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Laces and lashes: the origin of “scourge”
In the wake of the Paris attacks, world leaders have been condemning the scourge of terrorism. It is a powerful and forceful word, one we reserve for the most extraordinary of calamities and afflictions. But it might just have a very ordinary origin. Let’s have a look at the etymology of scourge. Scourge Scourge has been lashing the English language since the early 1200s. Back Read more.
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Making ☮ : Where does the peace symbol come from?
On this blog, I usually write about the origins of words. Today, I want to write about the origins of symbols, because sometimes words utterly fail us. I think this has been the case following the terrorist attacks in Paris this past Friday. In the aftermath of the attacks, a powerful symbol emerged: Where did this symbol come from? French Read more.
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How were the “pyramids” built?
Republican presidential candidate Dr. Ben Carson has been under a lot of scrutiny recently for a number of questionable statements he’s made, past and present. One has concerned the Egyptian pyramids, which Carson believes were constructed by the Old Testament patriarch, Joseph, to store grain. Experts have thoroughly dismissed Carson’s notion. But some scholars, ironically enough, have claimed that the word pyramid does store an Read more.
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How the “sausage” is made
Last post, I took the word bacon, well, “back” to its roots. As long as we’re on the subject of processed meats, just how is the sausage made? Sausage, of course, is seasoned meat stuffed into animal intestines. Delicious, no? The secret ingredient is salt, at least etymologically speaking. Sausage According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), English Read more.
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Bringing home the “bacon”
Last week, the World Health Organization (WHO) caused many to flinch about flitch when it declared bacon and other processed meats carcinogenic. The actual report, of course, is more complicated than just that – unlike the etymology of bacon, which is fairly straightforward, even if a bit backwards, shall we say. Bacon English has been enjoying bacon since the early 1300s, Read more.
Mashed Radish 