WordsWatcher
@wordswatcher.bsky.social
Speech Pathologist, Linguist, Etymologist, and beer lover. Regular musings on word origins, language change, and anything else that fits into 300 words. Creator of the Tweetionary, thousands of mini etymologies since 2009. https://tweetionary.wordpress.com
Originally, a tariff (TARR-iff) was a mulitplication table o ready-reckoner to help make calculations. It quickly became a written list of taxes intended to be placed on imports or exports. From Italian “tariffa”=a book of rates < Arabic “ta ‘rif”=notification < “arafa”=to make known.
February 2, 2025 at 4:20 PM
Originally, a tariff (TARR-iff) was a mulitplication table o ready-reckoner to help make calculations. It quickly became a written list of taxes intended to be placed on imports or exports. From Italian “tariffa”=a book of rates < Arabic “ta ‘rif”=notification < “arafa”=to make known.
One more day of work and then I'm a Gentleman of Leisure. That may be just a euphemism for "old" or "one foot in the grave."
December 20, 2024 at 1:50 AM
One more day of work and then I'm a Gentleman of Leisure. That may be just a euphemism for "old" or "one foot in the grave."
I'm sitting in a session on morphology and literacy at the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) convention in Seattle, and the automatic speech-to-text subtitling keeps turning the speaker's "writers" into "riders." Just an observation :)
December 6, 2024 at 11:48 PM
I'm sitting in a session on morphology and literacy at the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) convention in Seattle, and the automatic speech-to-text subtitling keeps turning the speaker's "writers" into "riders." Just an observation :)
Twenty years ago, I saw a sign by a "gentleman's" bar in Seattle that read "Live Nude Girls." Why was the word "live" necessary? Was there another bar with an alternative?
December 4, 2024 at 4:07 AM
Twenty years ago, I saw a sign by a "gentleman's" bar in Seattle that read "Live Nude Girls." Why was the word "live" necessary? Was there another bar with an alternative?
Curfew (KUR-fyoo) comes from a medieval law that required people to extinguish fires in the evening after hearing a bell. Old French “covre-feu”=cover fire < "couvre"=the imperative of "couvrir"=to cover + "feu"=fire.
December 1, 2024 at 4:02 PM
Curfew (KUR-fyoo) comes from a medieval law that required people to extinguish fires in the evening after hearing a bell. Old French “covre-feu”=cover fire < "couvre"=the imperative of "couvrir"=to cover + "feu"=fire.
mugwump (MUHG-wuhmp): Not a character from "Alice in Wonderland" but someone professing political independence and not supporting or remaining loyal to any political group; in extended use (usually derogatory), one who remains neutral or non-committal. Algonquian “mugquomp”=great chief, war leader.
November 28, 2024 at 6:22 PM
mugwump (MUHG-wuhmp): Not a character from "Alice in Wonderland" but someone professing political independence and not supporting or remaining loyal to any political group; in extended use (usually derogatory), one who remains neutral or non-committal. Algonquian “mugquomp”=great chief, war leader.
A gentleman should have a favorite glass, so here's mine. Heavy and clear so I can enjoy, in this case, and splendid Venezuelan rum.
November 28, 2024 at 12:42 AM
A gentleman should have a favorite glass, so here's mine. Heavy and clear so I can enjoy, in this case, and splendid Venezuelan rum.
Ready for those awkward Thanksgiving conversations? "Awkward" (AW-kwuhrd) originally meant "in the wrong direction," from Old Norse "afug"=turned the wrong way. Simple way to avoid the arguments? Eat slowly and chew each bite 23 times.
November 27, 2024 at 6:28 PM
Ready for those awkward Thanksgiving conversations? "Awkward" (AW-kwuhrd) originally meant "in the wrong direction," from Old Norse "afug"=turned the wrong way. Simple way to avoid the arguments? Eat slowly and chew each bite 23 times.
Australia's Macquarie Dictionary's #WOTY2024 is "enshittification": The gradual deterioration of a service or product brought about by reducing the quality of service provided, especially of an online platform, and as a consequence of profit-seeking. www.macquariedictionary.com.au/word-of-the-...
