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Day: April 27, 2017

What is the origin of the scientific name of the apple tree “malus”?

By: | Post date: 2017-04-27 | Comments: No Comments
Posted in categories: Latin, Linguistics

This has been answered already, I’ll just answer it more anecdotally. Indo-European has two words for apple, that show up in different daughter branches: *h₂ébōl shows up in Germanic (… apple), Celtic, Balto-Slavic, and probably Hittite šam(a)lu- ‘apple tree’ *méh₂lom shows up in Greek (Doric mālon, Attic mēlon), Latin (mālum), Albanian (mollë), and Hittite maḫla […]

What is said at Greek funerals?

By: | Post date: 2017-04-27 | Comments: No Comments
Posted in categories: Culture, Modern Greek

Constantinos Kalampokis’ answer to What is said at Greek funerals? covers everything that happens at a funeral; but I’m assuming the question is particularly after what the condolence formula is. Both Greek and Turkish are notorious in linguistics for having a formulaic expression for just about every occasion; it’s part of good social behaviour that […]