2013

 

June   14     Rhapsody & Scrotal Raphe

June   07    Nomen est Omen: Silly Latin Saying

June   02   Star Words

May    29    Bad, Obscene & Silly Car Names

May    25    Curfew

May    20   Common Once Opposite of Immune

May    11    Digamma: Lost Letter

May   06    Louis: Exotic Origin of a Name

May   01    Trammel: from Fishnet to Hindrance

April  23    Animal Droppings: Scat Words

April  17    Proprioceptive

April 13    Puffling

April 07   More Acadian Words

April 01   Siren: from Homeric Temptress to Fire Alarm

Mar  28  Easter Named After Pagan Sex Goddess

Mar  24  Copper/Cyprus : Child/Mother

Mar  18  Cheap's Origin

Mar  13  Siesta: Awake to Its Etymology

Mar 05  Conclave

Feb 26   From Latin Navis: Noise, Nef, Navy et Al.

Feb 20    Quorum

Feb 15     Window Words

Feb 11      Stumping: A Canadian Love Mode (repost Valentine's Day)

Feb 06     Syringe Once Meant 'Flute' !

Jan  29    Hubbub: Newly Proposed Origin

Jan  22    Volcano Words: Part 2

Jan  15    Volcano Words like Pahoehoe

Jan  09   Virus v. Virtue in Etymology Wrestling Match

Jan 06    Odd Massage Terms

Jan  02   Cabiria: Strange Origin of Italian Given Name

 

 

2012

Dec  29     Sabrage: Fancy New Year's Word

Dec 26      Fimbulvinter: Norse Winter at World's End

Dec 23      Luke Xmas Story in Eng., Latin & Greek

Dec 19      Solstice: The Impossible Event     

Dec 15      Mistletoe Means "Shit-on-a-Stick"

Dec   10    Origin of Christmas "Carol" as a Word

Dec  05    Hyperemesis gravidarum: medical phrase in the news

Nov 28    Areopagitica: Annals of Rhetoric

Nov 21    Phyllo: Greek Pastry Word Origin

Nov 15    Tournure or Graceful Deportment

Nov 07   Majolica & Pottery Words   

Nov 01   Rock Snot: Annals of Algae

Oct 09 to Oct 31: Various Halloween Columns

Oct 04   Apothecary & Derivatives: Bodega & Boutique

Sept27  Whale Words  

Sept20 Kiln: Origin of a Fiery Word

Sept 13 Despective: New English Word

Sept 6   Gazpacho: Cold Soup/Hot Etymology

Aug 31  Farm & Farmer as Words

Aug 23 Red Words  

Aug 16  Dolphin Words

Aug 08 Laundry & Latrine: Same Word Root

Aug 02 Alarums & Excursions: History of the Word Alarm

July 25 Pinguid: Origin of a FAT Adjective

July 19 Gregory: Origin of Worldwide Name

July 12 Magus & Magic Words

July  6 Fosse Way, Fossa & Fossile Words

July  2 Hipoteca: Spanish Word in the News

Jun 26 Sol & Other Sun Words

Jun 21 Peacock Words

Jun 15 Travel & Beyond the Pale

Jun 10 House & Building Words - Part 4 of 4

June 6 House & Building Words - Part 3 of 4

June 2 House & Building Words - Part 2 of 4

May 29 House & Building Words - Part 1 of 4

May 21 Terms in Religious Art History & Theology

May 16 Medieval Latin Words in English

May 12 Québec Sayings - Part 14

May 09 Aloha, Ha, Haole: Hawaiian 'Breath of Life' Words

May 05 Glissando & Other Musical Terms

Apr 28  A Potpourri of Popery: Papal Regalia Words

Apr 24  Papyrus & Paper; Byblos & Bible: Word Origins

Apr 21  Wind Words like Simoom, Mistral & Williwaw  

Apr 17  Abacus, 3000-Year-Old Word

Apr 14 Hydroponic, Geopony, Lithopone, Ponerology

April 6  Nike, Goddess of Victory & Words like Nicene

April 2  Spring as word, Galen, St. john's Wort - update

Mar 29 At Stool: Commodious Study of Fecal Word

Mar 25 Swag, Pelf, Lucre & Words for Ill-gotten Gain

Mar 20 Shit & Shitepoke: 2 Word Origins

Mar 12 Samara: The Maple Key Word

Mar  8  Lycoperdon + Mitt Romney in Latin!

