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The origin of “Christmas”
Etymologically, “Christmas” is smeared with oil, then dismissed. Read more.
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the four seasons, part iv (winter)
Fast Mash Winter, attested in the same form in Old English around 888, comes through Proto-Germanic’s *wentruz, perhaps ultimately from Proto-Indo-European’s *wed-, *wod, or *ud-, meaning “wet,” or *wind-, meaning “white” The early sense of winter, as one of the two major divisions of the year alongside summer, may have been the “rainy or wet season” or “the white season,”… Read more.
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aardvark
With the passing of Nelson Mandela, the world has been pouring out beautiful remembrances of a life yet more beautifully lived. As I listen to and read them, I can’t help but attend to the language we are using. Forbearance. Courage. Of the ages. We complain so often of the abuse of language. Of exaggeration.… Read more.
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Why “turkey” is named after the country
We can thank Turkish trading—and Turkish naming trends—for the name of this Thanksgiving bird. Read more.