Month: January 2018

• Yes, the “dress” in “address” is what you think it is.

  President Trump delivers his first State of the Union address tonight. Let’s briefly address the etymology of this term for a “formal speech.”

  John Kelly

  January 31, 2018

  Feature

• The riveting origins of “rivet”

  In 1942, Pittsburgh artist J. Howard Miller created one of the iconic images of World War II, of feminism, of America itself. On a bright yellow background with bold white letters proclaiming “We Can Do It!”, his poster boasts a woman flexing her bicep in a blue uniform and red polka-bot bandana. She was inspired by…

  John Kelly

  January 27, 2018

  Feature

• An etymological slice of “pie”

  It’s National Pie Day, according to the internet powers that be. Well, we have to treat ourselves to just a little etymological slice of pie, don’t we?

  John Kelly

  January 23, 2018

  Feature

• On “shutdowns” and “furloughs”

  As the federal government faces a partial shutdown, employees will be placed on furlough. Etymology, though, never stops working, so let’s have a brief look at the origin of these terminating terms.

  John Kelly

  January 20, 2018

  Feature

• Some etymological musings on “milkshake duck”

  The Macquarie Dictionary of Australian English announced this week that it chose milkshake duck as its 2017 Word of the Year. As it defines the term, a milkshake duck is a person who is initially viewed positively by the media but it then discovered to have something questionable about them which causes a sharp decline…

  John Kelly

  January 16, 2018

  Feature