Words for Granted

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Words for Granted is a podcast that looks at how words change over time. Each episode explores the evolution of a single word. Host Ray Belli uses language--more specifically, individual words--as a way of understanding history, culture, religion, and society.

Ray Belli


    • Jan 2, 2024 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 24m AVG DURATION
    • 130 EPISODES

    4.8 from 219 ratings Listeners of Words for Granted that love the show mention: history of words, etymology, notepad, ray's, wow wow wow, origin, one word, great fun, language, english, give it a try, historical, bravo, thorough, character, enlightening, delightful, fascinating, researched, highly recommended.


    Ivy Insights

    The Words for Granted podcast is a hidden gem that explores the fascinating world of etymology. Hosted by Ray Belli, each episode delves into the origins and histories of specific words, providing a captivating narrative that is both educational and entertaining. Belli's research is top-notch, and he expertly weaves together information to create "aha" moments for listeners. It's refreshing to see such a niche topic presented so well, as etymology is often overlooked but endlessly intriguing. Thanks to Ray Belli, learning more about the origins of words has never been easier or more enjoyable.

    One of the best aspects of The Words for Granted podcast is Ray Belli himself. His knowledge and enthusiasm for words are evident in every episode. He presents the material in a way that is accessible to all word nerds, making it easy for anyone with an interest in language to follow along and learn something new. Belli's ability to condense thousands of years of history into manageable amounts of information is truly impressive, leaving listeners feeling both informed and eager for more. The podcast strikes a perfect balance between academic accuracy, historical context, and interesting word facts that can be shared with coworkers or friends.

    While there are many positive aspects to The Words for Granted podcast, one potential downside is the audio quality. Some listeners have commented that the volume is low, making it difficult to listen during noisy environments or while commuting. However, this minor issue does not detract from the overall quality of the content or the engaging delivery by Ray Belli.

    In conclusion, The Words for Granted podcast is a must-listen for anyone who loves words or has an interest in etymology. Ray Belli's depth of knowledge and storytelling abilities make this podcast a delight to listen to. Whether you're a word nerd looking to expand your vocabulary or simply curious about the origins of everyday words, this podcast offers an enjoyable and educational journey through linguistic history. Give it a try and discover the power and beauty of words in a whole new light.



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    Latest episodes from Words for Granted

    Lessons on Language with the Grammar Girl (Mignon Fogerty)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 2, 2024 31:45


    In this episode, Ray chats with Mignon Fogerty, aka the Grammar Girl. "Good grammar" may seem like the epitome of prescriptivism, but when it comes to her "Quick and Dirty Tips", Mignon leans on a more ideologically neutral approach. Might you even call "good grammar" ...  a style choice? 

    The Marvels of Translation: Interview with Keith Khan-Harris

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 8, 2023 37:50


    What can we learn about the nature of translation by reading a warning message in hundreds of different languages? In this episode, Keith Kahn-Harris discusses his latest book, The Babel Message, in which the mundane, multilingual warning message found inside Kinder Surprise Eggs ignites profound observations about the nature of language and the written word.  To buy The Babel Message, click here.

    The Power (and Omnipresence) of Rhetoric: Interview with Guy Doza

    Play Episode Listen Later May 20, 2023 56:34


    Rhetoric has a bad reputation. We tend to think of it as a linguistic tool used by polticians and marketing execs to maipulate the masses. While this stereotype is true, rhetoric is more than just snake oil––we use it in apologies, negotions, and love letters, all without even realizing it. In this episode, speech writer and author Guy Doza takes through a wide range of rhetorical techniques and the psychology behind their effectiveness.  This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. For 10% off your first month, click here. Buy Guy Doza's new book, How to Apologize for Killing a Cat.  

    A Defense of "Bad" English: Interview with Valerie Fridland

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 27, 2023 50:13


    Instead of criticizing deviations from Standard English as "wrong," what if we celebrated them as expressive lingusitic innovations? In this conversation with Valerie, we take a look at some of the quirky features of English that our language teachers taught us to avoid, and in true Words for Granted fashion, we attempt to understand how and why they emerged.  To buy Valerie's new book, "Like Literally, Dude," click here.

