One reason we have so many synonyms is a legacy of English history. Anglo-Saxon was spoken until the Normans invaded England in 1066 when they made French the language of the courts. Anglo-Saxon was spoken by the peasants and French by the aristocracy, which is why so many English words have twins. For instance, [more…]
Whether grand or intimate, every wedding has its own story, a blend of tradition and personal touches which reflects a couple’s journey together. One of the happiest occasions that happens in a family is a wedding, which incidentally comes from the Old English weddian ‘to pledge to do something’.
The original Old English word for [more…]
Despite what you might hear on the radio these days, Christmas hasn’t always been a jolly affair. In the 1640s, supported by Oliver Cromwell, the English Parliament passed an ordinance abolishing Christmas celebrations. Citizens were banned from celebrating Christmas in any way, especially going to Mass. The Puritans viewed the festival as an unwanted [more…]
Back in the 4th century, Christmas began as a religious celebration to commemorate the birth of Jesus. Nowadays we expect Christmas Day to come without any fuss, and everybody aims to have a joyful but fairly normal day. If you have ever suffered from the stress of buying gifts, writing cards, Christmas cooking, or [more…]
Keep your nose to the grindstone and your shoulder to the wheel. Both these expressions, meaning to work hard, come from the flour-milling trade, an activity we’re no longer as familiar with.
In the past however, the miller was the third most important person in the village, after the lord of the manor and the [more…]
The English language has many words for that sparkly, spirited attitude to life, which have been adopted from various languages.
Panache was originally a French term for a tuft of feathers on a helmet and now means flamboyance.
Pizzazz, meaning glamour or vitality, is of unknown origin. Some describe it as ‘an indefinable dynamic quality’.
Brio is [more…]
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C Fraser, Charlestown NSW; K Harter, Glenfield NSW; L Lindley, Clarendon NSW; W Prior, Rotorua NZ.
As regular readers would know, I usually start my columns with ‘Hello!’, which is a much newer word than you might think.
It first came into use because of the telephone. The first telephone call was made in 1876 by Alexander Graham Bell, who wanted to use the word ‘ahoy’ as the telephone greeting. ‘Ahoy’ [more…]
Considered to be the greatest writer of the English language and the most well-known dramatist in the world, William Shakespeare was born over 450 years ago, and lived to the age of 52. Celebrations are planned around the world to remember the great man known as the Bard.
He must be the most quoted writer [more…]
