English Words with Unexpected Origins

1. Avocado

Meaning: a pear-shaped fruit with a rough leathery skin, smooth oily edible flesh, and a large stone

Origin: The word for avocado comes from the Aztec word, "ahuacatl," which means testicle. Aside from the similar shape, avocados also act as aphrodisiacs, foods that stimulate sex drive.

2. Clue

Meaning: a fact or idea that serves as a guide or aid in a task or problem

Origin: According to Greek mythology, when Theseus entered the Labyrinth to kill the minotaur (a half-man, half-bull), he unraveled a "clew" — a ball of string — behind him, so he could find his way back.

The word "clue" didn't even exist until the mid-1500s when people started to vary the spelling of "clew."

3. Assassin

Meaning: a person who murders an important person for political or religious reasons

Origin: Members of a fanatical Muslim sect during the Crusades used to smoke hashish and then murder leaders on the opposing side. They started going by the name "hashishiyyin," meaning hashish-users in Arabic which later evolved into 'assassin'.

4. Feisty

Meaning: not afraid to fight or argue, lively and aggressive

Origin: Late 19th century word from earlier feist or fist, a derogatory term for a lapdog, related to Middle English fist, meaning “to break wind”.

5. Whisky

Meaning: a spirit distilled from malted grain, especially barley or rye

Origin: Whisky is the shortened form of whiskybae, which comes from the Old English "usquebae," derived from two Gaelic words: uisce (water) and bethu (life). Thus, whisky literally means "water of life." Obvious really.

Sources: www.businessinsider.com and www.independent.co.uk

Man in the Kitchen - Part 2

By OISE Oxford Tutor Kit Villiers

By last Sunday I'd finally run out of excuses. It had been a full 6 months since I did my cookery course in July 2013; OK, I had been able to play various cards - the wounded cook (a cut finger), sheer exhaustion brought on by the course, and far more competent cooks being around - to stave off the inevitable , but on January 19th a combination of factors condemned me to at least one more bout with the pots and pans.

It was my sister's birthday. She and her husband would be visiting from Surrey, and it seemed a bit tough on her to have to spend the day slaving over a hot stove. She also gently reminded me that it had been her idea for me to do the course, and that she felt after all this time perhaps it was time that she got (so to speak) her pound of flesh.

'We' -that is they - decided that I would have a shot at 'Sausage and Fennel Seed Ragu', one of the four menus I'd grappled (not entirely successfully with last July, as it appeared to consist of four simple steps. One step not mentioned was how to obtain the simple ingredients. On the course the coach/trainer had prepared little trays in advance for d each of us (unwilling in some cases) participants. '3 garlic cloves, crushed' and 'pinch chilli flakes' proved tricky as of course I had little idea what they were or where to get them, but after some searching I finally assembled everything - except the fennel seeds themselves. My suggestion that we should cancel the whole thing and send out for fish and chips instead through the lack of this essential ingredient was regrettably turned down out of hand, and I was shown where our kitchen was and unceremoniously dumped there.

The first issue was cutting up the onion. I reflected in passing that cookery seemed to involve amongst other things mastering a whole new set of verbs. Here was the first one - the onion had to be 'finely diced'. My niece said she'd kindly help, at least to set me on my way. "It means cutting it up into small bits" she opined. "Surely your instructor taught you how to do that?" We both tackled the thing, and after frequent rests to recover from streaming eyes were faced with another baffling verb: the onion had to be 'sweated' until translucent. "That means 'cooked' my niece (now realising that little would be accomplished unless she stood guard) patiently explained - "in the frying pan".

I was starting to feel the pace a bit by now, and we'd only done step one; luckily even I was able to follow step two which basically said throw in all the other ingredients, and step three which said cook the tinned tomato for an hour. I had more trouble with the last step which required the aspiring (perhaps that should be perspiring) chef to fry the sausage meat until golden brown. I'm a bit colour-blind, but my meat never really attained this hue, and despite the cries of rather exaggerated rapture which greeted my effort I warned the party that perhaps they should temper their praise until they'd slept on it...

And the last verb? 'Season'. I thought it referred to the time of year, but apparently it means you can add salt and pepper to taste. Even I could manage that.

The Most Overused Words of the Past Year

There are some words you just can’t avoid no matter how much you might want to and 2013 has had some absolute corkers. Courtesy of BBC News Magazine, here are a handful of some of the most overused (and in many cases most irritating) words of 2013.

