by Dwane | Dec 12, 2022 | Tip of the Week
Whenever I look for a book I go through several steps. Since I tend to be rather frugal, I always start with our local library. You can check out audiobooks from your local library using the free Libby app. To use Libby, you need a library card and, of course, the...
by Dwane | Dec 9, 2022 | Education, English, Vocabulary
Ever wondered why some cities have ‘ham’ attached to their names? Birmingham, Nottingham, Gotham, Buckingham, and even Hampshire? The Old English word for home or homestead is ‘ham.’ ‘Ham’ is also the source of our English word ‘home.’ As the three little pigs said,...
by Dwane | Dec 8, 2022 | Education, English, Vocabulary
A few days ago, one of my students asked where the eight tiny reindeer got their names. I knew there were some German names in there, but beyond that, I was not sure. So, I went looking. The reindeer first show up in a poem by Clement C. Moore. Mr. Moore wrote A...
by Dwane | Dec 7, 2022 | Education, English, Vocabulary
I don’t feel like posting a word today. So, here is one of my all-time favorite jokes about the English language. Maybe. I can’t tell if it’s a joke or if it’s true. The Japanese eat very little fat And suffer fewer heart attacks than...
by Dwane | Dec 6, 2022 | Education, English, Vocabulary
Ballyhoo: to advertise noisily; to publicize using extreme, loud methods The marketers ballyhooed the movie, but it flopped on opening day. Ballyhoo shows up in English in the early 1900s. It was originally a circus word. A ballyhoo was a sideshow used to lure...
by Dwane | Dec 5, 2022 | Education, English, Vocabulary
A student recently posted this question in the forums: In Chapter four of Lingua Latina, a new word is “baculum”, meaning “stick”. In the world of logic, there is a fallacy, called Ad Baculum. I am assuming that these are related. Does it mean, “to the stick”? Here is...
by Dwane | Dec 3, 2022 | Uncategorized
A few weeks ago my wife and I wanted to watch a funny movie. We were in the mood to laugh. We made it 15 minutes into one movie and turned it off. It was disgustingly crude. We tried a second movie. It was worse. Sigh. Hollywood. Reluctantly, we decided to watch a...
by Dwane | Dec 3, 2022 | Education, English, Vocabulary
Kibitzer: someone who offers unwanted advice; someone who offers unsolicited opinions Kibitzer is a Yiddish word. Originally, a kibitzer described someone looking over your shoulder during a card game, offering unwelcome advice. These days, a kibitzer is an...
by Dwane | Dec 1, 2022 | Education, English, Vocabulary
If you are throwing things out of your window today, consider first shouting “Gardyloo!” Gardyloo is a warning shout. Back in the old days, when pots were emptied into the streets, the one pouring whatever they were pouring into the streets would warn...
by Dwane | Nov 30, 2022 | Uncategorized
I study words for a living. I am always a little surprised when I run across a word like Everywhen. It looks like a typo. It isn’t. Everywhen is an English adverb. It means: always, at all times. So, there you go. When it comes to English, it’s best to...
by Dwane | Nov 29, 2022 | Uncategorized
Plethora: an abundance, a superabundance; an excess or oversupply of something The United States has a plethora of natural resources. And, it’s a good thing, too. According to Peter Zeihan in his book, The End of the World is Just the Beginning, America, due to its...
by Dwane | Nov 28, 2022 | Education, Vocabulary
Perfervid: intense emotion, full of intense emotion; ardent; zealous Perfervid comes from the Latin word perfervidus, meaning very hot. In Latin, fervidus means glowing hot, or ardent. Adding per to the word only intensifies it. The letters don’t need to be...
by Dwane | Nov 26, 2022 | Uncategorized
After accidentally closing down a tap on her computer, my wife recently asked me if I knew a quick way to reopen a tab. Of course, you can go back into your history. But, I thought, there’s got to be an easier way. Turns out, there is. If you accidentally close a tab...
by Dwane | Nov 26, 2022 | Vocabulary
Berserk: violently or frenetically destructive; wildly destructive To go berserk is to have a fit of destructive rage. Berserk came into English from Old Norse. In Old Norse, a berserkr was a raging warrior. The Norse word is likely a combination of ber (bear) and...
by Dwane | Nov 25, 2022 | Uncategorized
Galore: plenty; abundantly; in abundance Galore is from the Irish go leór meaning sufficiently, enough. May you find black Friday deals galore out there today. Synonyms: plenty, aplenty, abundant, ample ================================================= Into Words? ...
by Dwane | Nov 24, 2022 | Uncategorized
Years ago, Michael Masterson posted this tip on the site Early to Rise. ================================================= Being the day before Thanksgiving, I have a 30-minute “task” for you that will make you feel good and bring you many future blessings....
by Dwane | Nov 22, 2022 | Wealthy, Wise
You’ve seen the studies. You’ve seen the reports. You’ve probably experienced it yourself. Anxiety is on the rise. Covid didn’t help at all. Made it worse, actually. A few weeks ago, the pastor of the church I attend tackled anxiety...
by Dwane | Nov 22, 2022 | Uncategorized
Lethargic: Drowsy; dull; inactive. On Thursday, we will celebrate Thanksgiving Day in America. We will remember our hard-working hungry ancestors by stuffing ourselves with food. We will follow up with a lethargic afternoon of football. I think our ancestors...
by Dwane | Nov 21, 2022 | Education, Vocabulary
Capricious: impulsive; fickle; whimsical; changeable; erratic The ancient gods were capricious. They were happy one moment, and irate the next. Source: Capricious came to English via the French word capricieux meaning capricious, or whimsical. In French, a whim...
by Dwane | Nov 21, 2022 | Uncategorized
I am almost 50 years old. For most of my life, I have watched people around me waste time on National Politics. I recommend you do not do this. Instead, find out why God put you here on earth. My guess? He put you here to serve others. To help others. To make the...
by Dwane | Nov 19, 2022 | Uncategorized
Here’s a tip. When you find a life-changing book, read (or listen to) it over and over. These days, I have three books on constant repeat. I make it a point, daily, to listen to a bit of each. While biking, my phone is strapped to the handlebars. I usually have one...
by Dwane | Nov 19, 2022 | Education, Motivation
“Words matter. They help us define meaning. We think with words. We learn with words. Words are the fundamental tools we use for communicating. If we use them well, we can cut and shape and polish our ideas precisely and beautifully. If we use them sloppily we put...
by Dwane | Nov 18, 2022 | Education, Vocabulary
Sanguine: Hopeful, confident, cheerful; having an optimistic outlook. Sanguine comes from the Latin word sanguineus, meaning blood red. Doctors once thought patients with excess blood were more cheerful, hopeful, and confident. But, sanguine can also mean...
by Dwane | Nov 16, 2022 | English, Vocabulary
Frenetic: Frenzied, frantic, feverishly excited; excessively agitated After missing his deadline, the author wrote at a frenetic pace in order to have something to show his publisher. Greek phrenetic, “frenzy, disease of the mind, inflammation of the brain.”...
by Dwane | Nov 15, 2022 | Uncategorized
Last week, I received this question from a former student How does one Figure out what to do with their Life? I’m Lost! Here is my reply: I am really struggling through this one right now myself. I am writing a book on goals. Almost done. Editing it. But,...
