Actually, that would be a 'stemmed seeded apple', as Stiel means something like stem or stalk. Sound notwithstanding, it has nothing to do with steel, which of course is Stahl in German, as in Stahlhelm. The Stielhandgranate 24 had a handle, as opposed to the Eihandgranate 39 (egg grenade)
Mir or Mer is Germanic as well, and has to do with fame, as in Theodomir, Waldemar, Ricimer etc. As Swentibold shows, the Franks didn't understand squat about Slavic names. Besides, were talking 5th Century here, when there wasn't a lot Frankish-Slavic interaction.
I like Bereswintha (or Beresuntha) a lot. In fact, a number of these names have survived until modern times, such as Herbert, Lothar, Hubert, Ludwig, Dietrich.. So go ahead
Most interesting. Pulk made it back into German, as you may know. I've encountered polk as the word for 'regiment' in Russian, and Polish has something similar.
Svato-polk? Wikipedia informs me that the contemporary version must have been something like Sventopluk. That makes sense, with the Franks replacing the final element with the more familiar -bold.
la qualité d'être lisse. Il existe bien le mot lissité en tant que terme mathématique. Pour l'usage quotidien, par contre, l'adjectif 'lisse' n'a pas de substantif. Bien entendu, cette situation ne peut pas durer.
Comments by charlesferdinand
charlesferdinand commented on the word tacteux
ayant du tacte. C'est un tacteux
October 30, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word pug-zu
Sounds more like a baddie from a Shaw brothers movie
October 27, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word stormtrooper effect
Don't forget the Imperial Stormtrooper School of Marksmanship
October 7, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word turtlestep
Sounds more like a novelty dance to me
September 27, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word fingerspitzengefühl
Sure-footedness would be the anatomical opposite
September 17, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word rastafari
I recently discovered that it is actually Ras Tafari (and not rasta fari), which makes perfect sense if you think of it.
August 20, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word rauschpfeife
Having experienced one at close quarters, I can confirm that they are loud!
August 17, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word petenten
People who sign a petition
August 14, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word bandersnatch
To be shunned
August 11, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word shotor morgh
Now that sounds like something straight out of Lovecraft.
August 10, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word apus apus
a bird, actually
August 8, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word kurwa
always a useful word to know
August 8, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word الإنكليزية
Are you sure this is Zulu?
August 5, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word jerusalem artichoke
And tasty too
August 5, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word celia
You're breaking my heart
August 5, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word nazar
From the Arabic, surely
August 5, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word sui generis
The fact that St. Thomas Aquinas considers angels to be sui generis is a consequence of imperfections in his ontology. Refute.
August 5, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the user charlesferdinand
Depends what you mean by 'speak', but apart from Dutch, three reasonably well, a smattering of six others and I can order a beer in Turkish.
August 5, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word eugene
Just be careful with that axe
August 5, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word festplattenverschlüsselung
Necessary for those sensitive files
August 5, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word لا
As I say to many tourists, the only word you really need.
August 5, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word لا أ�?هم
I use that a lot
August 5, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word لا أتكلم العربية
Very useful that
August 5, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word transgenic xenograft
Can't wait for this to turn up in any of the hospital series (perhaps it has done so already)
July 24, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word bügelfrei
you don't have to iron it
July 22, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word handelsüblich
Said of things you can buy in shops
July 19, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word a breakfast of puffins
I did, and still think it ought to be muffins
July 15, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the list chillin-with-the-villains
Mayor Richard Wilkins III ?
July 15, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word long john silver
At a guess, I'd say that they'd have interesting promos at Talk Like A Pirate Day
July 15, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word a breakfast of puffins
Surely you mean muffins
July 15, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word an ambuscade of paparazzi
This one actually makes sense
July 15, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word mongolian death worm
That, my friend, is a flexible corrugated PE pipe. Cool name, though.
June 27, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word vegan rage
Shouldn't that be 'sees green'?
June 25, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word en papillote
I use tinfoil, myself
June 24, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word fartlek
This could be a unit of astronomical speed. Like make the Kessel run in less than twelve fartleks
June 24, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word matrices
Forming Hendrices from Hendrix, now that would be a slavish pluralisation.
