"name":"Yoïn van Spijk","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.toot.community%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F364%2F817%2F764%2F036%2F126%2Foriginal%2F592d8f8750770dc0.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"yvanspijk@toot.community"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-04-29 16:50","date_timestamp":1777481436,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":true,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":true}},{"id":"89254907","content_html":"

The word ‘king’ has a fascinating story to tell.

Its Proto-Germanic ancestor *kuningaz was derived from the word *kunjan, which became English ‘kin’. A king was a descendant of royal or divine kin.

The word *kunjan, in turn, stemmed from a Proto-Indo-European root meaning “to produce”. This root, through Latin and Greek, gave us many words, including ‘genre’, ‘nature’, ‘genital’, ‘genesis’, ‘pregnant’, and ‘gonorrhea’.

Zoom in on my new graphic to learn more:

1/

\"\"

","summary":"","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk/116489022981445277","date_published":"2026-04-29T16:50:29+00:00","author":{"name":"Yoïn van Spijk","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.toot.community%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F364%2F817%2F764%2F036%2F126%2Foriginal%2F592d8f8750770dc0.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"yvanspijk@toot.community"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-04-29 16:50","date_timestamp":1777481429,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":true,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":false,"note":"","syndication":[]}},{"id":"89183932","content_html":"

@PKYo It sounds like you received enough native Dutch input to build a native-like system of word gender. The only thing that's needed is hearing Dutch - reading and speaking are secondary. By the way, such language systems aren't conscious: they're somewhere in the back of your brain. You don't have to be able to give a Dutch article on command in order for it to pop up when code-mixing.

","url":"https://toot.community/users/yvanspijk/statuses/116483422835580339","date_published":"2026-04-28T17:06:18+00:00","author":{"name":"Yoïn van Spijk","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.toot.community%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F364%2F817%2F764%2F036%2F126%2Foriginal%2F592d8f8750770dc0.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"yvanspijk@toot.community"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-04-28 17:06","date_timestamp":1777395978,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":true,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":true}},{"id":"89181647","content_html":"

@PKYo What's your level of Dutch? Are you a native speaker or a second-language apeaker or something different?

For us to determine whether there are phonological reasons (i.e. whether the starting sound of a word is a factor), we'd have to have a lot of spontaneous speech data of yours.

","url":"https://toot.community/users/yvanspijk/statuses/116483279748084096","date_published":"2026-04-28T16:29:54+00:00","author":{"name":"Yoïn van Spijk","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.toot.community%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F364%2F817%2F764%2F036%2F126%2Foriginal%2F592d8f8750770dc0.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"yvanspijk@toot.community"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-04-28 16:29","date_timestamp":1777393794,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":true,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":true}},{"id":"89177041","content_html":"

@PKYo 2/ ... and uses the Dutch article information.

What you do with words that don't have a cognate would have to be studied. It touches on the unresolved question why Dutch speakers prefer one or the other article when adopting loanwords, e.g. why we say 'de shop', 'het team', 'het hotel', 'het dossier'.

","url":"https://toot.community/users/yvanspijk/statuses/116483071664177448","date_published":"2026-04-28T15:36:59+00:00","author":{"name":"Yoïn van Spijk","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.toot.community%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F364%2F817%2F764%2F036%2F126%2Foriginal%2F592d8f8750770dc0.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"yvanspijk@toot.community"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-04-28 15:36","date_timestamp":1777390619,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":true,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":true}},{"id":"89176746","content_html":"

@PKYo That question isn't nonsensical at all! This is exactly what linguist colleagues study in order to get more insight in bilingualism.

When speaking this mengelmoes (called code mixing in English), do you use the Dutch article that would go with the Dutch cognate of the English word, e.g. 'het house', 'de way', 'het thing', 'de cat'?

If so, your intuition probably comes from interference from your Dutch: your mind simultaneously activates the English and the Dutch word in your head ... 1/

","url":"https://toot.community/users/yvanspijk/statuses/116483058658432583","date_published":"2026-04-28T15:33:41+00:00","author":{"name":"Yoïn van Spijk","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.toot.community%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F364%2F817%2F764%2F036%2F126%2Foriginal%2F592d8f8750770dc0.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"yvanspijk@toot.community"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-04-28 15:33","date_timestamp":1777390421,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":true,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":true}},{"id":"88987100","content_html":"

@reinouts Ik heb het nog niet eerder gezien. Het ziet eruit als de klok horen maar niet weren waar de klepel hangt.

