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Hello – December 2007

Every year I say I’m going to get on top of Christmas chores before they get on top of me, by dispensing with most of them. This year, I plan to go back to a simpler Christmas. I’ve said this before, but this time, it’s going to happen. Cards and presents will be kept [more…]

Hello – November 2007

Writing about the regatta in Crossed Wires made me wonder where the word came from.

In 1652 it was the name of a cut-throat boat race held in Venice on the Grand Canal. Their word for ‘compete’ was regattare and as the gondoliers competed for mastery, you can see why the boat race became known [more…]

Hello – October 2007

Weather has always been with us, so is almost synonymous with time. The word weather comes from the Old English weder, from the Old Norse vethr. The Latin tempestas meant weather and also meant time, and words for time also came to mean weather in Irish and Polish. In fact, words for weather were [more…]

Hello – September 2007

In honour of Tony Blair’s replacement as PM in Britain, Mr Gordon Brown, I’ve had a look at the name Brown, the fifth most common name in Britain and the fourth most common in Australia.

It’s not surprising that it mostly refers to the colour – originally a person with brown hair or brown eyes. [more…]