Greetings,

Wow! 24 November ... you know what that means, don't you? 

That's right - this time next month, we'll all be waking up on the morning of the night before Christmas . 

I know in some parts of the world, this is just another day - but out here (personal religious beliefs aside), Christmas is one of the best times of the year. The weather is usually perfect for being outside, the schools are closed for the summer break (6 weeks), many families have their annual holidays and there's just a general atmosphere of "all's right with the world." 

Apart from the arrival of decorations in all the aisles at the supermarket, you always know it's getting close to Christmas up here in Queensland when you walk into the fruit section and smell those fabulous mangoes ... mmm.

Sigh.

Now, the point to these ramblings? 

I started thinking about some of the interesting ways we've acquired words in English: we've borrowed thousands from Latin, French, Spanish, Italian, German and other languages and modified them to suit our needs; we've brazenly pinched others outright from the same sources; we've made them up to suit a special need ('Internet" springs to mind here) and we've used the names of various individuals as the basis for words associated with them.

So here are a few, just to remind you that anyone - from singers to scientists - can achieve immortality through language!

Cardigan - this very handy woollen jacket, so beloved of suave actors in the 50s - was named after the 7th Earl of Cardigan, who was with us from 1797 until 1868, and also gained a certain amount of notoriety as commander of the Light Brigade during the Crimean War. Remember the Light Brigade? Well, I know you weren't actually there, but you've probably heard Tennyson's wonderful poem:

...

Half a league, half a league,
Half a league onward,
All in the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
"Forward, the Light Brigade!
"Charge for the guns!" he said:
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.

"Forward, the Light Brigade!"
Was there a man dismay'd?
Not tho' the soldier knew
Someone had blunder'd:
Their's not to make reply,
Their's not to reason why,
Their's but to do and die:
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.

Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon in front of them
Volley'd and thunder'd;
Storm'd at with shot and shell,
Boldly they rode and well,
Into the jaws of Death,
Into the mouth of Hell
Rode the six hundred.

Then it gets really sad ... we won't point the finger at the Earl, but ...

Leotard - this nifty little garment, consisting of a one-piece, sleeveless, tight-fitting (read 'figure-hugging') outfit, was named after C19th French acrobat, Jules Leotard. If you've ever been unfortunate enough to attend a keep fit class for beginners, you'll agree with me that he has a lot to answer for!

Levis - who doesn't know the story of Levi Strauss? He made more money selling his overalls to the diggers than any of them could poke a stick at. He adapted the tough overalls commonly worn at the time, by making them bibless  (i.e. he turned them into trousers) and he made them hard-wearing by reinforcing the seams with small, copper rivets.

Listeria is a poisonous food bacterium that was named after English doctor, Sir Joseph Lister. He obviously inspired the masses, because there are a number of words based on his name: Listerism refers to the general principles and practice of sterile surgery; Listerise is the treatment of wounds using the antiseptic methods he developed and Listerine is a brand name for an antiseptic mouthwash. (Bet he loves that one!)

Melba toast was named after one of Australia's favourite opera singers, Dame Nellie Melba. Melba was a soprano (she died in 1931) who loved eating a light snack made of thinly sliced bread that was dried until it was brown and crunchy.

Dame Nellie also gave her name to the dessert, Peach Melba, (which involves poached peaches, a raspberry sauce and is served with vanilla ice cream) and to the expression, 'to do a Nellie Melba." Melba retired - several times, and each time made a triumphant return to the stage; so now, anyone who makes a comeback can be said to be "doing a Nellie Melba."

This week's quiz:

Choose the correct word from the list for the definitions below:

dissension, homophone, epitaph, diffraction, homonym, ephemeral, disseminate, homologous, dissipate, homogeneous

1. word spelled like another

2. spend foolishly

3. having a consistent texture

4. conflict

5. evolutionarily related

6. spread over a wide area

7. word sounding like another

8. breaking up of light or sound waves

9. inscription on a grave

10.short-lived

Last week's quiz:

Supply the missing negative emotive word from the list for each of the following:

miserly, unattractive, nag, fussy, irresponsible, sloppily, clown, gossip, foolhardy, conceited, burden, unkempt, dilapidated, uneducated, lie, guts

1. I am casually dressed; you are ... SLOPPILY (dressed)

2. My hair is windswept; yours is ...UNKEMPT

3. I am self-confident; you are ... CONCEITED

4. I am self-taught; you are ... UNEDUCATED

5. I am particular about what I eat; you are ... FUSSY

6. I am a comedian; you are a ... CLOWN

7. I have a healthy appetite; you are a ... GUTS

8. I am careful in money matters; you are ... MISERLY

9. I am daring; you are ...FOOLHARDY

10.I am forgetful about keeping appointments; you are ... IRRESPONSIBLE

11.Our holiday home is rustic; yours is ... DILAPIDATED

12.I am plain; you are ... UNATTRACTIVE

13.I sometimes exaggerate; you ... LIE

14. I pass on information; you ... GOSSIP

15.I instruct my children; you ... NAG yours

16.I am a responsibility for my parents; you are a ... BURDEN to yours.

Regards,

Jennifer

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