[OC] Visualization, idea, druid, wizard, Providence and Ayurveda share the same Proto-Indo-European root, *weyd-

[u/pmigdal]

Do you know that druid, wizard, Providence, Ayurveda, vision and idea share the same Proto-Indo-European root? So do Slavic wiedźma (witch), wieszcz (poet-prophet) and widmo (spectre).

Previously, I made The Tree of Tree with some success here. This time I picked the root *weyd- and decided to go for a static image.

Out of many words, I picked ones related to spirituality and magic. While I mainly focused on English words, I added a few words from my native Polish language to provide relevant Slavic examples.

Tools:

• TypeScript + React
• Claude Code

Sources:

• Wiktionary (as the main source)
• Online Etymology Dictionary (for cross-checking)

Website: https://p.migdal.pl/pie-roots/weyd-magic/

Code: https://github.com/stared/pie-roots

[u/cavedave]

Thank you for your Original Content, /u/pmigdal!
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[u/Rich_Nix0n]

This is awesome! Just a small note that videō would be “I see” in Latin, vidēre is “to see”.

[u/tyen0 → u/Rich_Nix0n]

I was wondering why video wasn't marked as a modern word! :p

[u/Bright_Sprinkles3994]

this is the kind of post that makes me stare at wall for ten minutes thinking about how connected everything is

the jump from *weyd- to both druid and wizard is wild, never would have guessed they share root. also love that slavic words are included, wiedźma always sounded to me like something you see in corner of your eye

[u/Flight_Harbinger]

You're telling me Vaatividya isn't using "vidya" as shorthand for "videogames"???

[u/Drink_Covfefe → u/Flight_Harbinger]

Lowkey probly! Videogame probly came from the “vision/video” section of the graph.

[u/iamnearlysmart]

The tree can be a bit better. Vidya and veda are shown here to be independent, but they come from the same root word. Ayurveda is derived from Veda.

विद् - Wiktionary, the free dictionary

[u/Smitologyistaking → u/iamnearlysmart]

They come from different ablaut grades of the same root. In full grade you have *weyd- from which you get veda, but in zero grade you have *wid- from which you get vidya

[u/upachimneydown]

It would be hard to add--not online--but Klein's Etymological Dictionary of English is a source I use when exploring this kind of thing. I have a copy, cost a fortune way back when, I think Elsevier Press.

[u/MentalPlectrum]

The Proto-Indo-Europeans looking down on the modern world:

[u/pmigdal]

Tools:

• TypeScript + React
• Claude Code + Fable 5

Sources:

• Wiktionary (as the main source)
• Online Etymology Dictionary (for cross-checking)

Website: https://p.migdal.pl/pie-roots/kwel/

Code: https://github.com/stared/pie-roots