Sheepish

When contemplating the word sheepish, I wondered whether it just might have a different etymology to the animal. And are there any other animal references used as adjectives? Well to start with the sheep, it’s purely from the Germanic language group, older versions use ‘ram’ and ‘ewe’. Note while Old English used scap for both singular and plural, Old Northumbrian used scipo as the singular.

Sheep has appeared in various idioms. Wolf in sheep’s clothing appears in Matthew 15; Counting sheep to induce sleep is recorded in 1854 but doesn’t seem to have become popular until the 1870s; giving sheep’s eyes is seen from 1520.

Sheepish used to mean ‘bashful’ is first seen in the 1690s, although Chaucer had used ‘sheepy’. As expected it has the same etymology.

When it comes to other animal-style adjectives, I could only really find one in regular use – Asinine correctly ‘relating to donkeys’ but also describing foolishness. Just why a donkey should be considered foolish, I have no clue.

A couple of other adjectives less commonly used, are: Vulpine for ‘cunning’; and Cervine ‘grace, elegance’.

I did find a few traits associated with certain animals. These describe traits attributed to such species, although I think they are being anthropomorphised instead of looking at the real reasons for such behavior.

Foxes are described as both sly and cunning – I think they mean ‘successful’.

Lions are often said to be majestic – clearly derived from the idea they are king of beasts, and that idea of anthropomorhising creatures is clear in such drivel as The Lion King and other Disney dross.

But the worst of the lot is surely describing a dog as ‘loyal’ – no, it wants food the easiest way possible and you’re its meal ticket.

A few other misnomers. Dead as a dodo – no, they’re not dead they’re extinct; dead as a badger would make more sense as the vast majority of badgers are seen at the side of the road with legs in the air.

As strong as an ox – ludicrous, an ox isn’t strong it’s big – and two oxen are twice as strong anyway.

Proud as a peacock – peacocks have a very small brain size relative to its body, it doesn’t have an IQ big enough to know what pride is.

Wise as an owl – on a list of birds, owls are only halfway when it comes to intellect.

Qatar Place Names Explained

Having blogged samples of my books on English place names and also examined the etymologies of the nations of the world and their respective capitals I thought it time I cast my net a little wider. As English place names share some links to other tongues it would be interesting to see if any of the elements contributing to our place names could be found elsewhere. Continuing an alphabetical tour of the world and a look at the largest Qatar cities.

Doha, the capital city, either comes from the Arabic Ad-Dawha or ‘the big tree’, a marker for the original fishing village and possibly used as a marker by the fishermen, or from dohat the Arabic word for ‘bay’ where the fisherman cast their nets.

Al Wakrah comes from the Arabic wakar which translates as 'bird's nest' and probably refers to the colonies of birds in the nearby hills.

Al-Shahaniya is named from the local flora, specifically the plant known here as sheeh, used as it is an anti-inflammatory. Known to science as Artemesia inculta, it can be found across the Middle East and North Africa but is quite rare in Qatar as the soils are largely unsuitable.

Mesaieed is another named from the local flora. Known as sead it is difficult to know what that plant was, and therefore its use, as it no longer grows here.

Madinat Khalifa, both North and South, refer to the Arabic madinal or 'city' with former emir of Qatar from 1972 to 1995, Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani.

Nuaija comes from the Arabic word naaja meaning 'ewe' or 'female sheep'. This is nothing to do with the mammal but eludes to the water from the well hereabouts being as sweet as sheep's milk.

Umm Ghuwailina is from Arabic umm meaning 'mother' but used here in a geographical sense, together with ghuwailina, referring to a local tree, speaks of 'the mother of ghulan'. The tree is used as fodder for camels.

Al Thumama is another derived from the local flora. Known to science as Panicum turgidum (literally 'swollen foxtail'), it is welcomed in the desert as this perennial grass encourages soil formation.

As Salatah al Jadidah means 'New Salata', named after the Al-Sulaiti tribe and founded as recently as the 1970s.

Al Sadd is also named from a local plant. Sadd is the local name for a plant abundant in this region of the coast.

The Pearl is built on a man-made island begun in 2004 and an on-going project. It is named because it occupies one of Qatar's former pearl diving sites.

Dukhan translates as 'smoky mountain', for clouds are seen to gather around the summit of Jebel Dukhan.

Mebaireek takes its name from an Arabic personal name Mubarak, although just who that seemingly important individual may have been is unknown.

Fereej Abdel Aziz comes from fereej or 'district' of Abdel Aziz, he a former sheikh who governed in this area.

Umm Lekhba shares a first element with Umm Ghuwailina above, also sharing the geographical context. Here the second element is Arabic khabaa 'to hide' and a reference to the location being in a depression.

Duhail comes from dahal, the Arabic word for 'cavern' and a large cavern can be found here.

Umm Bab uses the 'mother' prefix again in a geographical sense, with the second element a reference to a passage between two hills and thus 'mother of the gateway'.

Rawdat Rashed is from the Arabic rawdat and a personal name and refers to its low-lying position where water tends to accumulate after rainfall in 'low wetland of Rashed'.

Hazm Al Markhiya takes the Arabic hazm or 'hill' and adds the tree known locally as markh. This tree, known officially as Leptadenia pyrotechnica. This 'tree' is actually a drought-resistant desert herb used for thatching huts, the plant fibre is useful in making ropes, makes a good fodder for camels, and the ripe pods used as vegetables and are said to possess some medicinal properties.

Al Ghuwariyah comes from ghar or 'cave' and not, as so often stated, a plant known as alghar as that is simply not found in the region.