    Learning New Languages: Interview with Rob Paterson

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 19, 2023 33:07


    What goes into building a language learning curriculum? How do designers choose features within a language learing app? Are some approaches to language learning better than others, or is it up to the indiviudal? In this episode, I explore these questions and more with Rob Paterson, Content Production Manager at Memrise.  To get 50% off an annual plan with Memrise, go to: https://memri.se/WFG50

    Combatting Bias in Linguistic AI: Interview with Courtney Napoles

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 22, 2023 30:03


    As Lead of Language Research at Grammarly, Courtney Napoles is building systems to better help people from around the world communicate. In this episode, we discuss things such as the fundamentals of linguistic machine learning and how AI learns linguistic biases––not to mention how those biases are undone.    To get 50% off an annual plan with Memrise, go to: https://memri.se/WFG50

    Origins of Place Names: Interview with Duncan Madden

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 20, 2022 42:44


    Place names are not random––behind the name of every country is a story of how it came to be. From stories of invasion and rebellion to the fantastical and mundane, in his latest book, author Duncan Madden takes us on a journey across the world in his latest book Found in Translation: The Unexpected Origins of Place Names.  To order or pre-order the book, go to https://www.duncanmadden.com/.

    Grammatical Gender (Interview with Danny Bate)

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 7, 2022 58:59


    In this interview with linguist Danny Bate, we go deep on all things gender––grammatical gender, that is. Why do some languages have gender while others don't? Where does gender come from? What is the function of gender?  To get 50% off your first month of Lingoda courses, follow this link: https://try.lingoda.com/Words_Nov 

    Episode 109: Trivia

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 14, 2022 21:47


    Trivia refers to obscure or useless information, but this definition is a far cry from the word's etymology. Trivia, or tri-via, literally means "three streets," and in Ancient Roman times, it referred to three-way intersections. These heavily trafficked intersections were places where common people would chat, trade, gossip, and bicker, and it is in this context that the seeds of our modern sense of the word were first sown.  You can sign up for the Lingoda Sprint Challenge here:  https://try.lingoda.com/WordsforGranted_Sprint

    African American English: Interview w/ Tracey Weldon

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 2, 2022 38:55


    In this episode, I speak with Tracey Weldon, linguist and board advisor on the Oxford Dictionary of African American English project. We discuss the origins of AAE, the role of code switching within its speech community, AAE's contributions to mainstream English, and more.  For $25 off your Lingoda Sprint Challenge enrollment, use this link: https://try.lingoda.com/Ray_Sprint

    Episode 108: Understand

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 5, 2022 19:23


    What does "standing under" have to do with "understanding?" Nothing at all, which is why most of us probably overlook the obvious fact that "understand" is actually a compound word comprising "under" and "stand." In our exploration of this confusing etymology, we look at some archaic meanings of the preposition "under" in addition to words with similar semantic constructions in other languages.  Today's episode is sponsored by Lingoda. To get 25% off your enrollment in the Lingoda Sprint Challenge, go to https://try.lingoda.com/Ray and use promo code WORDSFORGRANTED at check out. 

    Episode 107: World

    Play Episode Listen Later May 22, 2022 17:40


    In Old English, the word "world", or weorold, did not refer to a place. It was a compound word comprising wer, meaing "man", and ald, meaning "age". "World" literally meant "the age of man", and in many of its earliest usages, it's more closely related to a man's "lifetime" or "lifespan" than the earth he inhabits. We also look at some unlikely cognates of "world", all of which share etymologies related to "manliness". 

    Deciphering Ancient Scripts: Interview with Silvia Ferrara

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 12, 2022 48:17


    Have you ever wondered how writing was invented - or, how many times it was invented? How many undeciphered scripts has the ancient world left us, and is there any hope in eventually deciphering them? In this interview with Silvia Ferrara, author of The Greatest Invention, we explore these questions and many more.  To buy Silvia's book, click here.  You can also support Words for Granted on Patreon!

    Episode 106: Grotesque

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 2, 2022 16:54


    The etymology of "grotesque" is hiding in plain sight: "grotto-esque". Originally, the word was used to describe a style of ancient art that was discovered in underground grottos––or at least what appeared to be underground grottos. In the Renaissance, this style was emulated and innovated upon, influencing the evolution of the sense of "grotesque" familiar to us today. 