","url":"https://toot.community/users/yvanspijk/statuses/116465890645685529","date_published":"2026-04-25T14:47:38+00:00","author":{"name":"Yoïn van Spijk","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.toot.community%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F364%2F817%2F764%2F036%2F126%2Foriginal%2F592d8f8750770dc0.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"yvanspijk@toot.community"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-04-25 14:47","date_timestamp":1777128458,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":true,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":true}},{"id":"88906473","content_html":"

@ableijs Ah, interessant!

","url":"https://toot.community/users/yvanspijk/statuses/116458265859773091","date_published":"2026-04-24T06:28:33+00:00","author":{"name":"Yoïn van Spijk","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.toot.community%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F364%2F817%2F764%2F036%2F126%2Foriginal%2F592d8f8750770dc0.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"yvanspijk@toot.community"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-04-24 06:28","date_timestamp":1777012113,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":true,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":true}},{"id":"88875034","content_html":"

@duco Daar steekt Google lelijk bij af, ja!

","url":"https://toot.community/users/yvanspijk/statuses/116455620665997555","date_published":"2026-04-23T19:15:50+00:00","author":{"name":"Yoïn van Spijk","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.toot.community%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F364%2F817%2F764%2F036%2F126%2Foriginal%2F592d8f8750770dc0.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"yvanspijk@toot.community"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-04-23 19:15","date_timestamp":1776971750,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":true,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":true}},{"id":"88864411","content_html":"

@midgard Het probleem was dat de f ook ergens anders mocht zitten dan aan het begin. ^^

","url":"https://toot.community/users/yvanspijk/statuses/116454943224543631","date_published":"2026-04-23T16:23:33+00:00","author":{"name":"Yoïn van Spijk","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.toot.community%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F364%2F817%2F764%2F036%2F126%2Foriginal%2F592d8f8750770dc0.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"yvanspijk@toot.community"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-04-23 16:23","date_timestamp":1776961413,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":true,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":true}},{"id":"88852093","content_html":"

@RonvO53 Nou, inderdaad! En het houdt de bovenkamer ook nog eens lekker actief.

","url":"https://toot.community/users/yvanspijk/statuses/116454225987765001","date_published":"2026-04-23T13:21:09+00:00","author":{"name":"Yoïn van Spijk","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.toot.community%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F364%2F817%2F764%2F036%2F126%2Foriginal%2F592d8f8750770dc0.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"yvanspijk@toot.community"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-04-23 13:21","date_timestamp":1776950469,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":true,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":true}},{"id":"88851772","content_html":"

@schoeters 2/ ... goed om je daarnaar te richten, want je wilt geen afgekeurde sollicitatiebrief, en in formele spreektaal moet je ook oppassen.

Maar laten we mensen in informele spreektaal niet beoordelen op hoe ze praten. U zou immers ook niet willen dat ik u met uw goede intentie voor minder aan zou zien omdat u niet wist - of vergeten was - dat 'dan hen' ook geen standaardtaal is.

","url":"https://toot.community/users/yvanspijk/statuses/116454203234227580","date_published":"2026-04-23T13:15:22+00:00","author":{"name":"Yoïn van Spijk","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.toot.community%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F364%2F817%2F764%2F036%2F126%2Foriginal%2F592d8f8750770dc0.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"yvanspijk@toot.community"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-04-23 13:15","date_timestamp":1776950122,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":true,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":true}},{"id":"88851519","content_html":"

@schoeters In de grammatica van het Standaardnederlands moet het zijn 'slimmer dan zij'. Uw incorrecte 'slimmer dan hen' zou ik niet dom willen noemen, en 'slimmer dan hun' evenmin.

In het gesproken Nederlands komt die variatie nu eenmaal voor. Daar groeien we mee op. Het is allemaal moedertalig Nederlands, maar het een heeft het etiketje 'fout' gekregen en het andere niet.

Op school leren we op een gegeven moment wat mensen acceptabel vinden en wat ze afkeuren. In de schrijftaal is het ... 1/

","url":"https://toot.community/users/yvanspijk/statuses/116454185920523370","date_published":"2026-04-23T13:10:58+00:00","author":{"name":"Yoïn van Spijk","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.toot.community%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F364%2F817%2F764%2F036%2F126%2Foriginal%2F592d8f8750770dc0.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"yvanspijk@toot.community"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-04-23 13:10","date_timestamp":1776949858,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":true,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":true}},{"id":"88847695","content_html":"

@Tijn Precies dat! 🤣

","url":"https://toot.community/users/yvanspijk/statuses/116453905355698305","date_published":"2026-04-23T11:59:37+00:00","author":{"name":"Yoïn van Spijk","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.toot.community%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F364%2F817%2F764%2F036%2F126%2Foriginal%2F592d8f8750770dc0.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"yvanspijk@toot.community"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-04-23 11:59","date_timestamp":1776945577,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":true,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":true}},{"id":"88845460","content_html":"

Voor een tekstje voor kinderen in groep 3 zat ik te worstelen met eenlettergrepige woorden met een f.

