The Writer's Thesaurus
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’”
By Dr Oliver Tearle
Let’s begin with a quick quiz question. To make it easier, it’ll be a multiple-choice quiz. Who came up with the notion of the ‘unconscious’: that is, the idea that human beings have an unconscious as distinct from a conscious mind? Was it: Continue reading “The Curious Origin of the Word ‘Unconscious’”