    Episode 105: Idiot

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2022 17:58


    In Ancient Greece, an "idiot", or idiotes, was a "private person", which meant someone who did not hold a political office. In this episode, we explore how the word's modern pejorative connotation emerged. We also look into the word's 19th and early 20th century association with the IQ test.

    Episode 104: Genius

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 12, 2021 25:30


    Though people of extraordinary talents and intellect have always existed, the modern sense of "genius" didn't emerge until the relatively recent 18th century. In Ancient Rome, a "genius" was neither a person nor their brilliant works, but a mythological deity whose function within society evolved over the course of antiquity. 

    Episode 103: Run Amok

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 21, 2021 20:08


    Most Malay loanwords in English describe the local flora, fauna, and food of Southeast Asia. "Amok", however, is different. Amok, which describes a violent killing spree, is ultimately a Malay word that entered European languages during the era of European colonial expansion. Did Europeans encounter something unique in Southeast Asia that prompted them to adapt this word? 

    Episode 102: Hyperbola/Hyperbole & Ellipse/Ellipsis

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 23, 2021 17:51


    "Hyperbola" and "ellipse" are geometrical curves, while "hyperbole" and "ellipsis" are rhetorical terms. At face value, it's not clear how the meanings of "hyperbola" and "ellipse" relate to those of "hyperbole" and "ellipsis", but the history of these pairs of cognates are indeed closely intertwined. To start learning a new language for free with native speakers from around the world, check out the HelloTalk app at: https://go.hellotalk.com/wordsforgranted

    hyperbole ellipsis ellipse hellotalk hyperbola
    Episode 101: Parabola/Parable

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 19, 2021 15:00


    The meanings of "parabola" and "parable" have very little to do with one another, yet these words are etymological doublets of a single Greek work, parabole, which meant "a throwing aside". In this episode, we explore how this literal meaning connects to the literary and mathematical developments of this Greek word. This month's bonus episode explores the syntax of predicate adjectives. Become a member on Patreon.com for to every WFG bonus episode. 

    Episode 100: Google

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 21, 2021 18:25


    Before Google was the name of one of the world's biggest tech companies, "googol" was an obscure math term that meant "ten to the one hundredth power". Five decades before the founding of Google, the word "googol" emerged spontaneously out of a conversation between an American mathematician and his nephew. Click here to listen to this month's FREE bonus episode on Patreon.

    american google before google
    Episode 99: Average

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 25, 2021 20:39


    The word "average" has anything but an average etymology. If the leading theory is correct, "average" ultimately derives from an Arabic word meaning "defect". In this episode, we explore how this Arabic word made its way into European languages through sea trade and how, given this unlikely origin, its mathematical sense emerged over time. 

    Why Is English Highly Irregular? (Interview with Arika Okrent)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 9, 2021 40:58


    English may be spoken by a whopping 1.5 billion ESL speakers around the world, but that doesn't mean it's an "easy" language to learn. For native English speakers, it's easy to take for granted just how irregular the English language is. In this interview episode, I chat with Arika Okrent about her new book, Highly Irregular: Why Tough, Through, and Dough Don't Rhyme and Other Oddities of the English Language.  Today's episode is brought to you by italki. Go to https://go.italki.com/anniversary-wordsforgranted to claim your $140 of italki credits. 

    Episode 98: Lost Letters: Long s (ſ) and Ampersand (&)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 27, 2021 24:14


    In many English works printed before the late 19th century, a letter unfamiliar to us today, ſ, is often used in place of the letter S. However, that unfamiliar f-looking letter is actually just an archaic form of the letter S called "long s". In this episode, we explore the origins and decline of this odd orthographical relic. As a coda to our series on lost letters, we also explore the history of the ampersand (&), which up until the late 19th century was often listed as the 27th letter of the alphabet.  Examples from the episode: 1. Us'd, Clos'd 2. Always puffs, offset, satisfaction; never puffſ, offſet, satiſfaction 3. 17th century: mask, disbelief; 18th century maſk, diſbelief 4. Confuſ-ed, diſ-appearance  5. Geneſ.

    Episode 97: Lost Letters: Ash (Æ, æ) and Ethel (Œ, œ)

    Play Episode Listen Later May 30, 2021 30:14


    If you've ever encountered the ligatures æ and œ in old texts, you may have wondered: what are they called? Where do they come from? How exactly are they pronounced? Why don't we use them any more? The ligatures ash and ethel are rare in English writing today, but in previous centuries, they were common. (In Old English, the sound we today associate with "short A" was actually not represented by the letter A, but by æ!)

