While opinions vary about the origin of the word “Tartar,” all agree that 13th-century western Europeans used the term to refer to invading Mongol tribes. The word was actually a derivative of the name the ancient Romans used to refer to Tartarus, the area in the underworld where evil people …
Did you know that until the first decade of the fourteenth century, people in the most civilised European societies, including royalty, could not acquire shoes in standard sizes? And even the most expensive custom-made shoes could vary in size from pair to pair, depending on the measuring and crafting …
I saw an article recently in the Daily Telegraph that modern audiences would now be left baffled by the humour in Monty Python film The Life Of Brian – because they have such ‘poor religious literacy’. The article goes on to say that some Engish teachers had commented that nearly …
You will no doubt be heartened to hear that a number of scientific surveys have been undertaken regarding bellybutton fluff . What follows are my learned findings: They have all found that the fluff is generally blue in colour and is more prevalent in the navels of certain types of …
The word ketchup comes from the Chinese dialect Hokkien, Ke-tsiap, the name of a sauce derived from fermented fish. Now popularly known as “ketchup” or “catsup”. The sauce was appealing to the traders and sailors for a number of reasons, one of which was that it was well-preserved and …
Or don`t believe everything the author tells you – especially if he`s trying to explain why he has written the book or play or poem at hand. For instance, Milton, in his forward to Paradise Lost, tells us that he wants to “justify the ways of God to men”. …
Some fellow ( I can`t remember his name) once said “All the world is a stage and all the men and women merely players” Which rather clumsily segues into this: To act upon this stage you need, of course, a script, and that script was once given to …
I enjoy being unfashionable. To such an extent that I have firmly embraced the deeply unfashionable, from Norman Wisdom films, virtually all monochrome films made in Britain after the war, GK Chesterton, JB Priestley, the terrible musicals of the 1960’s, including the wonderfully bad ‘Half A Sixpence’, Max Wall, Gilbert …
Whilst sniffling with this wretched cold and waiting for the kettle to boil , I was thinking about Hamlet – in particular this odd phrase. “Now to my word; It is ‘Adieu, adieu! remember me.’ I have sworn ‘t”. Adieu is a contraction of the old French parting A …
Chess, a haven of peacefulness, a group of men and women with solemn expressions bidding to outsmart each other by being extraordinarily clever in moving their pieces around a small board. To the victor, a small trophy and the warm glow of being a smart arse? Certainly not, chess …
