The following is a passage from my book, Useless Etymology, which will soon get paperback and audiobook editions. You know, I used know the origin of the word oblivion, but I seem to have forgotten it. Oh yeah—it comes from the Latin oblivio, meaning “forgetfulness.” The root of oblivio is debated, but the most commonly… Continue reading The Forgettable Etymology of Oblivion
The following is adapted from a book I recently coauthored with Shannon Miller: A Miscellany of Weird & Wonderful Facts for Curious Humans Who Have Nothing Better to Do Than Read (You Know Who You Are). Grab a copy if that dizzying title applies to you. When compound words are broken down into components that… Continue reading Rebracketing: Words We Broke in the Wrong Places