Ik vermijd LLM's als de pest, maar ik dacht: ach, laat ik toch maar eens de AI-modus van Google proberen.

Die begon te hallucineren als een papegaai aan de tramadol.

Ziehier:

\"\"

","summary":"","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk/116453756965240051","date_published":"2026-04-23T11:21:53+00:00","author":{"name":"Yoïn van Spijk","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.toot.community%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F364%2F817%2F764%2F036%2F126%2Foriginal%2F592d8f8750770dc0.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"yvanspijk@toot.community"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-04-23 11:21","date_timestamp":1776943313,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":true,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":false,"note":"","syndication":[]}},{"id":"88802913","content_html":"

@janeckhoff In this case it isn't: its meaning evolved step by step:
factory > act of manufacturing > result of manufacturing > manufactured materiall > textile.

","url":"https://toot.community/users/yvanspijk/statuses/116450049722453488","date_published":"2026-04-22T19:39:05+00:00","author":{"name":"Yoïn van Spijk","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.toot.community%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F364%2F817%2F764%2F036%2F126%2Foriginal%2F592d8f8750770dc0.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"yvanspijk@toot.community"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-04-22 19:39","date_timestamp":1776886745,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":true,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":true}},{"id":"88802436","content_html":"

@jenbanim Yes, 'fabricate' preserved a meaning that's still very close to that of 'fabricar'.

","url":"https://toot.community/users/yvanspijk/statuses/116450018933686648","date_published":"2026-04-22T19:31:15+00:00","author":{"name":"Yoïn van Spijk","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.toot.community%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F364%2F817%2F764%2F036%2F126%2Foriginal%2F592d8f8750770dc0.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"yvanspijk@toot.community"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-04-22 19:31","date_timestamp":1776886275,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":true,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":true}},{"id":"88800130","content_html":"

@babble_endanger Yes! It was created based on 'forge'.

","url":"https://toot.community/users/yvanspijk/statuses/116449898714414548","date_published":"2026-04-22T19:00:40+00:00","author":{"name":"Yoïn van Spijk","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.toot.community%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F364%2F817%2F764%2F036%2F126%2Foriginal%2F592d8f8750770dc0.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"yvanspijk@toot.community"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-04-22 19:00","date_timestamp":1776884440,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":true,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":true}},{"id":"88799357","content_html":"

The English word ‘fabric’ is a notorious false friend of Spanish ‘fábrica’: a fabric is a material, while a fábrica is a factory.

However, these words are real cognates: they stem from the same Latin word: ‘fabrica’.

This Latin word even produced ‘forge’.

Click to learn all about these words. For those interested in how ‘fabrica’ could ever evolve into words such as ‘forge’, I described the sound changes step by step.

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","summary":"","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk/116449831278986424","date_published":"2026-04-22T18:43:31+00:00","author":{"name":"Yoïn van Spijk","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.toot.community%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F364%2F817%2F764%2F036%2F126%2Foriginal%2F592d8f8750770dc0.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"yvanspijk@toot.community"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-04-22 18:43","date_timestamp":1776883411,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":true,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":false,"note":"","syndication":[]}},{"id":"88763807","content_html":"

@Leepvogel @paulk 3/ ... Frans met 'quatorze', van 'quattuordecim', letterlijk \"vier-tien\".

Het Engels is ook in transitie. Het is nog wel 'fourteen', maar tegenwoordig 'twenty four'. Het Oudengels deed het nog net als wij.

","url":"https://toot.community/users/yvanspijk/statuses/116447447914962385","date_published":"2026-04-22T08:37:24+00:00","author":{"name":"Yoïn van Spijk","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.toot.community%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F364%2F817%2F764%2F036%2F126%2Foriginal%2F592d8f8750770dc0.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"yvanspijk@toot.community"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-04-22 08:37","date_timestamp":1776847044,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":true,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":true}},{"id":"88763754","content_html":"

@Leepvogel @paulk 2/ ... zoals in 'una mujer fuerte' (let. \"een vrouw sterke\") en 'dieciocho' (let. \"tien en acht\"). Het element \"tien\" is de basis, en \"acht\" voegt informatie toe, net zoals \"sterke\" iets toevoegt aan \"vrouw\".

