From British folklore to open source computing, the history of the word “Bug”.
The Endless Knot: Bug
The Endless Knot: Fossil
Digging up the classical roots of the word “fossil”, and the origins of palaeontology and geology.
The Endless Knot: Clue
From Greek myth to detective fiction: the origin of the word “Clue”.
The Endless Knot: Raincheck
A programming note and a quick etymology.
The Endless Knot: Gimlet
The origin of the cocktail name “gimlet”, and its connections to early medicine, colonialism, and the rise of the multinational corporation.
The Endless Knot: Unboxing the American Heritage Dictionary
This week, something different: people don’t think about their dictionaries enough–so I made an unboxing video to show you how exciting they can be!
The Endless Knot: Coach
The history of the word “Coach”: from a town in Hungary to college football.
The Endless Knot: Cuckold
The origin of the word “Cuckold”, and its connections to Valentine’s Day.
The Endless Knot: Beef
The history of the word “beef”, and its connection to war and conquest.
The Endless Knot: Loaf
The history of the word “loaf”, and the cultural importance of bread.