Cognate Cognizance Podcast

Zenith, peak, culmination, apex, pinnacle — these are all considered synonyms for “apogee,” and they are all words that are very familiar to me, but I don’t see “apogee” used very frequently. I do, however, see its Spanish cognate used.

apogee — the farthest or highest point; in space usage, it refers to the point in the orbit of an object (such as a satellite) orbiting the earth that is at the greatest distance from the center of the earth

apogeo — the Spanish cognate of the same meaning/s

This word came to English and to Spanish b...

Back when I was teaching, I had the good fortune of being able to create a couple classes. One of those was Linguistics, and in that class I required my students to do a mini-report each week about a word of their choosing. In the report, they needed to share the word’s “etymology” and in doing that, the students soon came to realize that the bulk of the English words that aren’t true descendants of Old or Middle English come to us from Latin and/or Greek.

The word “etymology” comes to us from Greek, and it combi...

In Chapter 6 of “The Sword in the Stone” by T. H. White, young Arthur, known in this story as the Wart, is practicing and learning archery with Sir Ector’s son, Kay, and there is this passage:

“They left the targets and had several shots at the popinjay — which was a large, bright-coloured artificial bird stuck on the top of a stick, like a parrot — and Kay missed these also.”

Prior to reading this book, I’d heard of the word “popinjay” and known it only by its now-standard meaning of “a strutting supercilious person.” Even though I’m a lingui...

Since the very first time I visited the Prado museum in Madrid, Spain, I knew its name translated to “meadow” in English and that it had been named that due to the meadow that was there when it was first being built in 1785 — it is now surrounded by the city. It was going to be called something else, but everyone called it “el prado,” for “the meadow,” and the name stuck.

Recently, I’ve been on a number of long drives across parts of Nebraska, and the wild sunflowers are in splendid bloom, especially across the prairies and in the roads...

School is about to start. When I was young, my first year of school was “kindergarten.” I’ve long known that we got the word from German where it’s a combination of the words “kinder” for “children” and “garten” for “garden.” Spanish uses the very same word. I’m not going to define the word this week because we all know what “kindergarten” is.

Instead, I want to point out something that you may or may not have noticed in all these “Cognate Cognizance” posts — the letter K is rarely used in Spanish. This is because they don’t really need it. Anytime t...

I’ve been making my way through all the seasons of “Grey’s Anatomy” on Netflix these past few months, and while I always look away during the gruesome parts, watching it often reminds me of my teaching years. When some of my advanced Spanish students would opt to take the Anatomy and Physiology (A&P) class, they’d often come to my class exclaiming about the useful overlap of the two subjects because so much of the terminology in that science class is comprised of cognates of words they’d already learned from me or of ones that would come u...

Italy’s Mount Etna, a famous volcano situated in Sicily, is in the news today because it has been shooting a large amount of ash and lava into the air. Perhaps it’s no wonder that the Romans, who lived in that part of the world, created a god of fire and made his home under a volcano.

His name was Vulcan, also written as Volcanus, and from that name came the Italian word for volcano.

volcano — I doubt I need to define this, but the dictionary definition is this: a vent in the crust of the...

After being diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes, my boyfriend has discovered the “salutary” effects of a very strict diet that is keeping his blood sugar numbers low without insulin injections.

salutary — an adjective to describe something that promotes health or is curative

saludable — the Spanish adjective cognate of the same meaning that typically simply translates to “healthy”

Our word of “health” and its adjective “healthy” come to us from Old English, so we tend to use these words instead of those that hearken from Latin, but “salutary,” and some other words that may surprise you, come from the Latin...

Later this month is Easter, so this month’s free post and cognate duo pertain to that holy day, and I’m adding a second duo about the name of the month.

Pascha — a lesser-known word meaning “Easter” or “Passover”

Pascua — the Spanish cognate of the same meaning/s

These words entered Latin from Greek which got its word from Hebrew’s pesach, which translates to “skipping” or “passing over.” These words go back to the story of the Israelites who marked their doors with the blood of lambs so that the angel of death would pass over t...

In George Eliot’s wonderful second novel, “The Mill on the Floss,” there is this sentence: “Certain seeds which are required to find a nidus for themselves under unfavorable circumstances have been supplied by nature with an apparatus of hooks, so that they will get a hold on very unreceptive surfaces.”