1. Twerk, v. Dance to popular music in a sexually provocative manner involving thrusting hip movements and a low, squatting stance.

The raunchy dance move performed by Miley Cyrus at the MTV VMAs was among the new words added to the Oxford Dictionary of English in August. Borrowed from hip hop culture, the word has become increasingly visible in the past 12 months. In Time magazine's annual word banishment poll the word earned the biggest chunk of votes in the poll's history at nearly 27%, beating the 22% vote for YOLO (you only live once) last year.

2. Selfie, n. A photograph that one has taken of oneself, typically one taken with a smartphone or webcam and uploaded to a social media website.

"Selfie" was named word of the year by Oxford Dictionaries and those taking part in the trend have included everyone from the Pope to President Obama. Barely a week goes by without celebrities such as Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga and Rihanna posting selfies on their Twitter pages. But with research suggesting the frequency of the word selfie in the English language has increased by 17,000% in the last year, the word has had its critics. In a survey in Time magazine of 14 contenders considered for the crown of The Thing You Never Want to Hear Again, selfie came third with 8% of the votes.

3. Hashtag, n. Word or phrase preceded by a hash sign (#), used on social media sites such as Twitter to identify messages on a specific topic.

Twitter made the hashtag big. It came third in Global Language Monitor's 2013 list of the year's top English words. But the words has wheedled its way into spoken phrases such as "hashtag annoying" as well. Buzzfeed has highlighted 14 Uses Of Hashtags That Will Make You Cringe, with some of the worst offenders - #tbt (Throwback Thursday), #yolo (You Only Live Once), #mcm (Man Crush Monday) #hipster and #ootd (Outfit of the Day) - listed in its 13 Hashtags To Leave In 2013.

4. Amazeballs, adj. (slang) An expression of enthusiastic approval.

Some attribute the boom in the word’s popularity to celebrity blogger Perez Hilton with coining the word, citing his campaign to get it trending on Twitter in 2009. Others claim reality TV shows The Only Way is Essex and Made in Chelsea broadcast the word to the masses, with participants often coupling the word with "totes" - that's totally for the uninitiated - in phrases such as "That's, like, totes amazeballs". Comedy duo Jessica & Hunter have also claimed they invented the term. Whatever its origins, the word made it into the Dictionary of Most Annoying Words In The English Language in 2012 and is now widespread on social media.

5. Fail, v. To be or become deficient.

According to Global Language Monitor, which publishes an annual list of the year's top English words, the single word “fail” - “often used as a complete sentence (Fail!) to signify failure of an effort, project or endeavour" was the second most frequently overused word in 2013.

Definitions from the Oxford English, Collins, and Merriam-Webster Dictionaries

To read the full article, visit: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-23362207

Weird and Wonderful Words from the Scrabble Championships

Nearly 10000 online viewers were glued to their computer screens last Saturday as the ultimate board-gaming event of the year came to its exciting climax when Paul Allan seized the title of British Scrabble Champion from his opponent Allan Simmons with the winning word ‘bandura’, a type of Ukrainian lute (86 points).

It’s a game that has caused many a family feud and sibling squabble and yet Scrabble remains a firm favourite in many households all over the world.

The game was originally invented in 1938 by out of work architect Alfred Mosher Butts during the Great Depression in America. Initially called ‘Criss-cross Words’, the game combined the vocabulary skills of crossword puzzles and anagrams, with an added element of chance. It is now available in 29 languages with around 150 million sets having been sold in 121 different countries.

For those of you who enjoy a good board game, Scrabble is the perfect way to put your English vocabulary to the test and learn some new (and slightly obscure) words along the way. Why not try out one of these lesser-known words of the English language that were played during the final of this year’s Championship:

Aecia: A fruiting body of a rust fungus

Atigi: A type of parka worn by the Inuit in Canada

Bandura: Ukrainian lute

Coniines: Alkaloid that makes up the poisonous part of hemlock

Enew: Falconry term for driving a bird into the water

Erev: The part of the day or the day immediately preceding the Jewish Sabbath or a Jewish holiday

Evet: The common newt

Jingo: A vociferous supporter of policy favouring war, especially in the name of patriotism

Khis: Plural of khi, the 22nd letter of the Greek alphabet

Litu: Plural of Litas, a former silver coin and monetary unit of Lithuania

Ny: To approach

Qat: variant spelling of khat, an Arabian shrub whose leaves are chewed as a stimulant

Swarf: Fine chips or filings of stone, metal or other material produced by a machining operation

Ugh: Used to express disgust or horror

Vela: Plural of velum, a glass screen

Zeds: Name of the letter Z, plural

Source: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/national-scrabble-championship-the-big-match-won-by-the-playing-of-a-ukrainian-lute-bandura-86-points-8919939.html

What Makes a Good Linguist?