Mar03 Rigor Mortis, Algor Mortis & Adipocere

Feb 27 Autopsy: Dissecting the Word

Feb 23 Rubbish: A New Etymology

Feb 13 Butterfly & Leper: A Strange Connection

Feb 03 Rude Québec Expressions

Jan 30 Diplomacy, Protocol et alia

Jan 25 Nidus Latin 'nest' & English Derivatives

Jan 19 Hello & Ciao & Other Greetings

Jan 14 Frog! Origin of a Racist Insult

Jan 08 Wind-Rose & Advection

Jan 04 Oxytocin & Words from Tokos Gr. 'Childbirth'

Jan 01 Reading Blake on New Year's Day

2011

Dec 30 Sabrage: Fancy New Year's Eve Word

Dec 26 Fimbul Winter:Viking World Ends in Ice

Dec 23 Origin of the Word 'Carol'

Dec 18 Sun, Stand Still! The Etymology of Solstice

Dec 14 Canopy & Canapé from Egyptian “Mosquito” Word

Dec 08 Hiemal, Brumal, Algid: Winter Words 3

Dec 03 Proteus & Protea

Nov 28 The Roots of the Word 'Squirrel'

Nov 23 Quebec Expressions - Part 13

Nov 20 Haft, Hilt, Handle & Other Sword Words

Nov 16 Stylite & Astylar: Pillar Words

Nov 11 Fent: Naughty Word & Fabric Swatch

Nov o7 Hoon & Gadzookery: Rare Words Explained

Nov 01 Latin, Greek & German Company Names

Oct 30 The Inuit Noise Ghost

Oct 29 Quebec's Very Own Bogeyman

Oct 27 Gougou: Canadian Halloween Monster

Oct 23 Québec Proverbs - Part Eleven

Oct 19 Pukka: Origin of a British Compliment

Oct 15 Colchicum or Autumn Crocus

Oct 07 Helluo Librorum: Bookworm Words

Sept 30 Escharotomy & Eschar & Scar Words

Sept 24 Turaco & Sea Eagle: Bird Etymologies

Sept 17 Bunkie & Bunk Bed: Origins

Sept 12 Entomophage: Eating Bugs is Fun!

Sept 06 Disfluency: Newish Buzz Word

Sept 01 L'anse aux Meadows & New Origin of Medusa

June 30 to Sept 1 Summer Picks features The Best of                              Bill: Selected Repeat Word Columns                              That Readers Have Asked For

June 24 Onion Words in English & French

June 15 Guide to Botany Names

June 09 Bastard Canoe/ Canot Bâtard

May 30 Vole & Other Viking Words

May 22 Horse Sense

May 14 Skid Means ‘Street Kid’

May 7  Beaver Wordlore

May 2  Mayapple, Spring Wildflower

Apr 25 Canada Primrose

Apr 20 Origin of the Word Easter

Apr  09 New 'Shed' Words  

Mar 30 Grits & Tories: Canadian Political Terms

Mar 20 Canadian Sayings Volume 1 - samples

Mar 13 Tsunami: About the Word

Mar 05 Asbestos: Shame of Canada

Feb 28 Tabula Rasa: Latin Phrase Worth Knowing    rp

Feb 23 Snow Motto has Ancient Source rp

Feb 16 Carotid Arteries' Surprising Etymology rp

Feb 12 Billet-Doux: A Valentine's Etymology

Feb 07 Fishmonger, Meet Wordmonger rp

Feb 03 Chinese Words in English rp

Feb 01 Canadian Winter Sayings rp

Jan 29 Catnip rp

Jan 25 Quinzhee: A Snow Shelter rp

Jan 22 Tuque: Origin of Word rp

Jan 16 Auriga & Quadriga: Roman Chariot Words

Jan 12 The Bogus Rhetorical Word 'Paraprosdokian'

