Etymology Is Cool
I love etymology. In fact, I have an etymology app on my phone. It’s fascinating knowing where words came from and how they developed, and it sometimes …
Words
An Origin of the Concept ‘Freedom’
In the entry “Ama-gi” on Wikipedia, they write: “Ama-gi is a Sumerian word written 𒂼𒄄 ama-gi or 𒂼𒅈𒄄 ama-ar-gi. It has been translated as ‘freedom’, …
“Vacation” Etymology
The entry for “vacation” in the Online Etymology Dictionary says: “late 14c., ‘freedom from obligations, leisure, release’ (from some activity or occupation), from Old French …
On Spelling
In “Spelling tackled in American Educator” (8 Jan 2009), Ken DeRossa wrote: Following my lead, American Educator has a good article on Spelling and how …
Mark Twain: A Quote
The difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter—it’s the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning. …
Alexander Pope: A Quote
True ease in writing comes from art, not chance,As those move easiest who have learned to dance. — Alexander Pope, “Essay on Criticism“
ReasonRX Podcast Episode 52 Education, Logic, Language, and Blake’s The Tyger
In this episode, we discuss logic — but couched in writing an essay about William Blake’s poem The Tyger, which I actually helped a student …
Etymology of “Second” (I.E., One-sixtieth of a Minute)
The interesting etymology of “minute” and “second.” I learned about “second” from Calculus Made Easy by Thompson.The word “second” came from the Latin “secunda pars …