Words Unravelled with RobWords and Jess Zafarris
Words Unravelled with RobWords and Jess Zafarris
Two of the internet's leading word nerds are here to unravel the stories behind everyday terms. Join KZreadr Rob Watts (aka RobWords) and author Jess Zafarris in exploring the wonders of the English language.
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I suspect that "streak", as in "yellow streak" was not a physical thing, but a personality characteristic. Just like you'd say someone has a "mean streak".
What about crimson? I think that is a reddish color, too. Where did it come from?
I was an air traffic controller for many years and our very English greeting to pilots on the radio was 'good day' both for a first call and a departure from your own radio frequency. Regardless of nationalities.
PUCE: the colour of the blood that the flea has taken in when seen through the exoskeleton of its body. Yay.
I have never once seen a garbagewoman. Not once anywhere I have ever lived.
Making verbs out of nouns is an awesome feature of the English language.
I very much appreciated the story of Bunk and debunk. I work in Buncombe County, and this explains so much! LOL
I once heard that the word "tip" stood for "to insure promptness". I don't think the speaker meant that literally, though. I always thought of it as an interesting way of thinking about the word, not it's actual origin.
Fascinating!
what about "snafu" or "fubar"
Words for wheat appear similar across several language families and the evidence is more that the original root means ripened not shining and only in the Germanic languages do we see the word for white being derived from this root with additional evidence that the color name derived from the wheat NOT Vice versa. In other words white means the color of wheat (flour) and wheat itself meant originally something ripened and NOT the thing that is white or shining when ground.
We have grizzly bears here in Canada.
I think it is proper to correct someone’s mistake so misinformation is not passed on. Languages should not be changing now since they are in print.
What about rubbish and garbage being called waste and refuse in British English 😊
Super interesting but I did not expect the dookie diversion discussion. Well played werd nerdz. "That is all"
I’m disappointed that you didn’t talk about a "flange" of baboons. This collective noun was coined by a comedy TV show, "Not the 9 o'clock News", but is now even used in scientific articles!
I’ve been watching Time Team for about 3 years, also the various shows that Tony Robinson has presented. I’ve figured out lots of words and usage. I’ve been dissecting Darby O’Gill and the Little People since St Patrick’s Day, lots of fascinating Gaelic words and expressions.
The legend of Jason and the Argonauts has a connection to Poop deck. In ancient times Argo Navis was a huge constellation in the southern sky named after Jason’s ship. During the Age of Enlightenment astronomers broke up this sprawling area and today there are three official constellations in that part of the sky. Carina the Keel, Vela the Sails and Puppis the Stern.
Would be great to see you both look at the “on accident” and “by accident” difference that appears to have formed between the USA and UK.
I think they missed the obvious response to one of these highly dubious etymology claims - "That sounds like it is 'Contrived Retrospective Acronym, Perhaps?"🙂
You should call this channel "words wokified".
Jolly Roger has the same meaning in British slang today. It would translate to US english as “truly screwed” implying that if you saw that on another ship, you were truly screwed.
There’s no HOLE you load things thru on the port side of a ship. The holes are on TOP, called Hatches. Port refers to the side facing the wharf or the port. Back in the days of steering boards, you did not put that side against the wharf because it might get damaged banging against it due to waves or tides. Also, What we call “fenders”on a car originated as the cushions you place between the hull and the wharf to prevent damage to the sides of the ship. They are there to “fend off” any contact between the two. And the term ‘porthole’ has an entirely different derivation having nothing to do with either side of the ship, but is derivative of portal. Technically, a porthole is supposed to be large enough in diameter for a sailor to fit thru if he absolutely has to. That is one reason why they open fully like they do.
When the Going gets tough, by Billy Ocean. Go and get stuffed.
It’s a cow's opinion. A moo point. Like a cow. It’s moo.
Another great video! Just one missed opportunity…the color of “pop-up” tabs, should’ve been reversed with red for the UK (Redcoats) and blue for the US (Union) to be more historically accurate in your “war of words”! Lol otherwise an awesome post, I’m addicted!!