Daartegenover heb je talen die praktisch helemaal 1 zijn. De oude Germaanse talen werkten zo. Daarom zeggen wij nu nog steeds 'achttien' en 'een sterke vrouw'.

Maar talen kunnen veranderen. Het Latijn was ook categorie 1. Restjes daarvan vind je bijv. in het ... 2/

","url":"https://toot.community/users/yvanspijk/statuses/116447439283877299","date_published":"2026-04-22T08:35:12+00:00","author":{"name":"Yoïn van Spijk","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.toot.community%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F364%2F817%2F764%2F036%2F126%2Foriginal%2F592d8f8750770dc0.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"yvanspijk@toot.community"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-04-22 08:35","date_timestamp":1776846912,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":true,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":true}},{"id":"88763594","content_html":"

@Leepvogel @paulk Inderdaad het twaalftallig stelsel! 'Elf' komt van een Germaans woord dat betekende \"één overgebleven (om te tellen na de tien)\", en 'twaalf' van \"twee overgebleven\".

Dan de volgorde van de rest. Je hebt grofweg twee hoofdcategorieën talen:
1. talen waarin bijvoeglijke elementen vóór het woord komen waarover ze gaan;
2. talen waarin ze erachter komen.

De Romaanse talen zijn volop 2: bijvoeglijke naamwoorden komen in principe na het zelfstandig naamwoord ... 1/

","url":"https://toot.community/users/yvanspijk/statuses/116447424438364105","date_published":"2026-04-22T08:31:26+00:00","author":{"name":"Yoïn van Spijk","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.toot.community%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F364%2F817%2F764%2F036%2F126%2Foriginal%2F592d8f8750770dc0.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"yvanspijk@toot.community"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-04-22 08:31","date_timestamp":1776846686,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":true,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":true}},{"id":"88472722","content_html":"

@tbzhg Thanks! And yes, it is! :) 'Bleuñv' and 'blodyn' come from a different derivative of the Proto-Indo-European root though: *bʰléh₃tus.

","url":"https://toot.community/users/yvanspijk/statuses/116421789443068971","date_published":"2026-04-17T19:52:07+00:00","author":{"name":"Yoïn van Spijk","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.toot.community%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F364%2F817%2F764%2F036%2F126%2Foriginal%2F592d8f8750770dc0.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"yvanspijk@toot.community"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-04-17 19:52","date_timestamp":1776455527,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":true,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":true}},{"id":"88460909","content_html":"

The Old English word for a flower was ‘blōsma’.

While this word survived, becoming modern ‘blossom’, it gave up part of its meaning to a French loanword. Interestingly though, this loanword, spelled both ‘flour’ and ‘flower’ in Middle English, stems from the same root as ‘blossom’.

Moreover, it wasn’t until the 19th century that the spelling variants ‘flour’ and ‘flower’ were differentiated. Each was assigned one of the meanings: “finest part of ground grain” versus “blossom of a plant”.

\"\"

","summary":"","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk/116421281336740023","date_published":"2026-04-17T17:42:54+00:00","author":{"name":"Yoïn van Spijk","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.toot.community%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F364%2F817%2F764%2F036%2F126%2Foriginal%2F592d8f8750770dc0.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"yvanspijk@toot.community"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-04-17 17:42","date_timestamp":1776447774,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":true,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":false,"note":"","syndication":[]}},{"id":"88389876","content_html":"

Dubbel goed nieuws! 🥳 Vandaag heb ik twee boekcontracten getekend bij Ambo/Anthos - een daarvan met Frans van der Vleuten als schrijfcompagnon.

Dit najaar verschijnt er een soloboek van mij vol met wetenswaardigheden over winterse woorden. Wist je bijvoorbeeld dat ons Nederlandse woord 'schaats' uit Noord-Frankrijk komt, dat 'rendier' niks met 'rennen' te maken heeft en dat ... 1/

\n\"\"\"\"\n
","summary":"","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk/116415566075659354","date_published":"2026-04-16T17:29:26+00:00","author":{"name":"Yoïn van Spijk","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.toot.community%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F364%2F817%2F764%2F036%2F126%2Foriginal%2F592d8f8750770dc0.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"yvanspijk@toot.community"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-04-16 17:29","date_timestamp":1776360566,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":true,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":false,"note":"","syndication":[]}},{"id":"87994709","content_html":"

It will come as no surprise that ‘to live’ is etymologically related to ‘life’ and ‘alive’.