Word of the Year 2024 - Macquarie
Each year, the Macquarie Dictionary calls together a selected Committee to discuss the new words and definitions that have entered the Macquarie Dictionary over the year. The aim of this is to select ...
www.macquariedictionary.com.au
November 26, 2024 at 12:09 AM
Australia's Macquarie Dictionary's #WOTY2024 is "enshittification": The gradual deterioration of a service or product brought about by reducing the quality of service provided, especially of an online platform, and as a consequence of profit-seeking. www.macquariedictionary.com.au/word-of-the-...
Disturbing Word of the Day: anthropomancy (AN-thruh-puh-man-see) - telling the future by examining someone's entrails. simiar to reading someone's palm, but more more final. From Latin "anthropomantia," amd ultimately Greek "anthropo"=pertaining to humans + "manteia"=divination < "mantis"=prophet.
November 24, 2024 at 5:00 PM
Disturbing Word of the Day: anthropomancy (AN-thruh-puh-man-see) - telling the future by examining someone's entrails. simiar to reading someone's palm, but more more final. From Latin "anthropomantia," amd ultimately Greek "anthropo"=pertaining to humans + "manteia"=divination < "mantis"=prophet.
Hypocracy: Government by people who will say and do anything that benefits themselves, with zero regard for plebian values such as Truth, Fairness, and Empathy.
November 23, 2024 at 6:06 PM
Hypocracy: Government by people who will say and do anything that benefits themselves, with zero regard for plebian values such as Truth, Fairness, and Empathy.
The Beatles were The Quarrymen until Stuart Sutcliffe, the original bass player, suggested "The Beatals" as a reference to "Buddy Holly and the Crickets." They briefly became "The Silver Beetles" but quickly dropped the color and changed the spelling to bring back the "beat" connotation.
November 23, 2024 at 3:10 PM
The Beatles were The Quarrymen until Stuart Sutcliffe, the original bass player, suggested "The Beatals" as a reference to "Buddy Holly and the Crickets." They briefly became "The Silver Beetles" but quickly dropped the color and changed the spelling to bring back the "beat" connotation.
Pink Floyd got their name when original front man Syd Barrett saw two albums in his record collection; one by American blues artist, Pinkney "Pink" Anderson, and one by another blues man, Floyd Council.
November 23, 2024 at 3:00 PM
Pink Floyd got their name when original front man Syd Barrett saw two albums in his record collection; one by American blues artist, Pinkney "Pink" Anderson, and one by another blues man, Floyd Council.
The band Led Zeppelin might have been "Lead Zeppelin" if not for manager Peter Grant recognizing that "lead" is a homograph - a written word with more than one pronunciation. To avoid folks using the "leed" option, he suggested writing "Led" to force the difference.
November 23, 2024 at 2:46 PM
The band Led Zeppelin might have been "Lead Zeppelin" if not for manager Peter Grant recognizing that "lead" is a homograph - a written word with more than one pronunciation. To avoid folks using the "leed" option, he suggested writing "Led" to force the difference.
ostreophagist (oss-tree-oh-FAY-jisst): An eater of oysters. From Latin “ostrea”=oyster + “phagist”=one who eats, which is from Greek “fagein”=to eat. Try tossing this one out in conversation this weekend if you're at a place that sells seafood.
November 22, 2024 at 6:48 PM
ostreophagist (oss-tree-oh-FAY-jisst): An eater of oysters. From Latin “ostrea”=oyster + “phagist”=one who eats, which is from Greek “fagein”=to eat. Try tossing this one out in conversation this weekend if you're at a place that sells seafood.
If you're taking your pet to be "spayed" today, you may like to know that the word comes from the Old French "espeer," which means "to cut with a sword." It's the same root as the word "épée," which is one of the types if swords used in modern Fencing. Not much comfort for your pet :)
November 21, 2024 at 5:16 PM
If you're taking your pet to be "spayed" today, you may like to know that the word comes from the Old French "espeer," which means "to cut with a sword." It's the same root as the word "épée," which is one of the types if swords used in modern Fencing. Not much comfort for your pet :)
Not a filter, but the sky a seen from my office window has taken on a weird orange- yellow cast. It's deliciously odd.