Jan 08 Nivosity & Hibernaculum: Winter Words Revisited

Jan 04 Juju, an African Magic Word

Jan 01 New Year's Commentary of Blake Engraving

2010

Dec 27 Winterbourne, rare winter word

Dec 23 Etymology of Christmas Carol

Dec 21 Fimbulvinter: Snow Words Part 5    rp

Dec 20 Firn & Firnspiegel: Snow Words Part 4 rp

Dec 18 Graupel & Chionablepsia: Snow Part 3   rp

Dec 15 Skiff: Rare now Words Part 2   rp

Dec 13 Bergschrund & Rare Snow Words rp

Dec 05 Diploma, Protocol, Archive: Ancient Document Words

Nov 27 Origin of the Word Amusement

Nov 20 Subnivian: A New Scientific Winter Word rp

Nov 15 The Man Who Designed Santa Claus rp

Nov 10 Capillaire & Wintergreen: Woodland Teas rp

Nov 08 Remembrance day is SCAM !

Nov 06 Tabula Rasa: Useful Latin Phrase Sourced & Explained

Nov 03 French & Québec Bread Words & Source of Habitant

Oct 30 Le Bonhomme Sept-Heures: Québec Bogeyman

Oct 26 Gougou: All-Canadian Monster rp

Oct 23 Inuit Noise Ghost for Halloween rp

Oct 19 Word Notes & Jottings rp

Oct 13 A Swarm of Bee Words rp

Oct 07 Asbestos: Canada's Poison Shame update

Oct 04 Bastard, Sluggard & Other -ard Words rp

Sep 30 Apple: The Word & The Folklore rp

Sep 27 Farce: Philological Notes on The Origin of the Word

Sep 24 New "SHED" Words like Viewshed & Laborshed rp

Sep 21Tabula Rasa: Latin Phrase Worth Knowing rp

Sep 16 Billet-Doux: Wordlore of a French Phrase rp

Sep 10 Gutter & Gout & Guttersnipe

Sep 08 Shana Tova, Mazel Tov:Hebrew 'Good' Words rp

Sep 03 School: Etymology of the Word

Aug 29 Pitcher plant, Sarracenia purpurea rp

Aug 22 Lobate Scarp: Word Lore of Science Words

Aug 19 Kiack - Nova Scotia Fish Word -rp

Aug 12 Ramadan: Arabic Etymology -repost

Aug 10 How Did Beaver Become a Dirty Word?

Aug 05 Family First Meant ‘House Full of Slaves’

July 28 Chode / Chod: A Newish Dirty Word

July 21 Tabula Rasa: Useful Latin Phrase

July 17 Fishmonger, Meet Wordmonger

July 11 Circus, the Word - repost

July 03 Billet-Doux: Word Lore of A French Phrase

June 28 Butter Tart: Canada's Unique Pastry

June 24 Boucan & Canadian Historical Slang

June 19 Potty-Mouth: Etymology of a "Dirty" Synonym

June 14 Oik: Annals of British Slang

June 09 Miner's Lettuce: A British Columbia Word

June 03 Siwash:Racist Insult -second update

May 29 Hudson's Bay Hymn Book: Canadian Historical Slang

May 24 Lunenburg Pudding & Your Bowels as Sausages -revised

May 20 Cocagne, New Brunswick: Origin of a Canadian Place Name -revised

May 16 Diana Krall: The Meanings of Her Names

May 08 Frog: Origin of a Racist Insult

May 04 The Surprising Etymologies of Lord & Lady

April 30 Mayapple: Spring Flower Supreme

April 22 The Many Names of Egypt

April 18 Circus, the Word

April 14Religious Place Names of Canada

April 11Gentian: Origin of a Flower Name

April  5 New Québec Place Names

April  1 Paschal Obscurities & Origin of "Easter"