However, these words are also related to ‘to leave’ and German ‘bleiben’ (“to stay”), which used to have an English cognate: ‘to belive’.

Even ‘lipo-’ in ‘liposuction’ is related, as are the parts ‘-lev-’ and ‘-lv-’ of the numerals ‘eleven’ and ‘twelve’.

All of these words stem from a common Proto-Indo-European root meaning “to stick”.

Click my new graphic to learn all about this word family:

\"\"

","summary":"","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk/116381647503886304","date_published":"2026-04-10T17:43:30+00:00","author":{"name":"Yoïn van Spijk","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.toot.community%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F364%2F817%2F764%2F036%2F126%2Foriginal%2F592d8f8750770dc0.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"yvanspijk@toot.community"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-04-10 17:43","date_timestamp":1775843010,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":true,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":false,"note":"","syndication":[]}},{"id":"87654063","content_html":"

Eggs are oval. The word ‘egg’ is even etymologically related to ‘oval’.

‘Oval’ comes from Latin ‘ōvālis’ (egg-shaped), a derivative of ‘ōvum’ (egg), the ancestor of Spanish ‘huevo’, French ‘œuf’ and others.

Latin ‘ōvum’, in turn, was a distant cousin of Germanic *ajjan, the ancestor of Old Norse ‘egg’. This word was borrowed into Middle English and gradually displaced the native word ‘ey’.

Click my new infographic graphic to learn more.

See post 2 for an anecdote on ‘eggs’ and ‘eyren’.

\"\"

","summary":"","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk/116353245268118474","date_published":"2026-04-05T17:20:26+00:00","author":{"name":"Yoïn van Spijk","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.toot.community%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F364%2F817%2F764%2F036%2F126%2Foriginal%2F592d8f8750770dc0.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"yvanspijk@toot.community"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-04-05 17:20","date_timestamp":1775409626,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":true,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":false,"note":"","syndication":[]}},{"id":"87544641","content_html":"

The geat were eating nit under the each.

‘Geat’, ‘nit’, ‘each’– this is what the original plural forms of ‘goat’, ‘nut’, and ‘oak’ would’ve looked like if they hadn’t been replaced by ‘goats’, ‘nuts’, and ‘oaks’.

How did plurals with a vowel alternation came to be, such as ‘man ~ men’ and ‘mouse ~ mice’?

What would the lost ones have sounded like if they’d been preserved?

My short video will tell you:
https://youtube.com/shorts/CTjYP8skREc

","summary":"","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk/116342194985834885","date_published":"2026-04-03T18:30:12+00:00","author":{"name":"Yoïn van Spijk","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.toot.community%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F364%2F817%2F764%2F036%2F126%2Foriginal%2F592d8f8750770dc0.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"yvanspijk@toot.community"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-04-03 18:30","date_timestamp":1775241012,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":true,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":false,"note":"","syndication":[]}},{"id":"87201505","content_html":"

Waarom heeft 'zoeken' de vreemde verleden tijd 'zocht'?

Je ontdekt het in mijn nieuwe artikel - met uitstapjes naar het Engels, Duits, Brabants, Limburgs en Nedersaksisch.

Tussendoor kun je luisteren naar de gereconstrueerde uitspraak van historische woorden.

https://taalaandewandel.com/2026/03/29/zoeken-zocht-to-search/

","summary":"","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk/116313388535941982","date_published":"2026-03-29T16:24:20+00:00","author":{"name":"Yoïn van Spijk","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.toot.community%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F364%2F817%2F764%2F036%2F126%2Foriginal%2F592d8f8750770dc0.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"yvanspijk@toot.community"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-03-29 16:24","date_timestamp":1774801460,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":false,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":false,"note":"","syndication":[]}},{"id":"87156110","content_html":"

Despite their similar meaning and appearance, the verbs ‘to search’ and ‘to seek’ don’t have any etymological relationship whatsoever.

‘To seek’ comes straight from the Proto-Germanic ancestor of English, while ‘to search’ was borrowed from a French word related to ‘circle’. Searching is going around looking for something.

Click my new infographic to learn all about these word families.

‘To seek’ has the highly irregular past tense ‘sought’. Why does the k become a silent gh? And why ... 1/

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","summary":"","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk/116308382953285248","date_published":"2026-03-28T19:11:21+00:00","author":{"name":"Yoïn van Spijk","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.toot.community%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F364%2F817%2F764%2F036%2F126%2Foriginal%2F592d8f8750770dc0.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"yvanspijk@toot.community"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-03-28 19:11","date_timestamp":1774725081,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":true,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":false,"note":"","syndication":[]}},{"id":"86801360","content_html":"

The words ‘power’, ‘host’, ‘potential’, ‘impotent’, ‘possible’, ‘posse’, and ‘to possess’ all contain the same Proto-Indo-European word: *pótis, meaning “master”.

