Mashed Radish

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
How the word “climate” has changed

Rooted in a Greek verb meaning “to slope,” climate originally referred to seven latitudinal zones spanning the Earth. On Thursday, President Trump withdrew from the Paris Agreement, a 2015 landmark effort to combat climate change joined by nearly 200 countries—minus Syria, Nicaragua, and, now, the US. Where does the word climate come from it, and how… Read more.

John Kelly

June 2, 2017

Feature
Channeling the roots of “channel”

The word channel may have a secret back channel to a Semitic or Arabic root. When it comes to Russia, Trump just can’t change the channel. The Washington Post reported last Friday that Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law and close adviser, talked about setting up a secret back channel of communications with Russia this past December. As… Read more.

John Kelly

May 30, 2017

Feature

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

How the word “climate” has changed

Channeling the roots of “channel”