Mar 27 New -Shed Words like Walkshed & Viewshed

Mar 22 Agace-Pissette & Other Quebec Words

Mar 19 St. John's Wort, Spring & Galen

Mar 14 Irish Words in Newfoundland English

Mar 11 West Coast Canadian Phrases

Mar 04 Sputnik & A Russian Word Lesson

Feb 28 Asbestos: Harper's & Canada's Poison Export

Feb 24 Locker-Boxing: The Shame of Minor Hockey

Feb 20 Labrador: Meaning of the Place Name

Feb 17 Quebec Expressions - Part 4

Feb 13 New Canadian Sayings Update Feb 2010

Feb 08 Canadian Sayings - new batch rp

Jan 30 Olympics Named for Mount Olympus? Not! rp

Jan 23 Olympic Words: from ancient Greek to English rp

Jan 19 Canadian, eh? The History of an Interjection

Jan 15 How Beaver Became a Dirty Word

Jan 13 Forceps: Origin of the Word - rewritten

Jan 10 Crowdsourcing: Sleazy New Corporate-Excuse Word - update

Jan 08 Subnivian: A New Scientific Snow Word - repost

Jan 05 Kamik, Babiche & Other Northern Shoe Words - repost

Jan 04 Some Newer Canadian Sayings - repost

 

2009

Dec 27 Bergschrund: Snow Word

Dec 24 Graupel & Chionablepsia: Rare Snow Words

Dec 21 Skiff - Rare Snow Word

Dec 12 Firn -Unusual Snow Term in English

Dec 02 The Man Who Designed Santa Claus

Nov 28 Mottoes of Canada -revised

Nov 25 10 Winter Weather Sayings from Canada

Nov 20 Obscure Verbs of Leaping: To Pronk, to Stott, to Saltate

Nov 16 Canadian Folk Sayings: New Batch Nov 2009

Nov 11 Québec Place Names: New Ideas

Nov06 Pip:Folk Saying about Annoyance

Nov 01 Bastard! & Other -Ard Words

Oct 25 to Oct 31 Halloween Week: Inuit Noise Ghost, Wendigo, Gougou & Bonhomme

Oct 17 Schiaparelli: Origin of an Elegant Italian Surname

Oct 13 Abbott & McNab: Names from Canadian History

Oct 06 Celibacy: The Word & The Practice

Oct 03 Tat: The Tattoo & Trash Word   revised

Sept 28 Words like Cadillac & Screenge

Sept 25 Canadian Sayings: New Batch Sept 2009

Sept 21 Fig: Origin of Word & of Obscene Gesture

Sept 17 Shana Tova & Uses of the Hebrew Adj. ‘tov’= good

Sept 09 Panopticon Rare Words # 5

Sept 03 School: Its Etymology

Aug 27 Juju: an African Magic Word

Aug 24 Linden Tree or Basswood: Word Lore

Aug 21 Ramadan: Arabic Etymology of Holy Word

Aug 18 Kif: Arabic Dope Word Circles the Earth

Aug 15 Canadianisms: a New Batch

Aug 13 Hootch: A Klondike Gold Rush Word   -repost

Aug 11 Is Zed Dead in Canada? -update

July 26 Galilee: Origin of a Hebrew Place Name & The God Pan

July 23 Mas Band & Masquerade

July 14 Canadian Saying about FEAR - repost

July 12 Hell’s Out for Recess: Canadian Saying - repost

July 10 The Origin of Summer & The Season Names -repost

July 08 Meadow Rue & Its Neat Etymology

July 05 Foxing a Horse on Prince Edward Island - update

July 03  Origins of the Names of the Great Lakes - repost

July  01 Canada: The Name of Our Country - revised

June 28 Alberta Ranch Saying - repost

June 20 Anishinaabe for N'tl Aboriginal Day

June 16 Canadian Summer Sayings - revised

June 11 Pitot Tube: Phrase in the News

June 08 Bonhomme sept-heures - a Québec Bogeyman

June 06 Irish Words in Newfoundland English - repost

June 02 Porcelain: Its Exotic Origin - repost

May 28 Bleeding Heart or Dutchman's Britches or Dicentra

May 24 French Study: About the Acadian Verb Jaser

May 20 “Nuisance Grounds” & Other Garbage Words

May 16 Coteau - Saskatchewan Geographical Term

May 13 Guttersnipe & Gout from Latin Gutta ‘Drop

May 10 Meadow Rue: Canadian Garden Plant

May 07 Canadian Job Names

May 04 Mayapple: Canadian Spring Flower - revised

April 27 Kitsilano: British Columbia Place Name

April 23 Soap: Its Origin & Etymology

April 20 Tat - My Favorite Shoddy Monosyllable

April 16 Vexillology & Other Flag Words

April 10 Jouer Fessier, Québec Phrase + Translation Essay

Mar  30 Renoviction - March 2009 Update

Mar  23 Nudnik & Co. Yiddish Words from Russian - repost

Mar 19 Asbestos: Toxic Canadian Export revised,updated

Mar  15 Irish Words in Newfoundland English

Mar  11 Fraud & Ponzi: Origin of an Italian Surname

Mar 03 Canadian Phrases Newly Collected March 2009

Feb  24 Dep & Guichet-Québec English & “Sticky Wicket”