Click my new graphic to learn how they evolved through derivatives in Latin, sound changes in Romance, and borrowings into English:

The Indo-European word *pótis (“master”) also became Lithuanian ‘pàts’ (“husband”), Ancient Greek ‘pósis’ (“husband”), and Sanskrit ‘páti’ (“husband; master; lord”).

1/

\"\"

","summary":"","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk/116279764166329599","date_published":"2026-03-23T17:53:13+00:00","author":{"name":"Yoïn van Spijk","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.toot.community%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F364%2F817%2F764%2F036%2F126%2Foriginal%2F592d8f8750770dc0.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"yvanspijk@toot.community"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-03-23 17:53","date_timestamp":1774288393,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":true,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":false,"note":"","syndication":[]}},{"id":"86672053","content_html":"

Zojuist besefte ik dat 'zandwijk' de letterlijke Nederlandse tegenhanger is van 'sandwich'.

'Zandwijkspreid' klinkt toch een stuk confronterender dan 'sandwich spread'.

Eentje in de categorie 'Giuseppe Verdi = Joop Groenen'.

\"\"

","summary":"","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk/116267594982727615","date_published":"2026-03-21T14:18:26+00:00","author":{"name":"Yoïn van Spijk","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.toot.community%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F364%2F817%2F764%2F036%2F126%2Foriginal%2F592d8f8750770dc0.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"yvanspijk@toot.community"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-03-21 14:18","date_timestamp":1774102706,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":true,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":false,"note":"","syndication":[]}},{"id":"86661960","content_html":"

Zondagmiddag vertellen Kristel Doreleijers en ik over de taal van verschillende generaties.

Zoals je van mij gewend bent, neem ik je mee in ons verre taalverleden - 50 tot 150 generaties terug.

Ik laat zien dat taal altijd verandert, maar niet verloedert.

22 maart van 13.30 uur tot 15.30 uur
Huis van het Boek, Prinsessegracht 30- 31, 2514 AP Den Haag

€ 7,50 voor leden van Onze Taal en vrienden van Huis van het Boek;
€ 10,- voor andere geïnteresseerden

Kaartverkoop:
https://onzetaalwebwinkel.nl/diversen/ticket-de-taal-van-mijn-generatie

\"\"

","summary":"","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk/116266567211744963","date_published":"2026-03-21T09:57:04+00:00","author":{"name":"Yoïn van Spijk","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.toot.community%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F364%2F817%2F764%2F036%2F126%2Foriginal%2F592d8f8750770dc0.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"yvanspijk@toot.community"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-03-21 09:57","date_timestamp":1774087024,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":false,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":false,"note":"","syndication":[]}},{"id":"86620134","content_html":"

RE: https://toot.community/@yvanspijk/116144270452431661

Je kunt nog tot zondagavond op mijn boek stemmen (en andere projecten 😉) voor de Language Industry Awards! 😋

Hieronder vind je de link:

\n

Na de twee prijsnominaties van 'Die goeie ouwe taal' maakt nu mijn boek 'Woord voor woord: de verleden tijd van taal' kans op een prijs. Het is genomineerd voor de Language Industry Awards van De Taalsector én op de shortlist gezet!

\n

Wil je dat ik win in de categorie 'beste boek', dan kun je me helpen: stem t/m 22 maart via de link hieronder. Daar lees je ook alles over 'Woord voor woord' en zijn conculega's:
https://www.languageindustryawards.eu/nominaties-2024-25/

\n

1/

\n\n
","summary":"","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk/116262740067545495","date_published":"2026-03-20T17:43:46+00:00","author":{"name":"Yoïn van Spijk","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.toot.community%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F364%2F817%2F764%2F036%2F126%2Foriginal%2F592d8f8750770dc0.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"yvanspijk@toot.community"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-03-20 17:43","date_timestamp":1774028626,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":false,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":false,"note":"","syndication":[]}},{"id":"86552812","content_html":"

The English word ‘rich’ is related to ‘regal’ and ‘royal’.

‘Rich’ derives from a Proto-Germanic borrowing of *rīxs, the Proto-Celtic cognate of Latin ‘rēx’, meaning “king”.

The meaning “wealthy” evolved from “powerful; kingly”.

