WHAT DO ’POSSUMS HAVE IN COMMON WITH ’ROOS? WOMBATS AND KOALAS TOO.
INDEED, THE WEBSITE INTERESTING FACTS is aptly named: “A Newborn Kangaroo,” it says, “is MUCH Smaller Than You Realize.” Well, I must confess my realization skills in this regard have … Continue reading
ETYMOLOGY: FILIBUSTER
HOW CAN A representative democracy obstruct a majority view? In one word: filibuster. And an example comes to immediate mind: gun control. Here are tidbits on etymology of the word … Continue reading
RINOIMBY?
RECENTLY I READ the other meaning for “WEIRD,” namely describing us as “Western Educated Industrialized Rich Democratic.” I do not apologize for this designation; we earned it fair and square. … Continue reading
ETYMOLOOGY: DEUTSCHESPRACH AND OTHERS
THE GERMAN LANGUAGE is great at word-building. For instance, I recall the following storefront signage. Come to think of it, my source for this photo, translated into German, is another … Continue reading
BELLICOSE—ITS ETYMOLOGY
FOR ONE REASON or another, the word “bellicose” sprang to mind as deserving addition into my Etymology for our Times series. Why do you suppose? It might have been something … Continue reading
ETYMOLOGY: BUNCO PART 1
FOR ONE REASON or another, the idea of a Mueller bunco squad came to mind. And this got me thinking about the etymology of the word “bunco.” I found some … Continue reading
GRIFTERS—IN POLITICS, ON OLD-TIME RADIO, AND AT THE MOVIES
A GRIFTER is one who obtains money or property illicitly, a confidence man. And, note, with few exceptions (see “Con Women—Balancing the Game), grifting seems to be a masculine endeavor. … Continue reading
ETYMOLOGY—TREASON, TRAITOR
RECENT HAPPENINGS in Helsinki have added the words “treason” and “traitor” to the SimanaitisSays Etymology for our Times. What follows here focuses on the words’ English language usage and origin, … Continue reading
ETYMOLOGY—ELOQUENT, INARTICULATE
EVERY SO often, the meaning of a word surprises me. As an example, consider the word “eloquent.” It conjures up thoughts of classic Roman orations or the most memorable of … Continue reading
ETYMOLOGY—DESPICABLE
HOLDING INNOCENT children hostage in return for building a wall is despicable. And thus, the word “despicable” earns a place in the SimanaitisSays series Etymology for our Times. Merriam-Webster defines … Continue reading
Simanaitis Says 