The book isn’t about farming; the sentence is metaphorically describing the spiritual seed that had been scattered over an obstinate, grumpy character. Within that sentence, however, is the word “nidus.” If I didn’t know Spanish as well as I know it, I wouldn’t have known what this...

levitation — a noun meaning “a rising or lifting in the air” — especially when it involves lifting someone in the air by supernatural means

levitaciόn — the Spanish cognate of the same meaning

When learning Spanish, one of the common verbs you will encounter is the verb “levantar,” which means “to lift.” The expression “levantar pesas” is “to lift weights,” and it comes up fairly early in vocabulary units centered on exercise. Later on, when learning about reflexive verbs, you’ll come upon “levantarse,” which means “to get up,” or quite literally “to lift oneself.”

In my 30 years of teaching Spanish, I sa...

As a child of the 80’s, I watched and enjoyed the TV sitcom called “Mr. Belvedere” about a stodgy English butler who comes to live with an American family. Until recently, I’d always associated the word “belvedere” with that English butler, but then I came upon this passage in Calvino Italo’s masterpiece, “If on a winter’s night a traveler:”

Today I reached the belvedere from which you can glimpse, down below, a little stretch of beach, deserted, facing the gray sea.

As soon as I saw the word, I understood its true meaning bec...

I’ve been writing “Cognate Cognizance” for three and a half years now. Initially, I wrote it twice a week before settling into the weekly rhythm, so I’ve now written well over 200 entries, and I’ve gained subscribers along the way. Many of you were not with me when I started this project, so I thought I’d take today to reshare the first three word entries as well as the initial explanatory post to help remind everyone why I do this and what I hope you’ll take from it.

If you’d like to be able to liste...

commence — a verb that simply means “to begin” or “to start”

comenzar — the Spanish verb cognate of the same meanings

The French verb is “commencer,” and that’s where we took our word from. Strangely enough, these words go back to Latin’s initiare which clearly means “to initiate,” which also means “to start” or “to begin” something. I say “strangely enough” because “commence” doesn’t look like it’s a relative of “initiate,” but it is.

When I was teaching Spanish for 30 years, I would try to point out the very obvious cognate connection between “comenzar” and “comme...

medusa — when not capitalized, it’s another word for “jellyfish”

medusa — the Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese word for “jellyfish”

The French word is quite similar, too, and all these words come from the mythological Gorgon who had snakes for her hair. Since jellyfish have a part that resembles a head and then tentacles hanging from it that resemble snakes, they were given the name “medusa” in many languages. English speakers tend to use the word “jellyfish,” however, so when the word “medusa” shows up in Spanish, it’s always translated as “jellyfish” to English, but it could simply be taught as a c...

Today I’m discussing another cognate duo that never came up as such in all the 30 years in which I taught Spanish because the English word is rarely used.

antipathetic — an adjective meaning “arousing antipathy, which is a strong feeling of dislike”; essentially it describes someone who is unfriendly or an unpleasant thing

antipático — the masculine Spanish cognate that is always translated as “unfriendly” but that means the same thing as antipathetic

antipática — the feminine Spanish cognate

The noun “antipathy” is fairly well known and commonly used in English. Its Spanish cognate is...

Let us sally forth into the undiscovered realm of cognates that Tammy (me) didn’t know until recently.

I’ve long used and been aware of the word “sally,” but until recently, while reading “Don Quixote de la Mancha” in both Spanish and its English translation, I hadn’t given any thought to “sally” having a very obvious cognate in Spanish. Now, however, my own cognate cognizance has grown. Take a “sally” with me.

sally — while this word has a variety of meanings, we are going to look at one of its meanings as a noun where it means a “v...

The above photo was taken many years ago in Spearfish Canyon, South Dakota, by my beloved uncle, Paul Filsinger. He loved the Black Hills, and he loved photography. Sadly, he passed away four years ago today at the age of 60. He was one of my favorite people, and I continue to honor his memory and his photographic talent whenever I can — three of his photos grace the covers of three of my six novels, and I hope to use more on future book covers.

This week’s cognate duo is special to me for a variety of reas...

Some people’s strength is visible on the outside. When I see a well-muscled person, I assume that he or she is physically strong, but that visible muscle may not show his her true strength — the thing that he or she is best at, or has the strongest ability in. Whatever that skill, whether it’s something physical, mental, artistic, academic, philanthropic, etc., that skill can be called a person’s “forte.”

forte — a noun meaning “one’s strong point” or the thing in which one excels

fuerte — the Spanish cognate of the same meaning, (“strong point” = “punto f...

Here we are in July already. July is a month when many people go to the beach for vacation. I won’t be one of them this year, but I’ve spent my share of time soaking up the rays on warm, tropical beaches — and falling asleep in the process because lying on a beach makes me “somnolent.”

somnolent — an adjective used to describe something that makes you sleepy or that simply means “sleepy” or “drowsy”

somnoliento/somnolienta — the masculine and feminine Spanish cognates of the same meanings.

