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English & Linguistics / Re: The random etymology of the day
« on: September 10, 2024, 09:02:01 PM »
The super part is high or raised and the cilious is hair like cilia. Supercilious is a raised eyebrow.
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English & Linguistics / Re: The random etymology of the day
« on: September 05, 2024, 08:22:30 PM »
The "sub" in substance is the base that supports stuff so that it is sturdy. Something that is substantial is firm and well-supported. Now that I realize this, I want flimsy things to be superstantial.
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English & Linguistics / Re: Funny English and Linguistics stuff...
« on: July 16, 2024, 10:55:31 PM »
It is.
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English & Linguistics / Re: Strange Proununciations
« on: June 04, 2024, 11:56:41 AM »
Lately it's been bothering me that slaughter and laughter are not anywhere close in pronunciation.
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English & Linguistics / Re: The random etymology of the day
« on: June 04, 2024, 11:52:57 AM »
As a GenX person, I understand "narc" to mean "snitch".
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English & Linguistics / Re: "Endorse" in medicine
« on: June 04, 2024, 11:51:15 AM »
As a nurse, when I say "endorse" it means taking something that is my responsibility and making it someone else's problem.
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English & Linguistics / Re: Strange Proununciations
« on: February 26, 2024, 10:39:33 AM »
There's the Papper and the Capper.
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English & Linguistics / Re: The random etymology of the day
« on: January 15, 2024, 04:56:06 AM »
Not only do "shampoo" and "shamrock" lack a common etymology, they also have nothing to do with "sham".
Nevertheless, I still prefer real rocks to shamrocks, but prefer shampoo to real poo.
Nevertheless, I still prefer real rocks to shamrocks, but prefer shampoo to real poo.
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English & Linguistics / Re: The random etymology of the day
« on: December 18, 2023, 07:04:43 AM »
I was thinking about the phagos in sarcophagus. And wondering what those sarcophagi were eating, and it turns out that they made them out of limestone so that the stone would digest the body.
If that was the point, though, why even bother with a sarcophagus at all. If you want the body to be decomposed and digested, just leave it out and forget about the stone box.
If that was the point, though, why even bother with a sarcophagus at all. If you want the body to be decomposed and digested, just leave it out and forget about the stone box.
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English & Linguistics / Re: The random etymology of the day
« on: December 01, 2023, 12:23:43 PM »
What is the opposite of contraband? Proband?
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English & Linguistics / Re: The random etymology of the day
« on: November 28, 2023, 04:58:49 PM »
I was thinking about pedigree, and whether the "ped" part was like the food "ped" or the child "pedo", and figuring that it was probably the latter, because of genealogy, but it turns out it as actually the former and pedigree comes from the French "pied de gru" (crane's foot).
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English & Linguistics / Re: Dear Expert
« on: September 11, 2023, 11:11:19 AM »
Why is the typeset lowercase "g" so messed up. I can't even draw it.
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English & Linguistics / Re: The random etymology of the day
« on: July 27, 2023, 11:22:27 PM »
Cool. I'd wondered about it, but never thought to look it up.
I was thinking about what a weird word "cantaloupe" is, and thinking about the etymology, which seems like it would mean "wolf song", so I looked it up, and it kind of does.
I was thinking about what a weird word "cantaloupe" is, and thinking about the etymology, which seems like it would mean "wolf song", so I looked it up, and it kind of does.
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English & Linguistics / Re: Dear Expert
« on: June 22, 2023, 04:24:08 PM »
There's demagogue and pedagogue and synagogue. Are there any other agogues that I'm not thinking of?
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English & Linguistics / Re: Funny English and Linguistics stuff...
« on: June 06, 2023, 12:52:35 AM »
I'm sorry that insipid is a word but that it's opposite, sipid is not.
My creamy mushroom soup is highly sipid.
My creamy mushroom soup is highly sipid.
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English & Linguistics / Re: Wordle et al.
« on: May 29, 2023, 10:56:33 AM »
My starting words are all anagrams of TRACE. CRATE. CARTE. CARET. REACT. Like that. If I get no hits, my next guess is LOUSY.
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English & Linguistics / Re: Funny English and Linguistics stuff...
« on: March 29, 2023, 02:17:11 AM »
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English & Linguistics / Re: The random etymology of the day
« on: January 11, 2023, 05:51:09 AM »
What is the etymology of "yeet"? I hear it everywhere now.
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English & Linguistics / Re: The random etymology of the day
« on: December 28, 2022, 09:06:13 AM »
Can is shortened from canister, which is why canning things in jars makes sense.
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English & Linguistics / Re: Funny English and Linguistics stuff...
« on: December 09, 2022, 08:38:40 AM »
I hear a lot about prophylactics, but I never hear about amateurphylactics.
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English & Linguistics / Re: Strange Proununciations
« on: December 06, 2022, 07:20:56 AM »
I recall a special kind of thrill the first time I heard the word synecdoche pronounced. And the painful disappointment to learn that donzerly is not an adjective describing a special kind of comforting light, like the kind you get from a nightlight in a child's bedroom.
Spoiler (click to show/hide)
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English & Linguistics / Re: The random etymology of the day
« on: October 30, 2022, 10:18:22 AM »
Hippocampus apparently has nothing to do with a college for pachyderms. I rather enjoyed the image of all those hippopotamuses throwing Frisbees around on the quad between classes.
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English & Linguistics / Re: Funny English and Linguistics stuff...
« on: October 03, 2022, 07:52:16 AM »
My six year old wanted me to help him to build a pillow fort in the parlor, and I was trying to convince him that for a really good fortress, we would need to use the dining room chairs and some sheets. He objected, claiming that FORTS are for boys, and FORTRESSES are for girls. I never thought of the -ess ending of fortress being feminine.
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English & Linguistics / Re: Funny English and Linguistics stuff...
« on: September 10, 2022, 11:39:26 PM »
My husband is the only one I know (in New Jersey) who uses "oughtn't". But he also sometimes says "ought to should", so there's that.