Category: Feature

• What is the “peach” in “impeachment”?

  The word impeach begins—and can end up—in “shackles.” The political nature of Trump’s firing of former FBI Director James Comey, coupled with Comey’s memo that Trump asked him to “let go” of the investigation of former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn, are prompting a lot of talk about the I-word—impeachment—over concerns that Trump may have obstructed…

  John Kelly

  May 19, 2017

  Feature

• The “Bureau” of Etymological Investigation

  A week out, Donald Trump’s firing of James Comey, Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), has only raised more questions than it answers. In the meantime, let’s put the word bureau under an etymological investigation.

  John Kelly

  May 16, 2017

  Feature

• ‘Ditto,’ ‘skirmish,’ ‘zany’ and other words with surprising Italian roots

  The passage of the Republican bill in the House to repeal Obamacare tees up a skirmish in the Senate—oh, allow me to put aside the newsy connections today, as urgent as the issue is. I’m off to Italy for a week or so. Italian has given English a wealth of words for music (allegro, falsetto,…

  John Kelly

  May 5, 2017

  Feature

• Cheeky hogwash? The origin of “swashbuckler”

  In a rather imaginative assessment of the Civil War during an interview with Salena Zito of the Washington Examiner, President Trump called  Andrew Jackson a “swashbuckler” who could have avoided the American Civil War. Putting aside Trump’s grasp of American history, let’s get a firmer grasp on the history of his colorful word, swashbuckler.

  John Kelly

  May 2, 2017

  Feature

• Keeping the US Government open, etymology edition

  After some last-minute budget negotiations on Thursday, it looks like the US Congress will avert a shutdown and fund the government—at least until they come up to the next brink. Let’s negotiate the origins of these words in a Friday etymological news roundup: 

  John Kelly

  April 28, 2017

  Feature