Being a good linguist involves a range of skills including:

• Having an ear for languages
• Being a natural thespian
• Being a good communicator
• Being able to think in another language
• Working hard

It is not uncommon for people to claim to speak a foreign language when in reality their repertoire of vocabulary consists of no more than six or seven words. What's more, when confronted with a situation in which they actually have to listen, understand and reply, often there is a lacking in confidence.

Like most things in life, it all takes time, practice and patience. One of the key things to remember is that there is no substitute for taking every opportunity to speak it. Click on the image below to read more.

Ratchet

Are you ready for the new hip word on the streets?  Well it is: ratchet.

To the cool kids of 2013 to be 'ratchet' is the ultimate compliment - your outfit can be ratchet, your hair can be ratchet, your nails can be ratchet.  It's very Rihanna!

The word made its first appearance in the late 1990s when it was taken to mean 'real, ghetto, gutter'.  It comes from a working class area in Louisiana and has featured in hip-hop music over the years.  However in the last year, 'ratchet' has been taken on by an new posse - the teens of Middle England.  It now signifies a certain look: heavy jewellery, vintage Moschin, bright trainers, tight shorts.  It is 'part 1990s, part ghetto fabulous'.

There is some debate around the word and the connotations are not always positive.  But for those who have newly acquired the word it is used to mean something positive and real, neither insulting nor a badge of honour.  It is the new hip slang word on the streets!  Get yourself down to Topshop and get some ratchet earrings, hot pants and leggings.  Its definitely what I have planned for tomorrow's lunchtime.

No photo: For key ratchet looks google Rihanna, Beyoncé and Lady Gaga!

A British Obsession: The Weather

The British are fascinated by the weather.  It’s a typical feature of daily small talk for all.  Popular phrases peppering daily conversation include:

 “It’s breezy today!”, “There is a chill in the air”, “It’s just tipping it down”, “It’s blowing a gale”.

“Do you know what the weather will be like today?” is one of the most well-used weather phrases.  And indeed, the weather forecast plays a significant role in the UK.     Michael Fish MBE is one the UK’s best know British weather forecaster.  He became infamous in the wake of the Great Storm of 1987.  On 15 October 1987, a few hours before the storm hit, he infamously said during a forecast: “Earlier on today, apparently, a woman rang the BBC and said she heard there was a hurricane on the way... well, if you're watching, don't worry, there isn't!”. That evening, the worst storm to hit South East England since 1703 caused record damage and killed 18 people.

The UK is often characterised as a damp and windy island with unusually changeable weather. Recent weather here has done little to dispel this impression.  This week heavy downpours and gale force winds caused flooding across the South West.  There are warnings that five inches worth of rain, the equivalent of one month's worth, would fall.  Scotland too is experiencing heavy rain and strong winds, causing flooding and transport disruption.

The Oxford Dictionaries blog have compiled a list of unusual meteorological terms to describe some very specific weather conditions. So, next time you want to join in weather small talk consider using one of the following words:

airish
Now chiefly Scottish and U.S. regional (south. and south Midland). Of weather: cool, fresh, breezy, chilly.

dreich
Scottish. (especially of weather) dreary; bleak.

letty
Now English regional (Somerset). That lets or hinders. Chiefly of weather: making outdoor work difficult; rainy.

maumy
Scottish and English regional (chiefly north.).  Mellow; soft and insipid; (of weather) mild, humid.

mizzle
Chiefly dialect. Light rain; drizzle.

mochy
Scottish and Irish English (north.).Damp, moist. Of weather: damp and misty; muggy.

