The Writer's Thesaurus
By Dr Oliver Tearle
Where does the word mayonnaise come from? Many people will confidently say they know the answer, but perhaps the matter is a little more complex – and a little more interesting – than is widely believed.
Before we delve into the origin of the word ‘mayonnaise’, then, let’s make it a multiple-choice quiz question.
Where does the word ‘mayonnaise’ come from? Continue reading “The Curious Origin of the Word ‘Mayonnaise’”
By Dr Oliver Tearle
Anyone who loves nonsense literature can surely tell us the origins of the rather wonderful word ‘slithy’. But let’s make it a little more interesting and turn it into a multiple-choice quiz question. Who gave us the word ‘slithy’?
a) A man named Shakespeare
b) A man named Whately
c) A man named Lear
d) A man named Carroll Continue reading “The Curious Origin of the Word ‘Slithy’”
By Dr Oliver Tearle
Where does the word ‘alphabet’ originally come from? Let’s begin by posing the question as a quiz. We’ll make it multiple-choice so it’s (potentially) a bit easier.
So, here goes: where does the word ‘alphabet’ come from? Continue reading “The Curious Origin of the Word ‘Alphabet’”