Word Perfect: Etymological Entertainment Every Day by Susie Dent was my 109th of 2021. Was introduced to her in tweeter, Susie Dent, lexicographer, logophile, and long-time queen of Countdown's Dictionary Corner.
Amazed by her word per day, glad to have a book on them covering the history, of words, with their meaning, unforgettable stories, fascinating facts, and surprising etymologies tied to every day of the year.
A year that began with hope, peaked into despair by the beginning of the second quarter, time for quafftide before we respair. We might be little crapulous today, crambazzled. This is followed by humbudgeon - an imaginary illness, particularly one brought about by an episode of low spirits; dysania or clinomania - an irresistible desire to lie down. Come January, and we all feel a need to be licked into shape.
"The month of January is named after the Roman deity Janus, god of beginnings, transitions and doorways. He is traditionally depicted as having two faces, one that looks to the future, and one that looks back on the past. Janus was viewed as a protector of the state in times of war; the doors of his temple in the Roman forum, an enclosure with gates at each end would be opened during times of battle, and closed in times of peace.
Our modern word 'Janitor' comes from the same latin root and we have Janus Cloth, lock words. Examples of janus words aka contronyms are - 'fast' meaning firmly fixed and very quickly, 'sanction' means approval as well as (economic) disapproval, 'left' means went away from and remaining.
Desire to record details of our lives is as old as handwriting itself. The word 'Journal' is from the French jounee, 'day' a nod to the fact that the earliest examples were books containing the appointed time of daily prayers. Romans used 'diurnus' - adjective meaning 'of the day' and noun meaning an account or day book. 'Journal' is of course the parent of 'journalist' and an unexpected sibling of 'journey', originally used for travels that lasted no more than a single day. Ultimately all go back to an ancient root dheu meaning 'to shine', which lies at the heart of 'July', 'circadian', 'deity', and appropriately - 'diary'.
It's not only in India, but even in Europe, the first footer is regarded as the bringer of fortune for the entire year. This year was books - and the year was filled with amazing, incredible ones of all variety.
Why do you sing, Ding - dong, or baby sing a song? Though we say a,e,i,o,u - the order is i or e/a/o - Its Kit-kat, see-saw, zig-zag, sing-song, ding-dong and not the other way round. When we produce and i or e , we position our tongue higher in our mouth, whereas the a or o pushes it lower. This high vowel/low vowel sequence produces a pleasing rhythm, and is followed in all languages. Similarly blueprint when ordering our description is 'opinion-size-age-shape - colour -origin -material -purpose.' Grammar and glamour was once the closes of siblings. So also, chequer, checking, check, chequered, chess, calculator and computer. Jonathan Swith wrote ' A very skilful computer, who hath given a full demonstration of it from Rules of Arthmetick', in his fiery satire 'A Tale of a Tub' in 1704.
Dangine you thought to be Indian - Daphne was a nymph in an ancient Greek mythology, meaning laurel or bay; as she was tranformed into laurel tree, and before her metamorphosis, she was naiad, a female spirit or nymph, who in myth presided over fountains, wells, and other sources of fresh water. Those associated with the river were known as the Potamides, believed to inspire those who drank form their waters. Among them was Lethe, the greek spirit of forgetfulness and oblivion who inhabited the waters of the River Lethe in the Greek underworld. Those who drank from it forgot all memories of their earthly life. It is to the name of this river in Hades that we owe the word 'lethargic' today. If your are going nowhere today, its 'arsleing' meaning sitting restlessly, wandering aimlessy and moving backwards.
Jingoism is defined as extreme patriotism, especially in the form of aggressive or bellicose foreign policy or a chauvinistic dismissal of foreigners. 'Jingo' is an alternative to 'abracadabra' used by conjurors when an item is revealed as though by magic. Bootlegging - is the sale of any illegally made product, especially alcohol - Hooch. On the street, an 'arfarfan'arf' was a drunkard (who had had more than a couple of halfs). An hankie, from handkerchief comes from Victorian term, 'Snottinger'.
Chaff for Dickens and his circle, meant a good-humoured banter, bandinage. Nincompoop is a foolish or stupid person, discombobulate meaning disconcert or confuse someone, mellifluous meaning (of a sound) pleasingly smooth and musical to hear.
Damfino! (Damned if I know) Maverick is any independent, free-roaming individual with a rebellious turn of mind. 'Cakeism', the belief that you can have all the benefits of something, with none of the disadvantages - from Brexit political issue and the phrase 'You can't eat your cake and have it'.
Aren't all these Serendipity, from the word Serendip, the old persian name for Ceylon now Sri Lanka, from the Sanskrit Sihaladvipa, 'Dwelling-Place-of Lions Island' and the book 'The three princes of Serendip' - means the making of happy and unexpected discoveries by chance -
and we are only at January yet.
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