I was thinking about this word, and the related word grave, this morning. Like contract, it’s a curiously multi-purpose word.
facts about the English language
Contract
If you start a new job, or agree to buy something, you might have to sign a contract.
The word contract was originally usually used to refer to marriage, and comes from the Latin com (with, together) and trahere (to draw). Which makes sense really: if you give marry someone, you’re agreeing to draw closer together, and if you sign a contract with a company, you’re agreeing to draw together with them.
Isn’t if funny though, when we use contract as a verb?
Calque or Loanword?
Reading about Anglish yesterday, I realised that one of the most useful methods for proponents of this form of English is creating calques.
What’s a calque, I hear you ask?
What’s the Difference between Envy and Jealousy?
I’m glad you asked! I was thinking about this earlier, when writing about the Seven Deadly Sins made me think of envy, which is of course one of them.
These two are quite confusing, aren’t they? For both native and non-native speakers alike. Even if you know there’s a difference, and kind of know what that difference is, it’s hard to pin it down and put it into words, isn’t it? Let’s see if we can figure it out, shall we?
Sloth
Sloths are slow.
Sloth, meaning laziness, is also one of the Seven Deadly Sins in Christianity.
Unsurprisingly enough, the sin came first, and the animal was named after it, because it seems so lazy. They’re not actually lazy of course, just slow. Though some individual sloths probably are lazy, but it’d obviously be unfair to tar them all with the same brush.
It’s a funny word, sloth, and not one we really use beyond these two contexts. Where does it come from?
How to Name Your Pet
Pete So High
Msassa
Veneer of Charm
Landofhopeandglory
Max Dynamite
Youcantcallherthat
These are the names of just some of the racehorses in action at the Fairyhouse racetrack in Ireland today. Have you ever wondered why racehorses have such strange names?
You can’t Have Your Cake and Eat It
I was sitting here this morning, not sure what to write, and thinking I might take a little break for today. You know, go outside and enjoy the drizzle. However, I was listening to the song “Lay Lady Lay,” which contains the line You can have your cake and eat it too. And that got me thinking.
English-Language Thoughts 