Feb  20 Eh? A Canadian Interjection - expanded

Feb  16 Narcissus: Word & Myth

Feb  11 Charles Darwin: On the Origin of his Surname

Feb  07 Kamik, Asham, Babiche, Bear Paw: Winter Boot Words

Feb  03 Peanut:The Word & Its Botanical Names

Jan  30 Bad, Silly, Obscene Car Names -rewrite/repost

Jan  26 Year of the Ox & Chinese Words in English

Jan 23 Québec Words & Phrases - Part 10

Jan  21 Herb as a Word - repost

Jan  11 Superjuice: New Canadian Bootlegger Term

Jan  05 Nanoscaffold & Its Greek Root 'nanos'

Jan  01 New Year's Commentary on William Blake

 

2008

Dec   27 Tuque: Canada's National Winter Head Gear

Dec   22 The Man Who Designed Santa Claus

Dec   19 Subnivian: New Scientific Winter Word

Dec   15 Flux, Afflux, Efflux, Influx, Reflux,Effluxion

Dec  09  Snow Sayings & Proverbs from Canada

Dec   06 Boneyize: A Canadian Verb

Nov   27 Chaloshes, Tchotchke, Tchainik, Shpilkes:Four Yiddish Words

Nov  13 Renoviction: Creepy New Canadian Word

Nov  08 Vor & Phag: Latin & Greek "Eat" Roots in English

Nov  05 Michif, Métis, Nishga'a, Bluenose: Origin of Names

Nov  01 Asbestos: Canada's Shame - -updated Report

October  "The Best of Bill" repeated 31 of my favorite columns.

Sept  25 Asbestos, Québec & A Toxic Name Change - revised

Sept  21 Bordens & Brownies: Canadian Racetrack Slang - repost

Sept  12 Mottoes of Canada - repost

Sept  09 Tories & Grits: Origins of Canadian Political Party Nicknames

Sept  06 Québec Bread Words & Etymology of Habitant - revised

Aug   31 Ramadan: Its Etymology

Aug   24 Barack Obama: The Meaning of His Given Name

Aug   16 Canadian Summer Sayings - revised

Aug   10 Olympic Word & Phrase Origins

Aug   05 Were The Olympic Games Named After Mount Olympus?

July  31 Botany’s Deficient & Botched Plant Names

July  23 Geophagy: Eating Dirt

July  21 Boche: Origin of a Second World War Racial Slur - repost

July  15 Brit Can't spell Québec Words

July  12 Cyberbullying - update

July  08 Calgary Stampede: word origin

July  04 Lunenburg Pudding & Sausage Words - repost

June 29 Why I am NOT a Word Cop - 2008 Canada Day Essay

June 27 New Letters about Pays des Illinois French Dialect

June 23 Juniper & Gin: From Landscape to Larynx

June 21 Summer & The Seasons: Origin of The Names -repost

June 18 Tourtière & Omelette: Foods Named After Their Cooking Utensils

June 14 Mozart: Surprising Meaning of his Surname - addenda

June 11 Québec Expressions - Part 5 repost

June 06 Letter About Medved, Russian for bear

May 28 Cunt: A Blunt History of the Word

May 22 Twat: Origin of a Rude Word

May 16 Poupoune: Current Québec Slang

May 12 Origins of "White" Colour Adjectives

May 06 Creepy New English Verb: To Tase

Apr 28 Plantgenets & Plantar Wart: Their Connection -repost

Apr 21 Gorby - repost

Apr 15 Québec Words & Phrases - Part 9

April 5 Porcelain - A Marco Polo Word

April 2 Boucan, Ballard Effect, Chanting the Cock, Misery Fiddle: Canadian History Words

