Inuktitut, spoken by the Inuit people in Canada, is a polysynthetic language, meaning that it forms complex words by stringing together many morphemes (the smallest units of meaning). In Inuktitut, a single word can convey what would require an entire sentence in English. For example, t...
Frequently there is a sort of double meaning in the word. In Social Security cases, the word zombie is found as a symptom of pain, depression and anxiety but also the side effect of medications prescribed for those same symptoms. In criminal law, zombie appear in victim’s description of ...
multiple words bunch together into onelengthy megaword. Sometimes, these single words stray far from the literal meaning and capturecommon human experiences, such as the classicSchadenfreude
In publishing a chapter on Freaks and Curiosities in Locomotive Designs it is not done in a spirit of levity, but to give a record of well meaning inventions that did not perform the functions the inventors expected. For the first twenty years after Trevithick built his locomotive, a belief ...
When I first read the description for the meaning of Aego-, I identified a lot with it except for the “disconnect” part. After having considered it for a while, I am beginning to realize how true the disconnect part is. My earliest sensuality-related dream in my youth, maybe around ag...
Obscurio is a term I use for pieces that arouse curiosity but have their meaning obscured, either by vague, incongruous visuals, lack of information in the title or deliberate concealment. Cryptic messages can exist that can only be unraveled with the use of clues, symbols and inner knowledge....
In which we strive for greater cross-cultural understanding. Disclaimer: This video contains a slur, uttered without any venom. It also contains several words from a foreign language depicted as meaning something other than what they actually do, and that’s probably racist. You’ve been warned...
In countries that adopt the “Sunday-first” convention, it is the fifth day of the week The name is derived from Old English and Middle English Thuresday meaning “Thor’s Day” It was named after the Norse god of Thunder, Thor
The word “animal” comes from the Latin animalis, meaning having breath, having soul or living being The blue whale is the largest animal that has ever lived. Nigeria has the highest rate of twin births in the world. Valentines day is also national condom day in the U.S.A. ...
In a way yes, in the sense that it is literally artificial – not the fruit itself, but its location would clearly be a deliberate, human act and not – as a nail in a wall might be – something that could feasibly have a purely utilitarian meaning. It would be puzzling – far more...