Mashed Radish

Mashed Radish

Etymology at the intersection of news, life, and everyday language.

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  • “Feisty”: you can blame it on the dog

    As many are describing it, last night’s debate between Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders in Brooklyn, New York was “feisty.” I’ve read others characterize the candidates’ sharp exchanges as a “dogfight” and full of “hot air,” but these descriptions are just as “feisty,” if we look to the surprising etymology of this word. Into Read more.

    John Kelly
    April 15, 2016
    Uncategorized

  • Terabyte: a “monstrous” amount of data

    Last week, the Panama Papers leaked 2.6 terabytes of data. That adds ups to 11.5 million confidential documents about the secret, and potentially scandalous, offshoring of wealth across the globe. That’s a lot of information. You might even call it a “monstrous” amount, if you look to the origin of the prefix tera–.  Monsters and marvels  Read more.

    John Kelly
    April 12, 2016
    Uncategorized

  • Apostolic what?: It should be Greek to you

    At least from what I’ve seen, most news outlets are referring to it as a “document.” Urging priests to show more compassion towards gay, divorced, and unmarried Catholics, Pope Francis’ Amoris Laetitia, or “The Joy of Love,” is technically called a “post-synodal apostolic exhortation,” a name almost as long as its 250-plus pages. A post-synodal Read more.

    John Kelly
    April 8, 2016
    Uncategorized

  • Breaking open the “piggy bank”

    The Panama Papers is a big leak pointing to some big names involved in some big money. Fortunately, at least for a little head like mine, some smart folks on the internet have been helping me understand this big news in some simpler terms: the piggy bank. I’m not going to dive into the shell Read more.

    John Kelly
    April 5, 2016
    Uncategorized

  • Why is it called “virtual” reality?

    This week, Oculus VR released the Rift, the first virtual reality headset of its kind. But why is virtual reality called virtual? Let’s put on our, er, etymological goggles for this one; I promise it’ll be immersive.  Virtue, mansplained Today, we associate virtue with moral rectitude, often citing specific qualities like charity, patience, and temperance Read more.

    John Kelly
    April 1, 2016
    Uncategorized

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