Month: October 2023

‘Words From Hell’ Emerges from the UnderWord, Exposing Etymology Horrors for All to See

Jess ZafarrisLeave a comment

Plus, 5 haunting etymology facts to celebrate the book's Halloween release. Something wicked—and wordy—this way comes. Today, Oct. 31, 2023, a book brimming with festering filth and malicious monstrosities claws its way from the darkest recesses of human imagination. And it's nerdy as fuck. Meet Words from Hell by Jess Zafarris. (That's me, your guardian… Continue reading ‘Words From Hell’ Emerges from the UnderWord, Exposing Etymology Horrors for All to See

The Shocking Etymology of “Taser,” and the Racism Hidden Behind It

Jess Zafarris2 Comments

Note: This is an extended excerpt from my forthcoming book Words from Hell: Unearthing the darkest secrets of English etymology (Chambers, Oct. 31, 2023). It may be common knowledge that laser (or L.A.S.E.R.) is an acronym of "light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation." It was coined around 1960 and modeled after the slightly ealier term maser… Continue reading The Shocking Etymology of “Taser,” and the Racism Hidden Behind It