Midday/Noon/Afternoon/Sunset/Dusk/Evening/Midnight/Morning/Dawn/Sunrise

Midday/Noon/Afternoon/Sunset/Dusk/Evening/Midnight/Morning/Dawn/Sunrise

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Essential packaging vocabulary

Although we encounter it on a daily basis, the wide range of packaging vocabulary in the English language can be mind-boggling. Here are a few essential types of packaging to help you choose which one to go for:


Box a rectangular cardboard container, usually with a lid or removable cover
of chocolates
of tissues
of cereal





Packet/pack a plastic bag or wrapper or a small cardboard box
of crisps
of biscuits
of sweets
of cigarettes





Carton a cuboid container of waxed paper or plastic for liquids
of orange juice
of milk
of eggs





Tub a deep plastic or cardboard container, usually with a lid
of ice cream
of butter






Can a sealed metal container 
of coke
of beer
of deodorant







Tin any pot, box, can, or other container made of tin
of tuna
of baked beans
of biscuits






Bottle a glass or plastic container for holding liquids, usually with a neck and mouth.
of wine
of milk







Jar a cylindrical glass container, usually with a screw-on lid
of jam
of honey
of mayonnaise







Bag a container or receptacle of plastic or paper, usually sealed at the mouth
of flour
of crisps







Tube a small, cylindrical, plastic or paper container, sealed at one end and with a capped opening at the other
of tooth paste
of smarties

Don't ask me, speak to Mr Elephant!

Many of us have difficulties learning a second language. Sometimes it's the vocab, other times it's the grammar, and quite often the simplest words can seem impossible to get your tongue around.

If learning another language is hard work for a human, imagine how difficult it must be for an animal! 

I've never tried learning Korean myself, but there's an elephant who is really giving it his best shot. He can say words like "hello", "sit down", "no", "lie down" and "good".

If you don't believe me, click on the image below to read more!

It's not rocket science, it's just irritating!

1 - At the end of the day

2 - Fairly unique

3 - I personally

4 - At this moment in time

5 - With all due respect

6 - Absolutely

7 - It's a nightmare

8 - Shouldn't of

9 - 24/7

10 - It's not rocket science

These are all phrases listed by Oxford University as being extremely irritating. According to Mr Butterfield, an Oxford University researcher, and author of "Damp Squid", a book on the English language, named after the mistake of confusing a squid with a squib: "We grow tired of anything that is repeated too often – an anecdote, a joke, a mannerism – and the same seems to happen with some language." 

Are there phrases that really get on your nerves? If so, why do they rub you up the wrong way?

Click on the image below to read the full article:

Is being naked a basic human right?

Let us begin by giving a definition and some synonyms of the words 'naked' and 'nude':

Definition:

Naked (adj) - Being without clothing or covering

Nude (adj) - Naked or unclothed, as a person or the body.

Synonyms:

uncovered, undressed, unclothed

Legal Position:

'While it is often accepted in western countries that a naked human body is not in itself indecent, the circumstances of its exposure, and any offence caused to others, may be deemed offensive or disorderly. That principle is reflected in depiction of the human form in art of various forms. This is the position, for example, in Germany and Spain, although local laws in the latter country can stipulate that public nudity is either restricted or not permitted. In Barcelona public nudity used to be regarded as a recognised right, although there have been successful prosecutions for public nudity even there and a local ordinance by the local council in May 2011 empowers the authorities to impose a fine for nudity and even being bare chested. In the Netherlands public nudity is allowed on sites that have been assigned by the local authorities and other suitable places which effectively means any complaint will cause one to be arrested as a complaint is indication that the place was not "suitable". The law in the UK, Under the Sexual Offences Act 2003 it is not an offence to be naked in public in England and Wales.' Source: Wikipedia

While in the UK it is not technically illegal to be in the nude in public, using nudity to "harass, alarm or distress" others is an offence against the Public Order Act of 1986.  One man who is putting these laws to the test is the UK's famous Naked Rambler, Stephen Gough, who for the last 6 years has refused to wear any clothes at all. Please click on the image below to read more:

What are your views? Should Mr. Gough have the right to walk around in the nude? 

Please click on the image below to read more:

Songs

The Beatles - Good Day Sunshine

Cockney Rebels - Make Me Smile

Spelling Mistakes Song

Source: KidsTV123


Be Verb Rock Star song - Can You Count the Be Verbs?

Source: www.englishclub.com

Words That Rhyme With Blog

10 words that rhyme with blog:

clog
slog
flog
dialogue
catalogue
snog
putlog
monologue
prologue
backlog


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Shoes

Date 5/11/12

SHOES!