    Nine Nasty Words: Interview with John McWhorter (EXPLICIT)

    Play Episode Listen Later May 16, 2021 26:56


    F*ck.  Sh*t. C*nt. These are some of the most profane words in the English language, but what exactly makes them profane? Is there something about profanities that makes them different from ordinary vanilla words? In this interview, I speak with John McWhorter, preeminent linguist and author of Nine Nasty Words: English in the Gutter: Then, Now, and Forever.  Click here to order Nine Nasty Words. To hear more from John, listen to the Lexicon Valley podcast.   

    Episode 96: Lost Letters: Wynn (Ƿ), Insular G (Ᵹ), Yogh (Ȝ)

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 19, 2021 30:08


    Before the letter W was invented, the rune wynn was borrowed into the Latin AngloSaxon alphabet as a way of representing the /w/ sound. The letter yogh evolved out of Insular G, an Irish variation of the traditional letter G. The phonetic value of yogh varied. It could represent the /y/ sound, the guttural /x/ sound as in the Scottish "loch," and others. Many Modern English words spelled with GH digraph (laugh, though, night, etc.) were once spelled with the letter yogh.  Interested in taking part in our virtual Latin 101 course this summer taught by Harvard PhD candidate Rebecca Deitsch? Learn more here: https://www.wordsforgranted.com/latin-course

    Interview with Ralph Keyes, Author of "The Hidden History of Coined Words"

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 28, 2021 31:14


    In this episode, I speak with author Ralph Keyes. Ralph's new book, The Hidden History of Coined Words, is an exuberant celebration of the malleability of the English language to meet our needs as speakers. Keyes discusses not only the stories behind word formation, but also how words influence social discourse.  Click HERE to order Ralph's new book.  Click HERE to RSVP for the Words for Granted Latin 101 course.

    Latin 101 Course Announcement!

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 27, 2021 4:12


    Words for Granted has partnered with Rebecca Deitsch (Harvard University) to offer a Latin 101 course to listeners. To learn more and RSVP, please fill out this Google form: https://forms.gle/VpEEt2jf3W3yP3Fb6

    Episode 95: Lost Letters: Eth and Thorn (Ð,ð and Þ, þ)

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 14, 2021 26:47


    In Modern English, we use the TH digraph to represent the voiced and voiceless dental fricative sounds. However, English previously had two unique letters that did this same job: eth and thorn. In this episode, we look at the origin and decline of eth and thorn in English in addition to some places outside of the English alphabet where these ancient letters have survived.  Ticket link to Intelligent Speech 2021: https://www.intelligentspeechconference.com/ The International Phonetic Alphabet interactive chart: https://www.internationalphoneticalphabet.org/ipa-sounds/ipa-chart-with-sounds/  

    english lost letters ticket thorn international phonetic alphabet
    Episode 94: The Lost Letters of the English Alphabet (Overview)

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 13, 2021 28:26


    You can't have the English language without the ABC's, right? Wrong. In this overview episode, we look at the history of the alphabet and the many changes it has undergone from its Phoenician origins to today. We also consider the significance runic alphabet known as futhorc, the first alphabet used to write English. Two of the lost English letters, thorn and wynn, were directly adapted from this older Germanic script. Lingthusiasm Episode 52: Writing is a Technology https://soundcloud.com/lingthusiasm/52-writing-is-a-technology Runic alphabet (futhorc): https://omniglot.com/writing/futhorc.htm

    Episode 93: Pasta

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 18, 2021 28:41


    "Pasta" is first attested in English during the 1800's, which is later than one might expect. However, in prior centuries, a handful of closely related cognates such as "paste," "pastry," "pastel," and others were borrowed into English, so we consider how these words relate historically and etymologically to the Italian food. We also examine the semantic relationship between the words "pasta," "macaroni," and "noodle."