What is apposite of crowded in english? I am not an English speaker and l find the lack of a word for not-crowded annoying. Can you help me out here?
If 'sheet' is a rope, does that relate to 'sheep bend' knots? And I've heard 'the bite (bight?)' used to refer to one or other of the active or passive side of a knotting process.
I've always assumed "yellow streak" meant that that person regularly behaved in a yellow (cowardly) way, much like how someone with a "violent streak" might lash out and hit people when upset.
I had hoped to hear about vermillion
Also misheard words Liaison: lay eyes on
every a+word is either due to being with, on, or in something or away or out from something. It's the a- prefix. Which has 3 origins, 3 germanic words, Ga, Ur and An. Unless it's the French or Latin ones, which are still similar enough in meaning that it doesn't matter. Ga- is with, so alike is with similarity, it was more common in the form of y- in the past, as in yclad, meaning clothed aka the part participle of clothe. Similar to Swedish i- iklädd... Ur- is out of, so afar or await are good examples. An- is in, or on, or to, and words such as aboil, asunder... And English is actually pretty unique among the Germanic languages for still using such archaic words. Despite the construction of such words not being in use anymore, unlike German which has ge- and be- and then sure Swedes but we are the biggest outlier among all of the Germanic languages..
“Prostrate” problems is especially appropriate.
What does Opera and Pirates have in common? Arr it is the High Cs...
I love going down rabbit holes about the etymologies of words and phrases. Have you gone into other words denoting social status like sosh, loge, and chav?
Do you think we could have an episode on pejorative terms that have lost their sting but maybe shouldn't have? I have in mind "shenanigans" and "hooligan" that seem to use common surnames to express a prejudice against the Irish, although I'm not sure whether it was the British or the Americans who brought them into the language and used them most. There are vestiges of US chattel slavery in "sell down the river" or "sell South" and "go South."
In greek, there is the world Πορφυρογέννητος/Porphyrogennitos which means "purple born" and it comes to indicate that your are part of the byzantine royal family.
I always thought [wrongly, apparently] adrift and ashore were a shortened "to the". Set something in the water without control is letting it go with the drift of the water current. Instead of going to the shore, just go ashore.
Another good one from you two!
The term "Jolly Roger" allegedly came from Chrietopher Moody's Pirate Flag which was thought to be the first Pirate Flag. It sported a winged hourglass followed by a white arm holding a sword followed by a gold skull and crossbones all on a solid red field. The French called his flag the "Joli Rouge", meaning the pretty red which was changed to Jolly Roger by Moody and his English crew.
Jess and Rob, maybe you can have discussions on English terms from Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Malay, Filipino, Indian, Chinese origins, and others? Like Japanese, Arabic, Native American origins, perhaps?
Fascinating talk, but you've only scratched the surface. How many ropes on a ship? One. Hint: all cordage whatever the thickness is denominated by its function, e.g., halyard, topping lift, line, brace, sheet, down-haul, etc. Also, you never got around to 'pooped', which could be potentially a disastrous predicament. Looking forward to more on the subject. Cheers from the Terror Australis.
Corsair to me means the Vought F4U. :)
@11:30 Bugs Bunny says, What's up, Doc? I do not know if he was addressing a doctor. I would like to think that is related with 'Ay Up, Me Duck?
I always assumed a yellow streak or a yellow belly described someone who had lost bladder control from fear
I perceive the colors. I cannot attach a specific word to different shades or tints of colors. Also, I understand Japan on recently had a word for green. They saw green as a blue.
'shiver' also means 'to carve'. maybe 'shave'? or the improvised knife, a 'shiv'?
Surprisingly fascinating.
I had a freind who was convinced that the first line of the Queen song "Killer Queen", "She keeps a Moët et Chandon in her pretty cabinet" was "she keeps a motorway shovel in her pretty cabinet".
Homer refers to the wine-eyed / wine-faced sea referring to the storm conditions it has absolutely nothing to do with color.