Icelandic has a great word, alfræðiorðabók. This word breaks down as follows:
- al “everything”
- fræði “study”
- or “knowledge”
- orða “words”
- bók “book”
The meaning of this delightful compound? Think about it for a second… Yes: encyclopaedia.
“Alllearnknowledgewordsbook*” is a tad long. So what would make a good English loan translation? I reckon: Allknowledgebook. Certainly better than the literal loan translation of Greek enkyklios paideia — ‘training in a circle’.
Thank you, Icelandic, for another great word!
*“learn” instead of “study” owing to the former being a homeborn word and the latter not so.
© 2015 – 2016 Bryan A. J. Parry
Posted by bryanajparry 
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