Dead Air

"Hello again Word Lovers!" - Long time no see, well hopefully only a week, but this expression is a calque from Chinese. To learn all about calques and Chinese words in English enjoy our latest programme.

Find the full article to accompany the programme on our website:

https://www.bulldogz.org/post/interesting-etymologies-34-chinese

An article about the history of tea can be found here:

https://www.bulldogz.org/post/2018/04/27/tea-the-drink-that-fuelled-wars-revolutions

"Hello again Word Lovers!" In this instalment we are going to look at Latin words that have survived from Latin times into modern English.

Full accompanying article available on our website:

https://www.bulldogz.org/post/interesting-etymologies-33-latin

"Hello again word lovers!" In this episode, we investigate the etymology of words connected to illness and disease although you will be pleased to hear there is not a single reference to a certain infection with a name connected to a crown in Spanish...

Full accompanying article is available on our website: https://www.bulldogz.org/post/interesting-etymologies-32-disease

"Hello again Word Lovers!" That is not a mistake, we do mean Turkic and not Turkish! Turkic is a language group, Turkish being the most obvious one in this group Turkic has given us many words, especially food words and names of places, with some global words coming into use in almost all languages. There are more words to uncover though in this introduction to the world of Turkic words in English. Find the full accompanying article on our website here: https://www.bulldogz.org/post/interesting-etymologies-31-turkic

"Hello again Word Lovers!" In this episode we will explore some words that come into popular use during World War II. Some of the words and terms in this episode are actually first used in World War One but make it into the public consciousness during the second conflict.

Find the full associated article here on our website: https://www.bulldogz.org/post/interesting-etymologies-30-world-war-two

Interesting Etymologies 29 : World War One

"Hello again word lovers!" This episode is going to explore some words that come to us from World War One, The Great War. After an examination of War and Fight we work through some words of WWI that may surprise many. A series of clumsy French adaptations including Skive, Plonk and Toot Sweet. The origins of Blighty and Cushy from Urdu Several words from the trenches that people would never connect to the war. Tank and Sharpnel are also covered.

Full details and notes on our webpage here: https://www.bulldogz.org/post/interesting-etymologies-29-world-war-one

Interesting Etymologies 28 : Fiction

"Hello again word lovers!" In this episode we will explore words that have migrated from fiction to everyday use Find the full associated article at our website: https://www.bulldogz.org/post/interesting-etymologies-28-fiction

Welcome to ‘Tales from the Other Side’ where we look at folklore, mythology and magic.

One of the most recognised symbols of Hallowe’en is the iconic carved pumpkin. In recent years, pumpkin picking has become a popular autumn activity and designs have become more outlandish and elaborate. This ritual became popular in America in the 19th century following the arrival of Irish and Scottish immigrants who brought their traditions with them. Traditionally turnips were used but pumpkins became popular as they are larger and softer making them much easier to carve. But what did these lanterns represent and why were they used?

Come and huddle by the fire as we tell you the story of Sting Jack and the origin of the Hallowe'en pumpkin.....

Full article on our website: https://www.bulldogz.org/post/tales-from-the-other-side-the-hallowe-en-pumpkin

"Hello again word lovers!" In this instalment, we dive into the world of cockney rhyming slang. This is a slang style that uses levels of abstraction and implied rhymes to provide coded meaning.

Once you understand the principles it can be a great deal of fun to play with or use, but for the beginner, it can be intimidating or impenetrable. This is hardly a surprise, it is believed to have developed from a code language for criminals to communicate without police or bystanders understanding them. So use your loaf and see if you can decipher some of the most abstract slang known to man!

The full associated article is available on our website here: https://www.bulldogz.org/post/interesting-etymologies-27-cockney-rhyming-slang

Welcome to ‘Tales from the Other Side’ where we look at folklore, mythology and magic. All Hallows Eve, more commonly known as Hallowe’en, is a holiday full of mischief and merriment which has grown hugely in popularity across the globe. Many attribute this rise in popularity to the influence of American culture where it is celebrated with costume parties, trick-or-treating, chilling stories, carving pumpkins as well as a number of other activities. These traditions became popular in the USA in the 19th Century but their origins go back much further. Explore the Celtic origins of Samhain, the ancient festival that has become the sugary spookfest that is Hallowe'en

Full associated article on our website:

https://www.bulldogz.org/post/tales-from-the-other-side-origins-of-hallowe-en