Mashed Radish

Review: Words at the Threshold by Lisa Smartt

When her father was dying, Lisa Smartt noticed he was using poetic and at times nonsensical language, speaking of green dimensions, an upcoming art show, and angels who told him he only had three days left. Stirred by his speech and drawing on her linguistics background, Smartt dedicated four years to analyzing over 1,500 utterances Read more.

John Kelly

June 17, 2017

Uncategorized
One “mean” etymology

Mean originally meant “in common.” If only that actually described US healthcare. Despite previously praising the House Republican healthcare bill as a “great plan” in a public ceremony in May, Donald Trump told senators this week that the bill was “mean, mean, mean.” Where does this common little word mean come from? Read more.

John Kelly

June 16, 2017

Feature
The origin of “cloud” is very down to earth

Last week, fired FBI director James Comey testified that President Trump asked him to “lift the cloud” cast by the ongoing investigation into his campaign’s ties to Russia. This cloud, though, isn’t blowing over—something also true of the surprising origin of the word cloud. Read more.

John Kelly

June 13, 2017

Feature
Not above the law: The origin of “loyalty”

Being loyal isn’t always legal—except when it comes to etymology. In written testimony to the Senate, fired FBI director James Comey described an encounter with President Trump in January that Trump needed and expected “loyalty” from Comey. This word loyalty, though, isn’t just at the center of an incredible legal and political drama: It’s at Read more.

John Kelly

June 9, 2017

Feature
Review: Barnhart’s Never-finished Political Dictionary of the 21st Century

As my regular readers know well, I tend to focus on the origins of everyday words that are timely, seasonal, or buzzing in the news. My selections, more often than not, come from politics—and, these days, it seems they’re almost exclusively from or about Trump. Not that I’m alone. Take Barnhart’s Never-finished Political Dictionary of Read more.

John Kelly

June 6, 2017

Review

Review: Words at the Threshold by Lisa Smartt

One “mean” etymology

Not above the law: The origin of “loyalty”

Review: Barnhart’s Never-finished Political Dictionary of the 21st Century

Review: Words at the Threshold by Lisa Smartt

One “mean” etymology

The origin of “cloud” is very down to earth

Not above the law: The origin of “loyalty”

Review: Barnhart’s Never-finished Political Dictionary of the 21st Century