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Etymology of the word Scum
The Etymology of the Word “Scum” Etymology studies the history of words: where and how they originated, how words ‘traveled’ from one language to another, how the meaning of different words developed...
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The Etymology of the word ‘Vaccine’
According to the World Health Organization, vaccination is one of the most effective ways to prevent diseases. Vaccines help our immune systems fight various viruses and pathogens. They protect...
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Idiocracy, government by idiots
Idiocracy appeared as a ‘new’ word in 2006, when Mike Judge and Ethan Cohen released a movie of the same title. The movie tells the story of an “ordinary Joe” who wakes up 500 years from now, to...
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The History of the word ‘Slavery’
The History the words ‘Slave’ and ‘Slavery’ There are words in the English language that are not just words. Of course, words denote objects and concepts, or express grammatical meanings. But, they...
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Where do new words come from?
Where do new words come from? Living languages are never static — they never stay the same over long periods of time. They interact with other languages, shift, adapt, and develop. This includes the...
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What does “Perfidious Albion” mean?
Perfidious Albion Perfidious Albion is a derogatory phrase, used in Europe, to describe Great Britain’s reputation for bad faith and reneging on agreements. Furthermore, to back up accusations of...
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A Sinister History
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines ‘sinister’ as ‘singularly evil or productive of evil’, ‘accompanied by or leading to disaster’, ‘presaging ill fortune or trouble’. The word has a strong...
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New uses for the @-sign
We’re all familiar with the @ character, pronounced “at-sign” in English because of its use in e-mail addresses. Apparently it was chosen by the originator of e-mails because it was an available...
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Mince Pies at Christmas
What’s in a Mince Pie? In England, and many parts of the English-speaking world, mince pies are a typical Christmas food. They are sweet pies made of “mincemeat”, which is a mixture of dried fruit and...
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Ever wondered why we ‘boot’ a computer?
Why we boot a computer! Ever wondered why it is that you ‘boot’ a computer? Especially considering that the only other meaning of ‘boot’ as a verb, is to ‘give something a good kick’? The answer lies...
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