languages and scripts
Joined June 2017
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It still amazes me that Bronze Age philology is even a thing. Imagine telling that to a guy in the 18th century. Here's to the Copper Age next!
It’s funny seeing naturalistic art from antiquity because we tend to think of peoples like the Scythians as these exotic mythical figures from a vanished world, and then you see what one actually looked like and it’s just some Russian guy.
Ancient Greek account of human skin color variation sounds very modern:
“And indeed [the Sun] is also the cause of men being black, white, and yellow, and of their differing in other respects of appearance, owing to the manner in which it sends its rays upon the climes of the earth.”
καὶ μὴν καὶ τοῦ μέλανας εἶναι καὶ λευκοὺς ἀνθρώπους καὶ ξανθοὺς καὶ κατὰ τὰς ἄλλας ἰδέας διαφέροντας αὐτὸς αἴτιος γίνεται παρὰ τὸ πῶς ἀποπέμπειν τὰς ἀκτῖνας ἐπὶ τὰ κλίματα τῆς γῆς.
—Cleomedes
Back in the day Egypt would take Canaanite princes hostage and raise them at the royal court. Today we have Fulbright scholarships and college exchange programs. Reminds one of Žižek’s parable about the permissive father.
sorrel sounds like it should be a fish, herring sounds like it should be a bird, and impala sounds like it should be a big cat
the concept of the pre-Germanic word for foreigner being “Volk”
Medieval Portuguese developed all those -ão endings as a phonological premonition of its future role in China. The Weltgeist in action.
The way British people say tæco and pæsta is extremely lindy. English has been borrowing Latin a as æ for like 1500 years.
Reading about the Gospel of Jesus’ Wife fiasco and how forgers will write on genuinely ancient bits of papyrus. Eventually someone’s gonna realize you can just grow papyrus with ancient radiocarbon ages, and I think papyrologists should be ready for that.
1/2 a sign worth of vocalized Late Egyptian!
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tonogenesis retweeted
Absolutní bomba! Nový zlomek egyptsko-chetitské mírové smlouvy! 😍 arkeonews.net/new-fragment-o…
he really does tweet like a neo-hittite stele
>mʾt šnt ydʿw h-mlkm ḥšbt grnlnd h-ʾsṭrṭgt. w-kn ʾwbmh w-bl pʿl. w-kn bydn w-bl pʿl. w-ʾnk, m ʾš pʿlt bl pʿl hlpnyhm.
BREAKING NEWS: I am pleased to announce that the United States of America has entered into an Agreement with The Kingdom of Denmark, and Greenland, that gives the United States permanent control over security, and all other needs, in Greenland, completely addressing ALL of our many U.S. concerns. There will be NO COST to the United States! At my direction, we worked with representatives of Denmark and Greenland to guarantee that the United States will FOREVER have the complete ability to do what is necessary in Greenland in order to secure and defend the security of Greenland, and the United States of America. Additionally, from now on, no U.S. adversary can EVER have a base in Greenland, have a military presence in Greenland, or make sensitive investments in Greenland, without our express written approval. For over 100 years, Presidents have known the strategic importance of Greenland, but NONE of them were able to do anything about it. I am proud to be the President that permanently and conclusively addressed this very important situation. This is an “Infinite Life” Agreement, there is no end! We are very honored and proud of what has just taken place, and everything agreed to today will be cherished by the American People. We will immediately begin the process of developing a large Military presence in the appropriate part of Greenland, of which there are many. We will work with the people of Greenland in its development and construction. This solution is a great one for the United States of America, Denmark, Greenland, and all of our Allies. We look forward to working with the wonderful people of Denmark and Greenland toward a magnificent future with respect to this large, and highly strategic, parcel of land. We will be very protective of it! This is a dream come true for the United States of America, one that is very important, historic, and special. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP
