👀 Meet E Tym Ology
#455 | An expert in the history of words
“So, where are you actually from?” is usually not the best question to ask anyone.
But like rules, there are exceptions. And the exception in this case are words. You know, those made up things that help us communicate or obfuscate and only manage to convey maybe 5% of what we really mean to say?
(I’m a writer going through a block; forgive me if this veers into weird territory).
Despite our love-hate relationship, I will never turn away from an opportunity to understand where words come from and where they go. For instance, why are there two main sounds associated with the word for tea/cha? Or why the word for mother universally contains an 'm' sound.
Etymology Nerd has the answers to all these burning questions, and he delivers them with infectious enthusiasm.
So next time someone brings up why the fuck Chai Tea or Naan Bread exist, you can tell them exactly why (besides, you know, colonisers) and have the dubious honour of introducing them to desert desert (Sahara) and river river (Mississippi).
Never lose a trivia night again with Just One Thing in your arsenal – share it with someone who loves words and learning about them.