Mar 29 Lariat, Lasso & Honda: Origin of Cowboy Words

Mar 25 Le Mitin: A Québec Borrowing from English

Mar 21 Giclée: A Printing Term

Mar 17 Québec Insults & Sayings - Part 8

Mar 14 Carotid Arteries - repost

Mar 10 Book Review # 1: Curse & Berate in 69+ Languages

Mar 06 Dmitri Medvedev: Origin of Russian Names

Mar 02 Telestrator: Origin of a Brand Name

Feb 21 Tuque: Canada's National Winter Headgear

Feb 18 Quinzhee: Winter Shelter Word from Canada

Feb 14 Dilbit & Synbit: Alberta Oil Words & Places

Feb 10 Astrobleme: A Geology Word Examined

Feb 05 English Words from Chinese, Like Tea

Jan 30 Horse Words (rewrite and repost)

Jan 27 Canadian Sayings - New - Jan 2008

Jan 19 Farce: Etymology of the Word (repost)

Jan 13 Sinus: A Medical Exam of the Word

Jan 09 Mottoes of Canada (revised & reposted)

Jan 03 ESL Sayings & ESL Tips

 

2007

Dec 28 Winter Words & Rare Words

Dec 13 Thomas Nast: The Man Who Designed Santa Claus

Dec 09 Uncle Billy's Toys for 2008 - humour

Dec 01 Slang of Canada, Part 2: Nippertipping & Bumsicle

Nov 24 Sousveillance: Coined by a Canadian

Nov 13 Nudnik, Nogoodnik & Nu: Yiddish from Russian

Nov 09 Some Letters to the Editor

Nov 03 “Bordens & Brownies” Can. Racetrack Slang

Oct 30 Wendigo: Cannibal Fiend of the North Woods

Oct 27 Oak Words 3: Oak Surnames & Place Names

Oct 22 Oak Words 2: Druid, Mistletoe & Oak Myths

Oct 17 Oak Words of the World - Part 1

Oct 10 Fennel & Finocchio: Origin of the Plant's Name

Oct 04 Sputnik: Russian Etymology of the Word

Sept 21 Canadian Sayings - A New Batch

Sept 16 Cow Words Part 3: Vaccine & Pecuniary

Sept 10 Cow Words Part 2: Cow, Vacca & Vache

Sept   6 Fee & Other Cow Words Part 1

Sept 01 Mi'kmaq "Food" Place Names of Nova Scotia

Aug 24  Klondike & Yukon Name Origins -revised

Aug 19  Pomegranate - A Naming Error   -revised

Aug 13   The Vicar of Bray & A Nazi War Criminal -revised  

Aug 08  Onion Words of English & French - revised

Aug 02  Hysteria: Just Death of a Medical Word -revised

July 29  Gorby - revised and updated

July 24  Sipiy:Algonkian Root in Can-Am. Names-repost

July 19  Canadian Summer Sayings - repost

July 16  Skookum: Chinook Jargon Word - repost

July 12  Herb as a Word

July 9    Profane Reflections - repost & revision

June 29 Dion & Dionne: Origin of 2 Quebec Surnames

June 24 Horse Words: Some Etymology

June 20 Unpublished Canadian Sayings

June 15 Pitcher Plant, A Newfie Carnivore

June 11 Alberta Horse Terms & Your Coccyx

June o6  Cephalic, the Vein with the Wrong Name

May  31  Marde & Merde & Other Quebec Vulgarisms

May  27 Origin of Surnames Abbott & McNab (revised repost)

May  22 Onion & Garlic Words in English & French

May 18  Chiard & Excremental Word Roots

May 14  Apple Words

May 09 Alberta Place Names & Can. Sayings

May 04 A Swarm of Bee Words

May 01 Ed Stelmach: Alberta Premier's Surname

Apr  26 Percebe: Spanish Word Entering English

Apr  17 Farce: An Etymology (revised Apr 2007)

Apr  12 Nappy: Origin of a Racist Insult

Apr  09 Crowdsourcing: New Word - Old Scam

Apr  04 Albertosaurus: A Canadian Dinosaur

Mar 30 Rock Tripe: Wildness Emergency Food (repost)

Mar 23 Capillaire & Wintergreen Teas (repost)

Mar 18 Sipiy (Algonkian) = River (English)

Mar 15 Mangeurs de lard: Canadian Historical Insult (repost)

Mar 11 Snow Motto has Ancient Greek Source (repost)

Mar  7 Vole & Viking Words in English

Mar  3 Frankum: Newfoundland Gum (repost)

 

 

Feb 26 Death Euphemisms like VSA and Passing

Feb 21 Québec Phrases using Gorlot

Feb 17  Tuque & Other Québec Expressions Part 6

Feb 15 Crokinole: A Canadian Word?