Latin ‘rēx’, in turn, is the ancestor of Spanish ‘rey’ and French ‘roi’. Via French, ‘regal’ and ‘royal’ come from ‘rēgālis’, a derivative of ‘rēx’.

Click my new infographic to learn more about this fascinating word family:

1/

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","summary":"","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk/116257435570207520","date_published":"2026-03-19T19:14:46+00:00","author":{"name":"Yoïn van Spijk","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.toot.community%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F364%2F817%2F764%2F036%2F126%2Foriginal%2F592d8f8750770dc0.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"yvanspijk@toot.community"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-03-19 19:14","date_timestamp":1773947686,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":true,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":false,"note":"","syndication":[]}},{"id":"86444296","content_html":"

Vrijdag om 13.00 uur geef ik bij Bibliotheek Rijswijk een quiz-lezing over mijn boek 'Woord voor woord: de verleden tijd van taal'.

Ik neem je mee in de bijzondere herkomst van alledaagse woorden.

Win je de quiz, dan ga je naar huis met het boek!

https://bibliotheekaandevliet.op-shop.nl/210/lezing-quiz-de-verleden-tijd-van-taal

\"\"

","summary":"","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk/116249322045927859","date_published":"2026-03-18T08:51:23+00:00","author":{"name":"Yoïn van Spijk","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.toot.community%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F364%2F817%2F764%2F036%2F126%2Foriginal%2F592d8f8750770dc0.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"yvanspijk@toot.community"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-03-18 08:51","date_timestamp":1773823883,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":false,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":false,"note":"","syndication":[]}},{"id":"86209155","content_html":"

The origin of the word ‘iron’ is shrouded in mystery.

It comes from a Proto-Germanic word that was most probably borrowed from Proto-Celtic *īsarnom, the ancestor of Irish ‘iarann’. The Celts were skilful metal workers during the Iron Age.

However, tracing *īsarnom further back has proven to be hard.

My new graphic shows four hypotheses, as well as the many descendants of *īsarnom in Celtic and Germanic:

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","summary":"","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk/116229070930493192","date_published":"2026-03-14T19:01:16+00:00","author":{"name":"Yoïn van Spijk","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.toot.community%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F364%2F817%2F764%2F036%2F126%2Foriginal%2F592d8f8750770dc0.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"yvanspijk@toot.community"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-03-14 19:01","date_timestamp":1773514876,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":true,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":false,"note":"","syndication":[]}},{"id":"85918429","content_html":"

Despite its looks, the English word ‘heart’ is etymologically related to ‘cardio’, ‘cordial’, ‘to record’, ‘courage’, and even Spanish ‘corazón’.

Through Germanic, Greek, and Latin, these words all derive from a Proto-Indo-European root meaning “heart”.

In Germanic, sound changes that are called Grimm’s Law radically changed its consonants.

Click my new infographic to learn how:

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","summary":"","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk/116206445033178811","date_published":"2026-03-10T19:07:12+00:00","author":{"name":"Yoïn van Spijk","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.toot.community%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F364%2F817%2F764%2F036%2F126%2Foriginal%2F592d8f8750770dc0.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"yvanspijk@toot.community"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-03-10 19:07","date_timestamp":1773169632,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":true,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":false,"note":"","syndication":[]}},{"id":"85511242","content_html":"

The numbers ‘twenty’ to ‘ninety’ end in ‘-ty’.
Where does this part come from?

While it’s now a suffix, ‘-ty’ stems from a Proto-Germanic noun meaning “decade, a (group of) ten”.

For example, ‘forty’ comes from *fedwōr tegiwiz, literally “four tens”.

Only Icelandic, Swedish, and Elfdalian have preserved this word as a noun.

Click my new graphic to learn all about ‘-ty’ and its relatives:

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","summary":"","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk/116172811914482605","date_published":"2026-03-04T20:33:51+00:00","author":{"name":"Yoïn van Spijk","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.toot.community%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F364%2F817%2F764%2F036%2F126%2Foriginal%2F592d8f8750770dc0.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"yvanspijk@toot.community"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-03-04 20:33","date_timestamp":1772656431,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":true,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":false,"note":"","syndication":[]}},{"id":"85289834","content_html":"

The English verb ‘to see’ is very distantly related to the verb ‘to sue’ – and also to ‘sight’, ‘second’ and ‘sequence’.

Via Germanic and Latin, they all come from a Proto-Indo-European root whose meaning can be reconstructed as “to follow”.

In Germanic, this meaning shifted to “to follow with the eyes”.

Click my new graphic to learn more.