The root of “somni-” in a word means “sleep” and c...

When learning Spanish, one of the early vocabulary units tends to cover words for basic body parts. A few of those words have fairly obvious English cognates, but some have lesser-known ones that not only can help you remember the Spanish words but can also improve your English lexicon in the process.

From the Latin word for “body” — corpus — we get the adjective that refers to things relating to the body — “corporal.” That word has an exact cognate in Spanish with a slightly different pronunciation — “corporal.” The word for “body” in Spanish is “cuerpo.”

The English word of “body” comes...

This week’s “Cognate Cognizance” duo is one that I wish I’d known during those 30 years in which I was teaching Spanish. I came upon the English word, which is now considered mostly archaic, while reading “Moby Dick” recently. The moment I saw the word, I had one of those “ah-ha moments” in which I figuratively (and perhaps literally) slapped my head while simultaneously groaning aloud in frustration. Again, if only I’d known this word when I was teaching Spanish, it would have come in so handy.

So, let’s look at the word.

disport — essentia...

This is April’s free post one week early because I need to take next week off — and no, this isn’t an early April Fool’s Day joke. I’ll return with a post for paying subscribers on April 8th, but I’ve made this post extra long for my paying subscribers’ benefit.

Let’s begin with the cognate duo.

vestural — an adjective meaning “of or relating to clothing or vesture”

vestural — the Spanish cognate of the same meaning.

I begin with that duo because they are spelled exactly the same, and I’m hoping the...

I dream of having a home library that is ample enough to hold all my books in one room or a wall like the one pictured that is more than ample enough.

ample — an adjective meaning that something is “more than adequate in size, scope, or capacity”

amplio/amplia — the masculine and feminine forms of the Spanish cognate of the same meaning

“Ample” is a great word that doesn’t get used as much in English as it does in Spanish, in my opinion. The cognates come from Latin’s amplus and the word has retaine...

Are you confused as to why there is a photo of a woman jousting on a post about the word “career?” If you are, then you’re about to learn something. If you’re not, then give yourself a pat on the back for already having some solid cognate cognizance.

The meaning of “job” or “profession” for “career” is not the original sense of the word, so let’s look at what those original senses are.

career — as a noun, “career” is a “course” or “passage” of something, the “speed” of something, a “charge” or “encounter” in a tournament, or...

I’d be remiss to allow this Monday that falls on the first day of January, 2024, to slip by without addressing a cognate duo that may be on many people’s minds today.

resolution — while this word has many meanings, the one I’ll focus on today is “something that is resolved or for which a firm decision has been made regarding it”

resolución — the Spanish cognate of the same meaning

These words hearken back to Latin’s resolutio which comes from resolvere which is the ancestor of our word “resolve” and Spanis...

Have you ever been accused of being a “Chatty Cathy?” (I’m showing my age by using that expression, I’m sure.) If so, you are probably a “prolix” person. Maybe a “Prolix Polly” or a “Verbose Veronica,” or a . . . oops, now I’m being “prolix.”

prolix — an adjective describing someone using excess words; something written or spoken that is too long and drawn out

prolijo — the Spanish masculine cognate of the same meaning

prolija — the Spanish feminine cognate

One of the many benefits I encountered while teaching a high school linguistics class fo...

(I apologize for the unavoidable car noises in the background of the recording. There’s no getting away from it right now because there’s a very busy avenue right outside my room here in Mexico.)

The Panama Canal runs through the narrowest part of the “isthmus” of Panama.

isthmus — a narrow strip of land connecting two larger land masses

istmo — the Spanish cognate of the same meaning

An “isthmus” can also be a “narrow anatomical part” that connects larger parts. Perhaps that makes you think of your “neck.” If so, good for you beca...

literature — I doubt this needs a definition, but essentially, it’s “the writings in prose or verse” of humankind

literatura — the Spanish cognate of the same meaning/s

Given my love of literature and the fact that I’m an author myself, I’m a bit embarrassed that I haven’t covered this cognate duo before, but better late than never as the old saying goes.

These words come from Latin’s littera which means “letter” as in letter of the alphabet. All “literature” comes from words, and when you go through the process of put...

foment — a verb meaning “to incite” or rouse or encourage or instigate

fomentar — the Spanish cognate of the same meanings.

“Foment” is a verb that nowadays usually carries a negative “fiery” connotation but it had a “warm” beginning. We tend to hear it now in media reports about people “fomenting rebellions” or other criminally charged events, but “foment” comes to us from Latin’s fovēre which means “to soothe” and “to heat.”

We originally used the word “foment” to tell someone to “foment” a sore muscle by applying moist “heat” to it. If you metaphorically apply heat to someone...

