Posts

Where does the word shampoo come from?

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Why did James Joyce write in English?

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For two centuries English has been the majority language in Ireland.

What is FLOTUS? Who is the POTUS?

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There some dispute as to when FLOTUS entered the lexicon: 

Which actress has most influenced the English language?

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Quotation reference books lean towards Mae West but in terms of cultural influence there can only be one  choice.

What is the Hobson-Jobson dictionary?

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In 1872 two men began work on a lexicon of words of Asian origin used by the British in India. Since its publication the 1,000-page dictionary has never been out of print.

Should Elvis have been 'shaken up"?

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shake  up 1.  To  upset  by or as if by a  physical   jolt  or  shock:   was   badly   shaken  up by  the   accident.   Source Freedictionary.com

What does it mean to 'move the needle'?

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The expression “ moving the needle ” first appeared in England during the industrial revolution.  The reference was to gauges on steam engines.    During World War II, it became a more common term in reference to aviation gauges.  In business today it’s synonymous with making progress.   Source In US politics to 'move the needle' is to significantly change the opinion polls in the direction of your candidate.  An alternative - more recent - origin to the one above comes from seismology. The movement of the Richter Scale indicates the strength of an earthquake.