Language »
The Word “News” Does Not Derive from the Four Cardinal Directions (North, East, West, South)
Myth: the word “news” derives from the four cardinal directions. While this potential origin of the word news seems plausible enough, it isn’t true. The truth is, the word news can be traced back
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Where The Term Goodbye Comes From
Today I found out the origin of the term “Goodbye”. “Goodbye” comes from the term “Godbwye” a contraction of the phrase “God be with ye”. Depending on the source, the contraction seems to have
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The Difference Between The UK, England, And Great Britain
Today I found out the difference between The United Kingdom, England, and Great Britain. The actual name of the sovereign state we are talking about is The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern
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The Difference Between a Coffin and a Casket
Today I found out the difference between a coffin and a casket. The words coffin and casket are often used interchangeably to describe a box used to bury a dead body in. Although the
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Origin of the Chinese Fire Drill
Today I found out the origin of the Chinese Fire Drill. In World War I, British soldiers came up with the phrase “Chinese Landing” to describe a clumsy or bad landing. It should be
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Sushi is Not Raw Fish
Today I found out sushi is not raw fish, that’s sashimi. Sashimi is just sliced raw fish, sometimes dipped in sauces and sometimes served with sushi. Sushi is any food dish consisting of vinegared
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What R.S.V.P. Stands For
Today I found out what R.S.V.P. stands for, namely Répondez S’il Vous Plaît, which translates roughly as “please reply” or “reply if it pleases you”. So how did R.S.V.P. make its way into being
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The Bluetooth Standard is Named After a 10th Century Scandinavian King
Today I found out the Bluetooth standard is named after a 10th century Scandinavian king. The man was Harald I of Denmark. “Bluetooth” is the English translation of “Blåtand”, which was an epithet of
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Saying ‘Ahoy-Hoy’ was at One Time the Preferred Way to Answer the Phone
Today I found out saying “ahoy-hoy” was at one time the preferred way to answer the phone. The very brief popularity of this telephone greeting stemmed from the fact the “ahoy-hoy” was Alexander Graham
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The Origin of the Term “Going Postal”
Today I found out where the term “Going Postal” came from. It seems to be common knowledge that if you have a co-worker who appears they might take out a 9mm handgun and play
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