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The Oikofuge: Words

This is the Words feed from The Oikofuge---exploring the origins and meanings of interesting words, with occasional forays into the topic of accented characters from other languages, or old letters from English.

Message History

Olde
The word "olde" is an affected modern usage, but it also tells a story as old as the English language.

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A discussion of the phrase "brass monkey weather", and a refutation of the folk etymology of "cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey".

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Stable
A festive dissertation on the extensive etymological links of the word "stable", and a discussion of why some of use think of Jesus as having been born in a stable.

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English is remarkably well-endowed with words that imply utter defeat in a sporting contest. Here are eleven.

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Careen
A discussion of the word "careen", and its differing usage in American and British English---also "career" and "carom", for which it is sometimes used as a synonym

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