ETYMOLOGY: HOIST ON ONE’S OWN PETARD
THERE APPEARS to be no shortage of Etymology for our Times words and phrases: To name a few, there are buffoon, charlatan, mendacity—and today’s “hoist on one’s own petard.” What … Continue reading
ETYMOLOGY: FROM PHONY TO FAWNEY TO FANNY PART 2
MAYBE THE words phony and fawney are related to the word “fanny”? With regard to fanny, though, be forewarned: This word has two distinct meanings, one English and the other … Continue reading
ETYMOLOGY: FROM PHONY TO FAWNEY TO FANNY PART 1
THERE ARE times when etymological searches take unexpected turns: I started off with “phony,” certainly an appropriate entry in my Etymology for our Times (EfoT) series. This led, in a … Continue reading
ETYMOLOGY: CRONY, CRONYISM
MERRIAM-WEBSTER nails cronyism as “partiality to cronies especially as evidenced in the appointment of political hangers-on to office without regard to their qualifications.” Furthermore, M-W defines a crony as “a … Continue reading
HOAX: A REAL ETYMOLOGY
IN MY continuing Etymology for our Times, I offer the word “hoax,” often tweeted by Trump to describe things with which he disagrees or possibly misunderstands. Merriam-Webster says the verb … Continue reading
IGNORANCE: ITS ETYMOLOGY AND DISPLAY
“I AM largely ignorant of Latin.” “Ignorance is bliss.” “Tweeting it as ‘Marine Core’ displays more than a little ignorance.” Each of these sentences displays a nuance of “ignorance,” defined … Continue reading