Feb 14  Saint Valentine's Day 2007

Feb 11  For the Love of Mike: origin of the expression

Feb  11 Bastard Canoe

Feb  05 Québec Sayings # 5 & Metathesis Explained

Feb  01 Québec Bread Words & Meanings of Habitant

Jan  30 Canadian Saying about Stephen Harper

Jan  26 Locker-Boxing: Amateur Hockey Violence

Jan  24 As The Canoe Tips: Excerpt from my book

Jan  20 Notes from The Wording Room - # 1

Jan  14 Arabic Place Names of the World - 1

Jan  08 Hoodoo Origins & Dictionary Makers

Jan  05 L'Épluchette:Quebec Corn Roast/Husking Bee

Jan  02 Bad Names for New Cars

 

 

2006

Dec  26 Canadian West Coast Expressions

Dec  21 Québec Current Expressions - Part 4

Dec  13 Calgary Stampede Word Origin

Dec  06 Mask, Masquerade, Mascara & Mas Band

Nov  31 Skid means 'Street Kid'

Nov  23 Anishinaabe: Origin of an Ethnonym

Nov  19 Prickly Pear Cactus & Nopalitos

Nov  12 Catnip & Cat: Word Origins

Nov  06 Lord & Lady: Their Surprising Origins

Nov  01 Donner la Bascule: Québec Birthday Toss

Oct   26 Inuit Noise Ghost: 100% Canadian Monster

Oct   22 Quebec Sayings/Locutions Québécoises-Part 3

Oct   19 Fulda, Saskatchewan: Origin of the Place Name

Oct   15 To Parp a klaxon: British Phrase Examined

Oct   10 Fireweed: Flower of the Yukon

Oct   07 Unpublished Canadian Sayings Oct 2006

Oct   03 Miner's Lettuce: A British Columbia Phrase

Sept 28 Québec Words/Des Expressions Québécoises

Aug 28  French Canadian Sayings/ Les Dits Québécois

Aug  21 The Birch Tree: Word Lore & History

Aug  17 Hudson's Bay Hymnbook: Historical Slang

Aug  13 Canadian Sayings about Death

Aug  04 Canadian Words & Sayings: My New 2006 Book

Aug  03 Frankum: A Newfoundland Chewing Gum

Aug  01 Racist Slang of Canada

July 29 Abbott & McNab: Origin of Surnames

Apr  11 To Fox a Horse: PEI Historical Phrase

Mar 26 Plantagenets & Plantar Warts: Their Connection

Mar 21 Dudek: A Canadian Poet's Surname

Mar 17 Tilley: Famous Canadian Surname

Mar 12 Rock Tripe: Emergency Wilderness Food

Mar 06 Crokinole: A Canadian Word?

Mar 02 Canadian Sayings Explained for ESL Students

Feb  25 Canada Yew: Origin of name & botanical name

Feb  21  Snye: A 100% Canadian Word

Feb  17  The Real McCoy: ACanadian Inventor

Feb  12  Stumping: Love in Pioneer New Brunswick

Feb  10  Butter Tart: 100% Canadian

Feb 03   Mozart: The Surprising Origin of his Surname

Jan  27   Ciao! Hello! The Origins of Words of Greeting

Jan  22   Banting: Origin of a Famous Canadian Name

Jan  18   Colcannon Night in Newfoundland Labrador

Jan  14   Veronica Tennant: origin of the artist's names

 

