I’ve decided to start a summer series on the origins of clichés. My starting point will be The Dictionary of… Read more Origins of Clichés (Part 1)
Category: Origins
Headlinese
When reading about telegraphese I found myself intrigued by headlinese as well. Both styles attempt to pack accurate meaning into… Read more Headlinese
Telegraphese
Wikipedia defines telegram style, also known as telegraphese, as “a clipped way of writing which abbreviates words and packs information… Read more Telegraphese
The Name of the Pear
There is one pear that is the most common variety throughout the world, excluding Asia. But is it the Stair,… Read more The Name of the Pear
Origins of the Easter Bunny
I must admit that I have not hidden Easter eggs for my kids the last couple of years (I did… Read more Origins of the Easter Bunny
Who Was Charles Ponzi?
Have you read The Glass Hotel by Emily St. John Mandel? One of the threads of the novel involves a… Read more Who Was Charles Ponzi?
Miss Macphail’s Recipe
A few weeks ago I was flipping through our free community newsletter when I came across “Miss Macphail’s recipe,” a… Read more Miss Macphail’s Recipe
True or False: Victorian Christmas Traditions
Christmas as we know it largely emerged during the Victorian era, but do you know which traditions originated in the… Read more True or False: Victorian Christmas Traditions
Who Was Saint Nicholas of Myra?
Tonight is Saint Nicholas Eve! I’m sure you know that the legend of Santa Claus begins with this early Christian… Read more Who Was Saint Nicholas of Myra?
The History of Red River Cereal
Last night Andrew texted me this article about Red River Cereal. I can’t remember ever eating the iconic hot cereal,… Read more The History of Red River Cereal
Who Was John McCrae?
With Remembrance Day coming up on Friday, it seems like a good time to take a look at a famous… Read more Who Was John McCrae?
Timeline of Seven Literary Awards
I’m toying with the idea of printing out a list of Newbery Medal winners and seeing how long it takes… Read more Timeline of Seven Literary Awards
12 Things to Know About the Bruce Trail
The Bruce Trail is Canada’s oldest and longest marked footpath: approximately 900 km with over 400 km of side trails,… Read more 12 Things to Know About the Bruce Trail