The Writer's Thesaurus
By Dr Oliver Tearle
What connects the word ‘gobbledygook’ with the word ‘maverick’? To discover the link, we need to delve into the origins, or etymologies, of both words. But first, let’s consider how we came to have the word gobbledygook to refer to meaningless jargon or nonsense. Continue reading “The Curious Origin of the Word ‘Gobbledygook’”
By Dr Oliver Tearle
What connects one of the biggest-selling authors in the world with the word ‘nerd’? This now-ubiquitous word – and a global American export almost as recognisable as Coca-Cola –was unknown to F. Scott Fitzgerald, Hart Crane, or Jack London, but it’s now established throughout the English-speaking world. Continue reading “The Curious Origin of the Word ‘Nerd’”
By Dr Oliver Tearle
Anyone who has eaten an avocado has, at least etymologically speaking, eaten a testicle. How is this so? Let’s delve into the curious origins of the word for the fruit, avocado and see how they got bound up with the world of the legal profession and with male genitalia. Continue reading “The Curious Origin of the Word ‘Avocado’”