Tag: French
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fool
The custom of April Fools’ Day has been traced to changes in calendars, Roman festivals, and that spring spirit in the air. Finding the true origin of April Fools’ Day may well be a fool’s errand, but what do we know about the origin of the word fool? It turns out its etymology is up to a…
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bracket
Etymologists are wary of March Madness. No, it’s not the term bracketology, describing the art, science, and ritual of filling out one’s tournament bracket, which word induces many a cringe. (I, for one, find it to be a perfectly fine coinage.) It’s the inevitable utterance, “There goes my bracket,” issued in resignation when an upset fells…
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crisis & turmoil
Fast Mash Crisis originally referred to point in which an illness would get better or worse It comes from the Greek, krisis (decision, sifting) The Proto-Indo-European root is *krei-/*ker- (separate, sift, sieve); cognates range from ascertain to excrement to crime Turmoil likely comes from the French tremouille, evoking the commotion of a “mill hopper” This…
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the emotions, part ii (afraid/surprised & angry/disgusted)
Fast Mash From the French-based affray, afraid likely comes from the Vulgar Latin exfridare, joing ex- (out of) and the Germanic frithu (peace), constructing fear as a “breach of peace” Surprise is Latin-by-way-of-French: French surprendre joins super (over) and prendere (take, seize), rooting the word in a notion of a “sudden attack” Through Old Norse, anger comes from the Proto-Indo-European *angh- (choke, squeeze); anguish, anxiety, and angst are related Via French, disgust joins dis- (opposite) and gustare (to taste), from the Proto-Indo-European *geus–…
Mashed Radish 