The Writer's Thesaurus
By Dr Oliver Tearle
‘Narcissism’ is a handy word: it conveys the idea of being self-absorbed and self-regarding, there is a handy word which combines these two aspects of selfishness in one. But where does this word come from? Continue reading “The Curious Origin of the Word ‘Narcissism’”
By Dr Oliver Tearle
Where did the word ‘agnostic’ come from, and what does it mean? Agnostic is a term that’s often misused and misunderstood, so let’s delve deeper into the word’s meaning and etymology to discover the truth about ‘agnosticism’ and what it means to be an ‘agnostic’.
We’ll also explore what connects Brave New World with the word agnostic. But first, the origins of that term … Continue reading “The Curious Origin of the Word ‘Agnostic’”
By Dr Oliver Tearle
Where does the term ‘thought police’ come from? If you’re tempted to answer, ‘George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four’, read on. In fact, read on anyway, because the answer may surprise you. Although Orwell popularised the phrase thought police in his classic dystopian novel, he was not the first person to use it. Continue reading “The Curious Origin of the Phrase ‘Thought Police’”