June 15, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word the pen is on the table
The phrase I'm familiar with is: My tailor is rich
June 12, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word hepatoscopic
Is there a difference with hepatomancy?
June 10, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the list reduplicating-animals
Well, it doesn't reduplicate completely
June 10, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word parents
Patient Sperm, I like that phrase
June 9, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the list fun-german
Yep, but that one is already on another list
June 9, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the list reduplicating-animals
Good one Bilby!
June 9, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word polycarbonate
If you thinks carbs are bad, wait till you see polycarbs!
June 6, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word wetterbedingte sichtbeeinträchtigungen
Officialese to say that it might get dark
June 6, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word festplatte
Makes a hard disk sound so much more festive
June 6, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the list fun-german
Officialese to say that it might get dark
June 6, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word showerpiphany
Bathtubs are far superior. Think of Archimedes!
June 6, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word us dollar
Us dollar, You yen (as Tarzan might say)
May 29, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word lüllefütten
Some kind of Scandinavian delicacy?
May 29, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word stielhandgranate
Actually, that would be a 'stemmed seeded apple', as Stiel means something like stem or stalk. Sound notwithstanding, it has nothing to do with steel, which of course is Stahl in German, as in Stahlhelm. The Stielhandgranate 24 had a handle, as opposed to the Eihandgranate 39 (egg grenade)
May 28, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word ad hocracy
I'll use that at the first occasion!
May 27, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word halfway house of ill repute
This was actually thought up by Amanda Palmer
May 27, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word bubalus bubalis
Not quite reduplicating, but some also distinguish a bubalus bubalis bubalis
May 25, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word nonchalant
Can one also be chalant?
May 25, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word signature tune up
I like that 'This show could use a signature tune up'
May 24, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word sauerkraut splendor
That would be the music of Peter Thomas
May 24, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word yog-sothothery
Eldritch jiggery-pokery?
May 24, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word chlodomir
Mir or Mer is Germanic as well, and has to do with fame, as in Theodomir, Waldemar, Ricimer etc. As Swentibold shows, the Franks didn't understand squat about Slavic names. Besides, were talking 5th Century here, when there wasn't a lot Frankish-Slavic interaction.
May 23, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word chlodovech
Or Clovis, as he is also known
May 22, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word chlodomir
Actually, it is a very Germanic name Hlud-/Chlod- meaning fame, as in Chlodoveg/Ludwig, Chlodulf etc
May 22, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word music to shag by
The Complete Works of Barry White
May 22, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the list merovingians
Now Gogo Bearspawn sounds more like the motto of a football team, somewhere in the North West of the USA
May 22, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word thrasamund
Yes, I know he is a king of the Vandals, but then again: Thrasamund, King of the Vandals!
May 22, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word roderic
Or Rodrigo, as the Spanish know him
May 22, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word music to shag by
That is an actual genre
May 22, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the list merovingians
I like Bereswintha (or Beresuntha) a lot. In fact, a number of these names have survived until modern times, such as Herbert, Lothar, Hubert, Ludwig, Dietrich.. So go ahead
May 22, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word athanagild
Yes, another Goth, but then again, a nice name
May 22, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the list blitzkrieg
The German for howitzer is Haubitze
May 22, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word katze
German
May 21, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word kat
Dutch
May 21, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word turdus migratorius
Or a kind of magical curse Hogwarts undergraduates might use
May 21, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word pitta sordida
I prefer to think of it a seedy kind of Oriental fast food
May 21, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word great tit
Among the most studied birds in the world.
May 20, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word blue tit
according to Wiki, a valuable destroyer of pests
May 20, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the list rude-birds
Thanks!
May 20, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word swentibold
Most interesting. Pulk made it back into German, as you may know. I've encountered polk as the word for 'regiment' in Russian, and Polish has something similar.
Thanks for explaining where the 'n' came from.
May 20, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word fricassee
Fricassee off!
May 20, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word deuterodactylic
And self-referential too!
May 20, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word swentibold
Svato-polk? Wikipedia informs me that the contemporary version must have been something like Sventopluk. That makes sense, with the Franks replacing the final element with the more familiar -bold.