2005

Dec   23    Bobskates

Dec   18    Hell's Out for Recess: Newly Collected Saying

Dec   14    Fidiot: New Word  

Dec   11    Capillaire & Wintergreen: Teas of the Woods

Dec   01    Summer Words for a Winter Day

Nov  28    Features & Services Links Page

Nov  23    Botanical Names: A Quick Guide

Nov  12    Cocagne, New Brunswick: Place Name Origin

Nov  08   Alberta Saying about Cattle Ranching

Nov  05   A Canadian Folk Saying about Fear

Oct   25   Moose Muffle Soup: Canadian Pioneer Recipe

Oct   11   Brand-new: origin of an adjective   

Oct   02  Antumbra & Words Derived from Latin umbra

Aug  29  Michael Ignatieff: Origin of his Surname

Aug  24  Cyberbully: Canadian Coinage

Aug  18  Origins of the Names of the Great Lakes

Aug  12  Digitariat: Newish Computer Word

Aug    8  Funis, Latin 'rope' & Funiculi, Funicula!

Aug    1  10 Sayings Every Canadian Should Know

July 30  Sockeye Salmon & Ichthyology

July 25  Skookum: A British Columbia Word

July  22 Canadian, Eh? — The True Story

July  17 Eggplant & Aubergine

July  14 Happy Canadian Summer Sayings

July  10 Hysteria: Just Death of a Medical Word

July    8 Carotid Artery: Origin of Med. Terms

July    4 Sebum: Origin of a Medical Term

June 26 Wog: Origin of a Racist Insult

June 20 Nova Scotia Blueberry Grunt

June 11 Mangeurs de lard & Hivernants

June  7  Zed & Zee in Canadian Speech & Spelling

May  31 Summer & The Seasons: Origins of the Words

May  25 Labrador: Meaning of the Place Name

May  21 Canadian Wild Ginger, Asarum canadense

May  17 Belinda Stronach: Her Given Name Origin

May  16 Lunenburg Pudding, Bowels & Sausages

May  11 Profane: Etymology of the Word

May   9  Bloodroot, Sanguinaria canadensis

May   7  Mother: Etymology of the Word    

May   5  Orillia: Spanish Place Names in Canada (1 of 3)

              Tofino, Quadra, Galiano, Valdes (2)

              Almonte, Oro Grande Gulch, Alhambra (3)

May   1  Mayapple, Podophyllum peltatum

Apr  28  Castor canadensis: origins of name

Apr  25  Beaver

Apr  21  Clavier, Clef, Clavell, Enclave, Exclave

Apr  20  Autoclave & Moon Base Clavius

Apr  19  Clavicle: New Origin of Anatomical Term

Apr  18  Conclave, Keys of the Kingdom

Apr  15  Klondike & Yukon, Gwich'in Words

Apr  11  Pitcher Plant, Sarracenia purpurea

Apr 08  Gorby: Muskoka Insult Word

Apr 05  Kiack: Origin of Nova Scotia Fish Word

Apr 02  Canadian Primrose: Origin of Botanical Name

Mar 30 Asbestos: Changing Quebec Town's Name

Mar 25 Keanu Reeves: Meaning of his Name

Mar 20 Spruce - Part 2

Mar 17 Spruce: Origin of the Tree Name

Mar 12 The “Vicar of Bray” Saying

Mar 07 Diana Krall: Meaning of her Names

Mar 03 Canadian Winter & Cold Sayings

Mar 01 Sports Coach & Hungarian Cart: Same Word!

Feb 23 Pomegranate: Mistake in its Botanical Name

Feb 17  Chimo: The Meaning of an Inuit Greeting    

Feb 13  New Brunswick's Stumping

Feb 09 Newfoundland's Brewis

Jan 28 Snow Phrase Origin in Ancient Greek

Jan 23  Kalan Porter's New Word of the Year

Jan 18  Avril Lavigne's Surname Explained

Jan 15  Famous Canadian Surnames Explained

Jan 12  Do Dogs Do Snow Angels? : a Photograph

Jan 12  Word Notes & Comments: A New Section

Jan 11  Wanigan: Born in New Brunswick?

Jan 06 Nicolas de Chamfort biographical sketch

Jan 05 Crummy: A British Columbia Logging Word

Jan 02 Bonspiel: Origin of a Curling Term

Jan 01 Medieval Woodcut of Time Analyzed

Jan 01 Comment on Blake's Book of Job Illustrations

 

 

 

 

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