    Episode 92: Meals (Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner)

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 27, 2020 19:56


    In today's episode, we look at the etymologies of our meal words––not to mention "meal" itself. (As it turns out, "meal" has a long history of usage as a measurement word.) The meanings of our meal words have shifted over time in concert with the standard time at which these meals are eaten. Spoiler: "Dinner" was the original "breakfast," and etymologically, the two words mean almost the same thing.  To support the show, go to: https://www.patreon.com/wordsforgranted

    Interview with Tim Brookes, founder of Endangered Alphabets

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 8, 2020 54:57


    In this interview episode, I speak with Tim Brookes, founder of the Endangered Alphabets Project. Among many other things, we discuss why preserving endangered writing systems is so important to the cultures that use them, how writings systems become endangered in the first place, and Tim's fundraiser to raise awareness about the Mongolian script through an original board game.  You can learn more about Tim and his work at the links below.  https://www.endangeredalphabets.com/ https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/endangeredatlas/ulus-a-game-to-save-a-culture/

    Episode 91: Artichoke

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 22, 2020 14:58


    In ancient Greek botanical literature, there is a reference to a spiny plant called a kaktos. This word would pass into Modern English as "cactus," though the kaktos itself was certainly not a cactus as we know it. More likely, it was an undomesticated "artichoke," a plant whose name ultimately comes from Arabic. In this episode, we take a look at the intertwined history of these two words and the plants they designate. 

    Episode 90: Apple

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 25, 2020 20:39


    In this episode, we explore the etymology of the most culturally ubiquitous fruit, the apple. Etymologically, the ubiquity of the apple is fitting, since it originally used to refer equally to "apples" as we know them and to "fruits" in general. We also explore the Latin and Greek words for "apple," the derivatives of which are hiding in plain sight in a handful of modern English fruit and vegetable words. 

    Episode 89: Cheese

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 27, 2020 16:08


    In the episode, we explore the etymology of "cheese," a Latin-derived word that entered the Germanic languages through trade long before the emergence of English. We also consider why the Italian and French words for cheese, formaggio and fromage, are not its cognates and how the adjective "cheesy" (meaning something lacking subtlety) evolved. 

    Episode 88: Egg

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 17, 2020 18:29


    The word "egg" plays a part in one of the most famous anecdotes in the written record about the evolution of the English language. In this episode, we consider the implications of that story and the look into the etymology of "egg" and some of its cognates. (What's with the "egg" in the idiom "to egg on," you ask? Yeah, we cover that too.) 

    Proto Indo-Europeans with Kevin Stroud of The History of English Podcast

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 30, 2020 40:47


    This episode features a conversation I had with Kevin Stroud of the History of English Podcast at this year's virtual Intelligent Speech conference. We discussed reasons why the history of the Proto Indo-Europeans - the linguistic ancestors of nearly half the world's population - remains obscure to the general public. If you're thinking racist, pseudoscientific scholarship that led to the concept of the Aryan race during World War II might be to blame, we think so too.  For the video of our conversation, follow this link: https://www.crowdcast.io/e/intelligentspeech/40

    history world war ii english podcast kevin stroud proto indo europeans
    Episode 87: Dead Ringer

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 7, 2020 14:08


    The idiom "dead ringer" comes down to us from horse-racing slang, but a widely believed folk etymology links the idiom's origins to being buried alive. In this episode, we debunk the myths and get down to the written evidence behind the emergence of this phrase.  I'll be speaking with Kevin Stroud from the History of English podcast about the Proto Indo-Europeans at this year's Intelligent Speech Conference. To purchase tickets, follow this link. 

    history english dead ringers intelligent speech conference kevin stroud proto indo europeans
    Episode 86: Red Herring

    Play Episode Listen Later May 17, 2020 20:02


    The idiom "red herring" is used to describe a distraction from the matter at hand. Literally, a "red herring" is a kipper––that is, a smoked and salted sliced fish––but why would such a fish become an expression for a distraction? In this episode, we debunk a popular myth surrounding the idiom's etymology by close reading a handful of selections from the written record and drawing on the most recent scholarship. 

    Episode 85: The Proof Is in the Pudding

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 26, 2020 16:34


    Of all places, why do we put the "proof" in the "pudding?" Like many idioms whose origins date back several centuries, the connection between the literal and figurative meanings of "the proof is in the pudding" is no longer clear in Modern English. "The proof is in the pudding" is actually a shortened corruption of the idiom "the proof of the pudding is in the eating," but that's still not the full story; in the 17th century when the idiom was first used, both "proof" and "pudding" had different meanings than they do today.  Listen to Words for Granted on Lyceum, a new app that curates and builds community around great educational audio.                                     

