Martha recently spoke at a fundraiser for radio station KUAC in Alaska. While there in Fairbanks, she explored the University of Alaska’s magnificent Museum of the North, and paid a visit to Running Reindeer Ranch, where she learned a lot about these hardy creatures. When they’re wild they’re called caribou, but if they’re domesticated, they’re called reindeer. The rein- reindeer comes from an Old Norse word hreinn, which itself means “reindeer.” In early English, the word deer was used more generally than it is now, denoting lots of different small animals with four legs. Only later did the word deer apply specifically to one particular variety of animal. Literally, then, the word reindeer is something of a pleonasm, or “linguistic redundancy,” because it means something like “reindeer animal.” Antler may derive from Latin ante ocularis, meaning “before the eyes,” and in fact an old German word for “antler,” Augensprossen literally means “eye sprouts.” If you ever need an adjective for something that has to do with reindeer, it’s rangiferine. This is part of a complete episode.
Transcript of “It’s Raining Reindeer Lingo”
You’re listening to A Way with Words, the show about language and how we use it. I’m Grant Barrett.
And I’m Martha Barnette. I just got back from Fairbanks, Alaska, where I was doing a talk for the local public radio station, KUAC. And I had a wonderful time meeting KUAC listeners, and I was also able to spend a few extra days in Fairbanks doing a lot of really cool things.
One of the things I did was to go multiple times to the University of Alaska’s Museum of the North. It’s an architectural gem in and of itself and has fascinating exhibits. And I also spent some time hanging out with reindeer, as one does.
Like at pubs and nightclubs?
No, there’s a place outside Fairbanks called Running Reindeer Ranch, and it’s run by a family that shares its home with a small herd of reindeer. So I was able to spend a delightful afternoon with them walking in the woods with reindeer. And of course, Grant, I brought you back some very cool language involving these animals. So are you ready?
Yep.
Okay. First of all, the word reindeer, what exactly is a reindeer? Well, in North America, these animals are called caribou if they’re wild, and if they’re domesticated, they’re called reindeer. And the rain in reindeer comes from an old Norse word that sounds sort of like hrein, which means reindeer itself. And you know, in early English, the word deer was used much more generally than it is today. Deer applied to lots of different little animals with four legs. And it was only later that the word deer became specialized and applied to the animal that we think of as a deer today. So literally, reindeer means something like reindeer animal. It’s a little bit redundant.
And this was also a surprise. Did you know that reindeer’s feet click when they walk? Like they’re wearing tap shoes. That’s what it sounds like. They have these little tendons that slide over bones in their feet and they make a clicking noise when they walk. And it may be that this noise helps them stick together in harsh or foggy weather. They’re not really sure why they make this noise, but they definitely do. So there really might be more to that song about up on the housetop, click, click, click. That was a light bulb moment for me.
That’s cool. Bring into noise, bring into caribou.
And I was thinking about the word antler, too. That’s a weird word. And I thought, is that some old Norse word or something? Apparently, it comes from a Latin term, ante ocularis, which means literally before the eyes, which is kind of an odd thought. But there’s also an old German word for antler, augenspalsen, which literally means eye sprouts. These things that are sprouting out of your head near your eyes.
And finally, Grant, if you ever need an adjective for something that looks like a reindeer or has to do with reindeer, the word you want is rangiferine.
Rangiferine.
So I could say that tree branch looks rangiferine.
Yes, or they wouldn’t let poor Rudolph join in any rangerphorine games.
Perfect.
So just to clarify, the rain in reindeer doesn’t have to do with weather, and it doesn’t have to do with a harness or controlling the animals and telling them which way to go.
Exactly.
It has to do with an old word that means reindeer.
Reindeer.
So it’s a little bit of a pleonasm. The word itself contains the meaning of the word itself.
Exactly.
That’s cool.
Martha, you come back with such delights when you travel.
And you sound refreshed. Fairbanks was good to you.
You know, I was terrified of the cold weather because I’ve been a Southern California girl now for a couple of decades.
We get spoiled here, don’t we?
You know, I think we’ve talked on the show about the expression, there’s no bad weather, there’s just bad clothing. And it’s really true.
You should have seen me in my insulated motorcycle suit.
Oh, I saw the pictures. There are pictures online, aren’t there? You look like Maggie Simpson in her snowsuit. Like you couldn’t move. You’re just like a little starfish.
Martha and I would love to hear about the words you learned when you traveled. 877-929-9673. That’s toll-free, 24 hours a day in the United States and Canada.
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