As the graphic shows, the Proto-Indo-European root that’s at the basis of these words is *sekʷ- (“to follow”). Through derivatives of its Latin ... 1/

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","summary":"","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk/116155489539036956","date_published":"2026-03-01T19:08:33+00:00","author":{"name":"Yoïn van Spijk","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.toot.community%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F364%2F817%2F764%2F036%2F126%2Foriginal%2F592d8f8750770dc0.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"yvanspijk@toot.community"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-03-01 19:08","date_timestamp":1772392113,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":true,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":false,"note":"","syndication":[]}},{"id":"85166926","content_html":"

Na de twee prijsnominaties van 'Die goeie ouwe taal' maakt nu mijn boek 'Woord voor woord: de verleden tijd van taal' kans op een prijs. Het is genomineerd voor de Language Industry Awards van De Taalsector én op de shortlist gezet!

Wil je dat ik win in de categorie 'beste boek', dan kun je me helpen: stem t/m 22 maart via de link hieronder. Daar lees je ook alles over 'Woord voor woord' en zijn conculega's:
www.languageindustryawards.eu/nominaties-2024-25/

1/

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","summary":"","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk/116144270452431661","date_published":"2026-02-27T19:35:23+00:00","author":{"name":"Yoïn van Spijk","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.toot.community%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F364%2F817%2F764%2F036%2F126%2Foriginal%2F592d8f8750770dc0.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"yvanspijk@toot.community"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-02-27 19:35","date_timestamp":1772220923,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":true,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":false,"note":"","syndication":[]}},{"id":"84882601","content_html":"

RE: https://toot.community/@yvanspijk/116115799279639872

I was reminded of a neat English example of stacking: 'about'.

Via Middle English 'abuten', it comes from Old English 'onbūtan', literally \"on the outside\". This was a combination of 'on' and 'būtan', a cognate of Dutch 'buiten' (\"outside\").

'Būtan' and 'buiten', in turn, come from Germanic *biūtan. This was a combination of *bi (\"by\") and *ūtan (\"outside\"), a word derived from *ūt, the ancestor of 'out'.

In other words: 'about' contains the words that individually became 'on', 'by', 'out'.

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The French word ‘aujourd’hui’ (today) consists of four words: ‘au’ (on the), ‘jour’ (day), ‘de’ (of), and ‘hui’ (today). It was formed in Middle French during the late Middle Ages.

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However, many Romance adverbs and prepositions come from even older combinations - and some of them are hardly identifiable as such anymore.

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Click my two new graphics to explore the origin of words such as ‘adelante’, ‘encore’, and ‘dedans’.

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","summary":"","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk/116122084942077834","date_published":"2026-02-23T21:33:19+00:00","author":{"name":"Yoïn van Spijk","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.toot.community%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F364%2F817%2F764%2F036%2F126%2Foriginal%2F592d8f8750770dc0.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"yvanspijk@toot.community"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-02-23 21:33","date_timestamp":1771882399,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":true,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":false,"note":"","syndication":[]}},{"id":"84804360","content_html":"

The French word ‘aujourd’hui’ (today) consists of four words: ‘au’ (on the), ‘jour’ (day), ‘de’ (of), and ‘hui’ (today). It was formed in Middle French during the late Middle Ages.

However, many Romance adverbs and prepositions come from even older combinations - and some of are hardly identifiable as such anymore.

Click my two new graphics to explore the origin of words such as ‘adelante’, ‘encore’, and ‘dedans’.

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","summary":"","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk/116115799279639872","date_published":"2026-02-22T18:54:48+00:00","author":{"name":"Yoïn van Spijk","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.toot.community%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F364%2F817%2F764%2F036%2F126%2Foriginal%2F592d8f8750770dc0.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"yvanspijk@toot.community"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-02-22 18:54","date_timestamp":1771786488,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":true,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":false,"note":"","syndication":[]}},{"id":"84794143","content_html":"

When I opened a pdf containing a scanned 505-page volume of a Spanish etymological dictionary, Adobe Acrobat Reader recommended that I \"save time by reading a summary using AI Assistant\". 🫠

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","summary":"","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk/116115090523828826","date_published":"2026-02-22T15:54:33+00:00","author":{"name":"Yoïn van Spijk","url":"https://toot.community/@yvanspijk","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.toot.community%2Faccounts%2Favatars%2F109%2F364%2F817%2F764%2F036%2F126%2Foriginal%2F592d8f8750770dc0.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"yvanspijk@toot.community"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-02-22 15:54","date_timestamp":1771775673,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":true,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":false,"note":"","syndication":[]}}]}