The origin of common expressions is always a fascinating subject. Some origins are reasonably obvious, like “flash in the pan” and “going off half-cocked,” come from firearms. But other derivations are more obscure. Take the word “tarnation.” According to the Oxford English Dictionary, this expression is a combination of two terms: darnation, a natural variant of damnation; and tarnal, a
One thing you can say about English, it’s dynamic. (Whoever thought Google would become a verb?) New words get added every year. For example, Dictionary.com has recently added or updated more than 1,700 words. Here are some of the more interesting examples — Bed rotting — “noun. The practice of spending many hours in bed during the day,
Would you be surprised if I told you Frank Fish was a marine biologist? Or that Carla Dove is the director of the Feather Identification Lab at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C.? These are examples of aptonyms, –people with names that fit their careers. This concept shouldn’t be too surprising,
Have you stayed at a motel recently? Or when was the last time you dined at a Sunday brunch? You may not have stopped to think about the origin of those words. But its simple — put “motor” and “hotel” together for “motel” to acknowledge the age of the automobile. Similarly, combining “breakfast” and “lunch”
The English language never ceases to amaze me. From different words with the same spelling (minute: a unit of time or a very small quantity?; bass: a fish or a musical instrument?) to words that are their own opposite (sanction), it’s a wonder we can communicate as effectively as we do. Thanks to a friend,
On July, 25 1976, the Viking 1 orbiter transmitted this photo from the Cydonia region of Mars. Do you see a face in the upper center? Many people did. Except the “face” was simply a play of light and shadows. Nevertheless, the public’s imagination had been captured, and it is still thought of as the
It’s easy to be familiar with history’s great speeches, like President Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address. But have you ever thought about speeches that were written and, for whatever reason, never delivered? Jeff Nussbaum has. As a speechwriter himself, he has researched and authored Undelivered: The Never-Heard Speeches That Would Have Rewritten History. His underlying principle
The online publication Ethnologue reports that there are currently 7,151 living languages in the world, so it stands to reason that other languages would have words with no English equivalents. Occasionally I find examples of this, and today I’ve found more in “38 Wonderful Words With No English Equivalent” by Bill DeMain on the Pocket
Each year, Merriam-Webster announces new words that are being added to the dictionary. This annual ritual shows how our culture is changing through language. It’s a good indicator to what our thoughts and concerns are. Last year 455 new words make it into the lexicon. They can be divided into the following categories — Online
Yes, I do get correspondence about my writing. Awhile back, a dear friend shared with me one of her favorite bible verses. This seems like a really good time to share it with you — “…whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely,