I hope you are fortunate to have the day off from work, but I know that some people still have to work, or do labor, on this day anyway. In honor of the day, though, let’s examine the word “labor” and its relatives.

labor — a noun that in its simplest definition means “work” (— this word can also be used as a verb, “to labor,” and as an adjective, “a labor leader”)

labor — concerning the noun version of the word, this is the Spanish cognate of the same meaning, even though they more frequently use the word...

While it’s not a “yellow wood” like the one in the famous Robert Frost poem, in the above photo there are two paths, so if you were this girl, which would you choose? There is a “decision” to be made before moving forward. She has to “decide.”

decide — a verb meaning “to make a final choice about something”

decidir — the Spanish cognate of the same meaning

decidere — the Italian cognate of the same meaning

I “decided” to include the Italian cognate this week because it’s the same as the Latin ancestor of all t...

plume — a noun meaning a “feather” in its simplest definition

pluma — the Spanish cognate of the same meaning

These words come from Latin’s pluma which also means a “feather.” In Latin, however, it tended to refer to a “small, soft feather,” whereas in English, we tend to think of a “plume” as a “large, showy feather.”

Since it takes a large feather, or a “plume,” to create one of the original type of “pens,” perhaps it’s no wonder that a common word for “pen” in Spanish is also “pluma.” When learning Spanish, you will also learn t...

I know, I know. I’m a little old to be entering things in the county fair, but I wanted to give it a whirl and see how one of my watercolors would do. I also wrote a story about the county fair, and it’s running on the first page of the Norfolk Daily News today, so I thought it was a fitting time to discuss a certain cognate duo — and an extra one.

fair — the NOUN that means a “competitive exhibition that usually also has entertainment and amusements”

feria — the Spanish NOUN cognate of the same me...

Years ago, (28 to be exact) I watched a phenomenal movie called “Mr. Holland’s Opus.” If you have never seen it, that is your homework for the week.

Prior to seeing that movie, though, I hadn’t ever heard of the word “opus,” or perhaps I had but didn’t really understand what it was until after seeing the movie.

opus — essentially, an “opus” is a “work” as in anything produced by the exertions of creative talent; an artistic production

opus — the Spanish cognate of the same meaning, used primarily for a musical composition

incommode — a verb meaning “to inconvenience,” “to distress”, “to disturb”

incomodar — the Spanish verb of the same meanings

These words come down to us from Latin’s incommodus, meaning “inconvenient.” Essentially it’s a combination of the prefix in- that means “not” and the word “commodus” that means “convenient.”

If something is “convenient” to us, it provides what we need or what gives us “comfort.”

Knowing that “incommode” is a verb meaning that you are NOT providing “comfort” to someone if you incommode that person, helps when you are learning Spanish because in Spanish, the word for “c...

independence — the state of being independent, as in NOT being controlled or governed by others

independencia — the Spanish cognate of the same meaning

“Independence” and its cognates come to us from Latin’s dependēre which is a combination of the prefix of “de-” and “pendēre” which means “to hang.” Think of a pendant which is worn in a hanging fashion or something that is pendulous and hangs down or something that is pending approval and essentially hanging on and waiting for that approval.

If you “depend” on something, it’s like you hang onto that some...

impeccable — an adjective used to describe something that is flawless or without sin

impecable — the Spanish cognate of the same meaning

I recently read “The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom” by Don Miguel Ruiz.

The first agreement says this: “Be impeccable with your word.”

Ruiz goes on to explain the root of the word “impeccable,” which is Latin’s peccare and which means “to sin.” If you are “impeccable” then you are without sin, and if you are “impeccable with your word,” then you don’t sin against yourself through you...

debility — a noun meaning “weakness”

debilidad — the Spanish cognate of the same meaning

Early in most Spanish textbooks there will be a list of adjectives used to describe people. Typically, they are arranged and taught as opposites. Thus, you get the Spanish words for “tall” and “short,” “pretty” and “ugly,” “old” and “young,” and “strong” and “weak.”

The Spanish word for “weak” is “débil.” Of the many commonly taught Spanish adjectives, I think this word was one of the hardest for my students to remember. They would usually describe someone as “not strong” (no es fuerte) instead of saying...

radical — an adjective used to describe something that relates to or proceeds from roots

radical — the Spanish cognate used in the same way

The etymological “root” of “radical” is Latin’s radix. Does that remind you of our vegetable, the radish? It should. The word “radish” comes straight from that Latin word for “root” because what is a radish but the “root” of a certain type of plant. I love to eat mine sliced with lemon juice and salt — yummy.

“Radical” has taken on other meanings in English, but at its “root” is that definition dealing with “roots...