Al Jemailiya comes from the Arabic jamila 'beauty' and thought to refer to the abundant vegetation in an area otherwise largely desert.

Al Karaana comes from karaa or 'fresh water' and refers to a well providing water of particularly excellent quality.

Al Bidda comes from the Arabic badaa 'to invent'. Not a technological invention but the creation of the settlement in what had been a area devoid of any true features.

Abu Samra takes the name of the Samr tree, used as fodder for camels.

Al Utouriya comes from Arabic atar meaning 'perfume, aroma'. This area lies in a rawdat or depression where the collected rainwater means aromatic herbs grow freely.

Al Nasraniya takes its name from a time when the local well, dug through particularly hard rock, became usable. Their efforts were referred to as Nasraniya or 'Christinaity' and a reminder of the victory by the Muslims over the Christians.

Note the spellings of the places are English as the piece is written in English.

Iceland Place Names Explained

Having blogged samples of my books on English place names and also examined the etymologies of the nations of the world and their respective capitals I thought it time I cast my net a little wider. As English place names share some links to other tongues it would be interesting to see if any of the elements contributing to our place names could be found elsewhere. Continuing an alphabetical tour of the world and a look at the largest Icelandic places.

Reykjavik is the Icelandic for 'smoke cove' and refers to the steam from hot springs synonymous with the island.

Kopavogur translates as 'seal pup inlet' and a seal pup can be found on the town's coat of arms.

Hafnarfjordur means simply 'harbour fjord'.

Keflavik describes itself as 'driftwood bay'.

Selfoss is an oddity as the suffix is Iceland for 'waterfall' and yet there are no waterfalls to be found here today.

Isafjord can still be seen as 'ice fjord'.

Saudarkrokur takes its name from the small river running through here, this the Sauda. The name refers to where it hits the coast and means 'hook of the sheep river'.

Egilsstadir has hardly changed since it was first known as Egilsstadir's farmstead'.

Husavik is held to be the first place ever settled in Iceland, this by Gardar Svavarsson around 870. When he left, Gardar's farmstead consisted of a man named Nattfari and a male and female slave. As the only signs of human habitation on the island, it is easy to see why the name meant 'bay of houses'.

Hofn is an Icelandic word meaning simply 'harbour'.

Thorlakshofn is named after Saint Thorlak who was bishop here and thus the name means 'Thorlak's harbour'.

Gardur refers to this as 'garden'.

Neskaupstadur refers to itself as 'the headland (or ness) of Egill the red'..

Dalvik can be translated to 'valley bay'.

Stykkisholmur takes its name from the small island at the mouth of the harbour describing 'the piece of dry land'.

Hvolsvollur translates as 'hill field'.

Hella comes from the caves near the river, where Irish monks lived in the first settlement.

Patreksfjordur is further evidence of Irish influence for it means 'Patrick's fjord'.

Vopnafjordur translates as 'weapon bay', itself named from a nickname of one of the early settlers, Eyvindur vopni.

Note the majority of Icelandic names were coined to be recognisable from the sea, not the land. Just as the names of Greenland were in my earlier post.

Note the spellings of the places are English as the piece is written in English.

Yet Even More Words You Will Never Use

Some time ago I listed an A-Z of very unusual words. While flipping through dictionaries and the like on the hunt for word meanings and origins, too often I find myself distracted by words which may or may not be in official use but which would certainly be unknown to the vast majority. So the result is the following A to Z of words which would be of great help to any would-be Countdown contestant and a pain in the proverbial for guests on Call My Bluff.

A is for AZYGOUS - generally only used in an organic sense where the meaning is 'single, not existing in pairs'.

B is for BURHEL - and the name of a breed of wild sheep found in the Himalayas.

C is for CATAFALQUE - a delicious word which would probably be used more were it not for it being the name of a decorative wooden frame for a coffin, used primarily for those lying in state.

D is for DZO - the name given to a beast, the hybrid of a male yak and a cow.

E is for EUSTASY - something we may hear more often, it is the change of sea level due to melting ice caps, glaciers or techtonic movement.

F is for FURCULA - not a word you will have used to describe 'a forked organ or structure' but one you will certainly have seen as it is the correct description for the wishbone of a bird.

G is for GRALLATORIAL - is an adjective relating to long-legged wading birds.

H is for HOPPLE - the act of tying the legs of a quadruped together to prevent it going anywhere.

I is for INFUNDUBULAR - never used but often seen, it means 'funnel-shaped'.

J is for JOWAR - a variety of sorghum native to Asia.

K is for KNAG - the short remains of a dead branch.

L is for LORICATE - having bones or scales forming armour as a defence.

M is for MYRMIDON - either a hired ruffian or a lowly servant.

N is for NUCHAL - an adjective relating to the nape of the neck.

O is for ORTHOGONAL - simply means 'having right angles'.

P is for PUTLOG - a short horizontal timber projecting from a wall which allowed scaffolding boards to be used.

Q is for QUODLIBET - a medley of well-known tunes.

R is for RYOKAN - a traditional Japanese inn.

S is for SWIPPLE - the swinging of a flail.

T is for TYCHISM - the idea that chance is the controlling factor in the entire universe.

U is for UMBLES - the edible offal of deer.

V is for VELUTINOUS - covered with soft fine hairs.

W is for WIGHT - an archaic term for a person.

X is for XERIC - means 'very dry'.

Y is for YERKNOD - a donkey.

Z is for ZNEES - a synonym for 'frost'.