May 19, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word amalasuntha
Not strictly Merovingian, I know, but too beautiful to leave out.
May 19, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word swentibold
Politics. Emperor Arnulf of Karinthia named his son after Svatopluk of Moravia, who was the godfather.
May 19, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word swentibold
Which is actually the Frankish version of Svatopluk
May 19, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word stygian wishbone
Either an artifact in a fantasy RPG or a delicacy in the Star Trek universe
May 19, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word trism
As made famous by the B52's
May 18, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word austrasia
The Eastern part of the old Frankish kingdom, frequently at war with Neustria, its neighbour to the West
May 17, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word al-qahira
Or Cairo, as it appears on most Western maps
May 16, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word kuukkeli
Surely onomatopeic
May 16, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word brabant
Besides there are the provinces of Vlaams-Brabant and Brabant wallon in Belgium, and Noord-Brabant in the Netherlands.
May 15, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word membritude
Well, they have to go about it in other ways, such as 'le nombre de membres est limité à....' L'associaton est seulement ouverte à..
In fact, the Canadians have membrariat, which sounds horrible
May 15, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word membritude
At present, there is no French word for membership. So I made one.
May 15, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word membritude
Le fait d'être membre (ex La membritude est réservée)
May 15, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the list ancient-borders
I've always liked Austrasia
May 15, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word brabant
What do you mean, disappeared? I'm still living here!
May 15, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word apsny
You mean you've never heard of it?
May 15, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word gorilla gorilla gorilla
Apparently it is now OK to say just Gorilla Gorilla
May 15, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word red-footed booby
According to wikipedia, the smallest of all boobies.
May 14, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word sula sula
The red-footed booby??
May 14, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word absolute power breakfast
Mega Breakfast 20K at least
May 14, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word screenager
noun: older actor who improbably portrays a teenager in film or TV (eg Steve McQueen in The Blob)
May 14, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word afterlife coach
That would be a priest, I suppose
May 14, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word absolute power breakfast
Fit for a king
May 14, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word neizpodbiten
Neizpodbiten, twice shy
May 13, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word ughten
Matinal Crepuscule would be a goth band, while Ughten is definitely heavy metal
May 12, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word cricket
No, it is a quote from George Mikes
May 12, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word cricket
On the continent, many people think life is game. The British think cricket is a game.
May 12, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word strangelovecraftian
Fhtagn!
May 12, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word gegenstand
I like the idea of things resisting us
May 12, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word liliuokalani
Just like Kamehameha
May 12, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word torto
Torti, but I think in Italy they are known as fusili
May 11, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word molotov cocktail
There is, of course, also the non-flammable version, known as a molotov mocktail
May 11, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word ughten
Obviously a cognate of Dutch 'ochtend' although in this form, it looks more like first light after a night of heavy drinking.
May 11, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word parmageddon
Or a serious accident with cheese fondue
May 11, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word yoghort
The food of shoggoths
May 11, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the list italian-culinary-singulars
Thanks for pointing them out!
May 11, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word tagligatella
Quite right, my mistake
May 11, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word parmageddon
Is this the end of the world through cheese?
May 11, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the list minced-oaths
Mince alors!
May 8, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word sblood
gadzooks!
May 8, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word ricasso
Known in German as Fehlscharfe
May 8, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word rana rana
Isn't this the common frog?
May 8, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the user Telofy
Thanks for the invite to the double dactyl list
May 6, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the list double-dactyls
Selfreferentially?
May 6, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word tu quoque
I always thought it was 'et tu'
May 6, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word aveuglard
Strangely, French doesn't seem to have a word for blindfold. That's been taken care of, now.
May 5, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word coupleux
Se dit d'un moteur avec beaucoup de couple: les V8 américains sont très coupleux
May 5, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word lissitude
la qualité d'être lisse. Il existe bien le mot lissité en tant que terme mathématique. Pour l'usage quotidien, par contre, l'adjectif 'lisse' n'a pas de substantif. Bien entendu, cette situation ne peut pas durer.
May 5, 2009
charlesferdinand commented on the word talpin
adj: relatif aux taupes ou talpidés. cfr bovin, ovin...
May 5, 2009