How “Freebooting” went from swashbuckling to social media.
[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkGFhDRg204[/embedyt]
The Endless Knot: Freebooting
The Endless Knot: Jack-o’-Lantern
The etymology of Jack-o’-Lantern and the confused history of Hallowe’en.
[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqU3B4bhC5Y[/embedyt]
The Endless Knot: Turkey
The etymology and origin of “Turkey” — and what it tells us about Thanksgiving. The spice trade, Greek myth, Incan ceremonial feasts, Colonial harvest celebrations, and guinea pigs!
[embedyt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=He-wNRtBuRM[/embedyt]
The Endless Knot: Mai Tai
A brief history of Tiki culture, and the origins of the Mai Tai!
The Endless Knot: Bug
From British folklore to open source computing, the history of the word “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: Coach
The history of the word “Coach”: from a town in Hungary to college football.