The Writer's Thesaurus
By Dr Oliver Tearle
‘Lottery in June, corn be heavy soon.’ This line is a quotation from one of the most disturbing short stories of the entire twentieth century; but what does it mean? Continue reading “The Meaning of ‘Lottery in June, Corn be Heavy Soon’”
By Dr Oliver Tearle
The origin of the word ‘friend’ – and the noun ‘friendship’ which is formed from it – lies in the mists of time, although the first recorded use of ‘friend’ is in one of the classic works of English literature. Let’s take a closer look at the etymology and history of ‘friend’ and ‘friendship’. Continue reading “The Curious Origin of the Words ‘Friend’ and ‘Friendship’”
By Dr Oliver Tearle
What connects the word ‘female’ with ‘male’, etymologically speaking? How did these corresponding terms come about? The origins of the word ‘female’ are worthy of further inspection, because, as ever on this blog, there are some surprising facts to uncover in the etymology and history of ‘female’. Continue reading “The Curious Origin of the Word ‘Female’”