Tag: politics
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Fascist baskets? The controversial origin of “basket”
At a recent fundraiser, Hillary Clinton turned heads when she remarked “you could put half of Trump’s supporters in what I call the basket of deplorables.” As political analysts consider the gaffe’s political fallout, the internet churns out hashtags and memes, and linguists inspect the odd usage of deplorables, etymologists are weighing a different controversy:…
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The Japanese Emperor suggests he wants to “abdicate.” Where does this uncommon word come from?
While he didn’t directly use the word (or its Japanese equivalent), Japanese Emperor Akihito made his intent clear: In a rare public address, the Emperor suggested he wishes to abdicate, citing concerns about how his advanced age and declining health will hinder his performance. Just as rare, at least in the broader public conversation, is this word…
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What is the “buke” in “rebuke”?
In his latest controversy, Donald Trump has been criticizing Khazr and Gazala Khan, whose son died fighting in Iraq. Khazr rebuked Trump in a powerful speech at the Democratic National Convention last week, but Trump’s unseemly response has drawn, yet again, his own sharp rebukes from the likes of John McCain and President Obama. In…
Mashed Radish 