Mashed Radish

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? Read more.

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. Read more.

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… Read more.

John Kelly

January 16, 2018

Feature
Rounding up some remarks on some profane presidential remarks

From the New York Times (strong language ahead): President Trump on Thursday balked at an immigration deal that would include protections for people from Haiti and some nations in Africa, demanding to know at a White House meeting why he should accept immigrants from “shithole countries” rather than from places like Norway, according to people… Read more.

John Kelly

January 12, 2018

Feature
An etymological stroke of “genius”

Over the weekend, President Trump took to Twitter to defend his sanity and intelligence: Now that Russian collusion, after one year of intense study, has proven to be a total hoax on the American public, the Democrats and their lapdogs, the Fake News Mainstream Media, are taking out the old Ronald Reagan playbook and screaming… Read more.

John Kelly

January 9, 2018

Feature

An etymological slice of “pie”

On “shutdowns” and “furloughs”

Some etymological musings on “milkshake duck”

Rounding up some remarks on some profane presidential remarks

An etymological stroke of “genius”