November 20, 2024 at 9:57 PM
Not a filter, but the sky a seen from my office window has taken on a weird orange- yellow cast. It's deliciously odd.
Joining this platform gives me a one-off opportunity to give a shout out for one of my favorite bands: Pomplamoose! Their version of "Mr. Blue Sky" is pretty neato. youtu.be/PyUNDr0EcAk?...
Mr. Blue Sky | Electric Light Orchestra | Pomplamoose
YouTube video by PomplamooseMusic
youtu.be
November 20, 2024 at 2:52 PM
Joining this platform gives me a one-off opportunity to give a shout out for one of my favorite bands: Pomplamoose! Their version of "Mr. Blue Sky" is pretty neato. youtu.be/PyUNDr0EcAk?...
In the US, kakistocracy (kack-i-STOCK-ruh-see) and oligarchy (AH-luh-gar-kee) are trending. The former is from Greek "kakistos"="worst" + "kratia"="rule" (ruled by the worst); the latter is also ultimately from Greek "oligoi"="few" + "arkhein"="to rule" (ruled by the few - usually wealthy). Why? 😁
November 20, 2024 at 2:22 PM
In the US, kakistocracy (kack-i-STOCK-ruh-see) and oligarchy (AH-luh-gar-kee) are trending. The former is from Greek "kakistos"="worst" + "kratia"="rule" (ruled by the worst); the latter is also ultimately from Greek "oligoi"="few" + "arkhein"="to rule" (ruled by the few - usually wealthy). Why? 😁
It's time to vote for the Australian Macquarie Dictionary's Word of the Year! Can I say I love "spoon bowl" especially because I have the Cleveland Browns as my local football team and suffered watching Burnley "spoon bowl" in the UK Premier soccer. www.macquariedictionary.com.au/vote-now-for...
Vote now for the Macquarie Dictionary Word of the Year 2024
Vote now for your Macquarie Dictionary Word of the Year for 2024
www.macquariedictionary.com.au
November 19, 2024 at 9:34 PM
It's time to vote for the Australian Macquarie Dictionary's Word of the Year! Can I say I love "spoon bowl" especially because I have the Cleveland Browns as my local football team and suffered watching Burnley "spoon bowl" in the UK Premier soccer. www.macquariedictionary.com.au/vote-now-for...
gleeking /'glikɪŋ/: To squirt a jet of saliva from the glands just under the tongue, often involuntarily while yawning. If it's happened to you, you know! Unknow origin for this modern use, but back in the C16th it meant a jest or to play a trick on someone.
November 19, 2024 at 9:27 PM
gleeking /'glikɪŋ/: To squirt a jet of saliva from the glands just under the tongue, often involuntarily while yawning. If it's happened to you, you know! Unknow origin for this modern use, but back in the C16th it meant a jest or to play a trick on someone.
eanling: A young lamb. Old English “eanian”=to give birth to a lamb.
November 18, 2024 at 1:29 PM
eanling: A young lamb. Old English “eanian”=to give birth to a lamb.
There's a special place in Hell, perhaps the sixth, for people who use the word "utilize" instead of "use" when "use" is perfectly fine. You should reserve "utilize" for odd or unexpected uses. You can "use" a pencil for drawing, but "utilize" it to stab someone to death. If in doubt, use "use."
November 18, 2024 at 5:08 AM
There's a special place in Hell, perhaps the sixth, for people who use the word "utilize" instead of "use" when "use" is perfectly fine. You should reserve "utilize" for odd or unexpected uses. You can "use" a pencil for drawing, but "utilize" it to stab someone to death. If in doubt, use "use."
Languages change constantly, irregardless of the fact I literally die each time I hear folks say they could care less about what I think.
November 17, 2024 at 4:58 PM
Languages change constantly, irregardless of the fact I literally die each time I hear folks say they could care less about what I think.