MetaFilter posts tagged with words and Etymology

A post for all the epeoloatrists

Kattullus — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 11:45:54 -0800

Do you know what you would see a hypothecary about? Have stared down into a joola? Ever come across a jigget of sheep? Has someone called you a slubberdegullion to your face? Learn these and many more words from blogger Robin Bloor's fun 10 Words You Don't Know series of posts. Perhaps the most entertaining is the one where Bloor provides explanatory limericks with his definitions.

Death of the dirty word

weapons-grade pandemonium — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 17:43:14 -0800

Why would an evolutionary biologist study words? It turns out there is an astonishing parallel between the evolution of words in a lexicon and the evolution of genes in an organism. The word two, for example, has been around much longer than most, and will likely be with us for millennia, whereas the comparatively rare and recent word dirty has undergone many mutations, and will probably be extinct in a few hundred years. Professor Mark Pagel, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Reading, UK, tells us why on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's program As It Happens. Pull slider to 16:00 to start the seven minute interview.

Constellations of Words:Explore the Etymology and Symbolism of the Constellations

sidr — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 16:27:54 -0800

Constellations of Words : Explore the Etymology and Symbolism of the Constellations

Lord Love a Duck!

freshwater_pr0n — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 15:14:29 -0800

Ever wonder what a quocker-wodger was? Just what did they mean when they said that you were all kippers and curtains? Worldwidewords.org has the answer. "More than 1600 pages on the origins, history, evolution and idiosyncrasies of the English language worldwide." Word geeks, say goodbye to the rest of your afternoon.

Intelligence is Sexy

Navelgazer — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 19:42:37 -0800

H o t F o r W o r d s - a youtube classroom series on etymology taught by Marina, a... hot Russian philologist. Mildly NSFW. Warning: Marina is as shameless in her self-promotion as she is in her choice of tops. Still, fun and interesting for etymology-freaks.

Test Your Word Power!

johnny novak — Fri, 06 Jan 2006 00:46:02 -0800

Test Your Word Power!

To the French, it is the flower that thinks; what do the English call it?

painquale — Sat, 04 Dec 2004 12:09:14 -0800

Etymology-wise, which hormone is an island? What word both denotes a prime and euphemizes Satan? What word denotes "the future" and abbreviates the unknown? Is urine pith? These are some of the questions from "Moot: The World's Toughest Language Game," a homemade and little-known board game for lovers of words. Some puzzles are available online; there are a few more available on a page detailing the interesting story behind the game's creation. You can sign up to have a new language puzzle e-mailed to you every week.

101 words, and yet I cannot think of a clever title...

Orange Goblin — Tue, 19 Oct 2004 09:33:05 -0800

101 years in 101 words

eh?

casarkos — Thu, 15 Jul 2004 08:43:07 -0800

Words: Woe & Wonder The CBC explains and debates usage from a Canadian-journalism standpoint - for example, why the Iraqi ex-leader is referred to by his first name and whether to capitalize this place.

Onomatopoeia, gee it's good to see ya!

wendell — Sat, 12 Jun 2004 15:53:49 -0800

If you don't like dictionary posts, look away, NOW!
But if you like to play with words, the dictionarians at Merriam-Webster have announced the winners in their poll for the Ten Favorite Words for 2004:
defenestration, serendipity, onomatopoeia, discombobulate, plethora, callipygian, juxtapose, persnickety, kerfuffle and flibbertigibbet
Also, a list of runners-up with more of my personal faves: oxymoron, copacetic, curmudgeon, conundrum, euphemism, superfluous, and of course, Smock! Smock! Smock!
[more inside] Via vidiot.

filter (n.) - c.1400, from M.L. filtrum

Ufez Jones — Fri, 18 Jul 2003 08:03:27 -0800

The Online Etymology Dictionary. I'll be spending most of my day here.

NedKoppel — Mon, 07 Oct 2002 19:00:55 -0800

Taticular Nucyoular Weapons Dubya mispronounced the word "nuclear" "\nu"cle*ar\" in his speech 17 times this evening (take your own tally here). Wait. That's not a simple mispronunciation. It's a "folk etymology." Thanks, Ike. (Thanks, Homer.) Thanks also to Merriam-Webster. Apparently, this scourge of English is in the dictionary.