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Word Of The Day

26/4/13

Word of the day: missle

Mizzle is a term used in Devon and Cornwall for a combination of fine drenching drizzle or extremely fine rain and thick, heavy saturating.

Source: www.weatheronline.co.uk

26/2/13

Word of the day: hurtle

verb

Meaning: to rush violently; move with great speed

Example: The car hurtled down the highway.


Source: www.dictionary.com


16/01/13

Word of the day: inkling

noun

Meaning: a slight hint or suspicion

Example: He had an inkling that something bad was about to happen

"I remember that, although I was full of fervour, I didn't have the slightest inkling, even at forty, of the deeper side to the movement we were pursuing by instinct. It was in the air!"

--Camille Pisarro


Source: www.searchquotes.com


Word of the day: Fuddy-duddy

Meaning: a person who is stuffy, old-fashioned, and conservative.

Note: adjective or noun


Source: www.dictionary.com 


16/11/12

Word of the day: bird-dog

bird-dog \BURD-dawg\ , verb:

1. To follow, watch carefully, or investigate.
2. In slang, to steal or attempt to steal another person's date.

noun:
1. One of various breeds of dogs trained to hunt or retrieve birds.
2. A person hired to locate special items or people, especially a talent scout who seeks out promising athletes.

“Connors thinks my department is so incompetent that he's sending someone tobird-dog my investigation?
-- Judith A. Jance, Partner in Crime

Smart organizations will assign an employee to bird-dog the consultant from the start and learn everything there is to know about a service or application.
-- Dan Tynan, Escaping Services Addiction, Infoworld, August, 2006.

Source: www.dictionary.com 

Date: 31/10/12

Word of the day: lily-livered

lily-livered \LIL-ee-LIV-erd\ , noun:
Weak or lacking in courage; cowardly; pusillanimous.

But surely, for your own sake, you will not be so lily-livered as to fall into this trap which he has baited for you and let him take the very bread out of your mouth without a struggle.
-- Anthony Trollope, Barchester Towers

He had skin as white as a lily, but he was not lily-livered; he was as strong as a champion at the Shrovetide games.
-- Geoffrey Chaucer and Peter Ackroyd, Canterbury Tales

Source: www.dictionary.com

26/10/12

Word of the day: Supernormal

supernormal \soo-per-NAWR-muhl\ , adjective:
1. In excess of the normal or average: supernormal faculties; supernormal production.
2. Lying beyond normal or natural powers of comprehension: supernormal intimations.
On the other hand, the voyager may also feel that he possesses supernormalpowers of perception and movement, that he can perform miracles, extraordinary feats of bodily control, etc …
-- Timothy Leary, Ralph Metzner, Richard Alpert, The Psychedelic Experience
The limbs twitched, the eyes gleamed, the blood-pressure appeared heightened, and there was a supernormal pinkness in the epidermis of the cheek.
-- P. G. Wodehouse, Summer Lightning



Source:  www.dictionary.com

25/10/12

Word of the Day - uncanny:


uncanny \uhn-KAN-ee\ , adjective:
1. Having or seeming to have a supernatural or inexplicable basis; beyond the ordinary or normal; extraordinary: uncanny accuracy; an uncanny knack of foreseeing trouble.
2. Mysterious; arousing superstitious fear or dread; uncomfortably strange: Uncanny sounds filled the house.
Again the mood is uncanny, with strange perturbations in the atmosphere, the abstruse word choice purposely jarring: “suzerain,” “diacritic,” “acephalous,” “zebu,” “argute.”
-- Charles Bukowski, introduction by David Stephen Calonne, Absence of the Hero
She saw him put his hand on the shoulder of their mother's chair, touch the fringe on a lampshade, as if to confirm for himself that the uncanny persistence of half-forgotten objects, all in their old places, was not some trick of the mind.
-- Marilynne Robinson, Home


Source:  www.dictionary.com


17/10/12

Word of the day: Fulgurant

fulgurant \FUHL-gyer-uhnt\  , adjective:

Flashing like lightning.[1]

Now, as died the fulgurant rage that had supported her, and her normal strength being exhausted, a sudden weakness intervened, and she couldn't but allow Mike to lead her to a seat.


-- George Moore, Mike Fletcher: A Novel



Source: www.dictionary.com 


Longest word in a major English dictionary: 

Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis

Noun

an obscure term ostensibly referring to a lung disease caused by silicadust, sometimes cited as one of the longest words in the English language.

Source: www.dictionary.com


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