    Interview with Simon Horobin, Author of "Bagels, Bumf, and Buses"

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 11, 2020 42:42


    In today's episode, I talk with Simon Horobin, Oxford professor and author of "Bagels, Bumf and Buses: A Day in the Life of the English Language," a book that explores the etymology of common words we encounter every day. In addition to discussing Simon's latest book, we discuss a range of language topics including the standardization of grammar, the history of spelling, and more. You can purchase "Bagels, Bumf, and Buses" here. Click here 25% off your first order with Literati. Listen to Words for Granted on Lyceum, a curated podcast app featuring educational podcasts.

    **Introducing Lyceum**

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 7, 2020 0:56


    Lyceum is a new educational audio platform that curates, creates, and builds community around educational audio. You can find Words for Granted there as part of the curated "Words with Friends" collection and join the discussion room to chat with me and other listeners. 

    Episode 84: Break a Leg

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 24, 2020 23:03


    The etymology of "break a leg" is disputed, but some theories hold up better than others. In today's episode, we look at a handful of plausible explanations for how "break a leg" became theater slang for "good luck" and also bust a few etymological myths surrounding the idiom.  Today's episode is brought to you by Yabla. Click here for your risk-free 15-day trial. 

    Episode 83: Apple of the Eye

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 23, 2020 20:20


    As we all know, the idiomatic meaning of "apple of the eye" has nothing to do with apples. As it turns out, the origins of the idiom also have nothing to do with apples. In this episode, we look at how the English translation of an old Hebrew expression found in the Old Testament unintentionally defined our modern sense of the idiom "apple of the eye." 

    Episode 82: In a Pickle

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 4, 2020 19:08


    "In a pickle" is one of the oddest sounding idioms in English. It means "in a predicament or bad situation," but it's not clear what pickles have to do with anything. In this episode, we look at the origins of both the phrase and the word "pickle" itself. 

    Episode 81: Idioms (General Overview)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 13, 2020 22:42


    This episode begins a new series on the etymology of English idioms. In this general overview of idioms, we discuss why idioms are syntactically and semantically peculiar, how idioms emerge, how idioms fossilize archaic grammar, and more.  Today's episode is brought to you by Yabla. To try Yabla 15-day free trial of Yabla, click here.

    Episode 80: Cannibal

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 30, 2019 30:58


    This episode is brought to you by Yabla. Language immersion with authentic video. For your risk-free 15-day trial, sign up here. The word "cannibal" comes to us by way of a familiar historical figure: Christopher Columbus. The word is ultimately a Hispanicization of the name of an indigenous American group today known as the Caribs. Through Columbus' unreliable portrayal of the Caribs in his travel log, "cannibal" came to refer to "a person who eats human flesh." In this episode, we explore the evolution of the meaning of "cannibal" in Columbus' own journal and how that single word impacted the colonial history of the Americas. 

    Episode 79: Philistine

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 14, 2019 25:28


    In common usage, a "philistine" is a derogatory term for an anti-intellectual materialist. The word derives from the ancient Middle Eastern Philistines, a people best known as an early geopolitical enemy of the Israelites in the Hebrew Bible. The historical Philistines were far from "philistines" (note the lowercase P). The circumstance by which the latter derives from the former can be traced back to a murder in the 17th century German city of Jena. (Yes, actually.) For a free 10-day trial of Simple Contacts, click here.

    Episode 78: Bohemian

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 17, 2019 25:04


    As a common noun, "bohemian" describes an artistic, carefree lifestyle usually marked by poverty and unorthodoxy. The word is borrowed from "Bohemia," a region in the modern Czech Republic, but its semantic connection to actual Czechs is nearly nonexistent. In this episode, we trace the long history of "Bohemian" from its origins as an ancient Celtic homeland to the present.

    Episode 77: Gothic

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 20, 2019 22:31


    As someone who came of age during the late 90’s, my first encounter with the word “gothic” was through alternative music and fashion. However, the word was originally the name of a Germanic tribe most famous for sacking the Roman Empire. The journey of the word “goth” through the last two millennia is a classic story of linguistic appropriation and misunderstanding.

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