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Kindness. Humanism.Secular. Sceptic. History, Pre-Raphaelites, Reading, Life-Long Learning. 'Sanity Is Not Statistical'.'Fill the unforgiving minute...'.

Wednesday, 21 December 2011

Book of the Week - The Etymologicon

Episode 2

'The author of the Inky Fool blog leads us on a fascinating journey tracing the connection between seemingly unrelated words and uncovers the links between the 'proof of a pudding', 'sausage-shaped poison', being hoist by a 'petard' and 'feisty heroines'.

The Etymologicon -  by Mark Forsyth

broil


botulus = latin word for sausage

botulism = 'sausage disease' - origin

'hoist with his own petard' - Hamlet quote

Paper was invented in China?

Episode 3

Turkey is native to America

Guinea Pigs are found in Guyana, SA

'Magnolia Forests'

1560s - Turkey becomes standard Christmas meal?

Alcohol = origin of word is Arabic

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