Comments on: Monthly Gleanings: January 2009: Part 2 http://blog.oup.com/2009/02/gleanings-7/ Academic insights for the thinking world. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 20:48:00 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Bryce Carlson http://blog.oup.com/2009/02/gleanings-7/comment-page-1/#comment-153441 Bryce Carlson Wed, 02 Sep 2009 19:24:55 +0000 http://blog.oup.com/?p=3005#comment-153441 The etymology of the word "stulpnagel" to mean a foolish idiot is interesting. It is of fairly recent derivation, and derives from one General Carl von Stülpnagel who, along with Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg, was one of the main conspirators in the July 20, 1944 attempt on Hitler's life. When Stülpnagel got word that the bomb had actually detonated in the room with Hitler, he assumed Hitler was dead and went around arresting high-ranking Nazis. The only problem was that Hitler was NOI dead; he wasn't even seriously injured. Oops, that Stülpnagel, what a stulpnagel. Bryce Carlson The etymology of the word “stulpnagel” to mean a foolish idiot is interesting. It is of fairly recent derivation, and derives from one General Carl von Stülpnagel who, along with Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg, was one of the main conspirators in the July 20, 1944 attempt on Hitler’s life. When Stülpnagel got word that the bomb had actually detonated in the room with Hitler, he assumed Hitler was dead and went around arresting high-ranking Nazis. The only problem was that Hitler was NOI dead; he wasn’t even seriously injured. Oops, that Stülpnagel, what a stulpnagel.

Bryce Carlson

]]> By: RL http://blog.oup.com/2009/02/gleanings-7/comment-page-1/#comment-149502 RL Mon, 02 Mar 2009 02:46:38 +0000 http://blog.oup.com/?p=3005#comment-149502 Two verbs from proper names, which are in vigorous use in the spoken language: to hoover, and to bogart. Interestingly, bogart seems to have shifted meaning. In the 1970s, it meant to allow something to go to waste,whereas now it's often used to mean to gather something rapaciously -- to hoover it, in fact. Two verbs from proper names, which are in vigorous use in the spoken language: to hoover, and to bogart.

Interestingly, bogart seems to have shifted meaning. In the 1970s, it meant to allow something to go to waste,whereas now it’s often used to mean to gather something rapaciously — to hoover it, in fact.

]]> By: John Cowan http://blog.oup.com/2009/02/gleanings-7/comment-page-1/#comment-149192 John Cowan Wed, 04 Feb 2009 18:03:30 +0000 http://blog.oup.com/?p=3005#comment-149192 The verbs <i>lynch</i> and <i>boycott</i> are the only ones in common use (that I know of) based on proper names: note that they are no longer capitalized, unlike <i>Bork</i> and <i>Blagojevich</i>. My favorite proper-name-with-suffix verb is the now-forgotten <i>fletcherize</i>, meaning to chew food until thoroughly liquefied, prototypically 28 times. The verbs lynch and boycott are the only ones in common use (that I know of) based on proper names: note that they are no longer capitalized, unlike Bork and Blagojevich. My favorite proper-name-with-suffix verb is the now-forgotten fletcherize, meaning to chew food until thoroughly liquefied, prototypically 28 times.

]]> By: Brian Barker http://blog.oup.com/2009/02/gleanings-7/comment-page-1/#comment-149191 Brian Barker Wed, 04 Feb 2009 16:21:29 +0000 http://blog.oup.com/?p=3005#comment-149191 An interesting insight on how a "universal language" might develop. As the "International Year of Languages" comes to an end on 21st February, you may be interested in the contribution, made by the World Esperanto Association, to UNESCO's campaign for the protection of endangered languages. The following declaration was made in favour of Esperanto, by UNESCO at its Paris HQ in December 2008. http://portal.unesco.org/culture/en/ev.php-URL_ID=38420&URL_DO=DO_PRINTPAGE&URL_SECTION=201.html The commitment to the campaign to save endangered languages was made, by the World Esperanto Association at the United Nations' Geneva HQ in September. http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=eR7vD9kChBA&feature=related or http://www.lernu.net An interesting insight on how a “universal language” might develop.

As the “International Year of Languages” comes to an end on 21st February, you may be interested in the contribution, made by the World Esperanto Association, to UNESCO’s campaign for the protection of endangered languages.

The following declaration was made in favour of Esperanto, by UNESCO at its Paris HQ in December 2008. http://portal.unesco.org/culture/en/ev.php-URL_ID=38420&URL_DO=DO_PRINTPAGE&URL_SECTION=201.html

The commitment to the campaign to save endangered languages was made, by the World Esperanto Association at the United Nations’ Geneva HQ in September.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=eR7vD9kChBA&feature=related or http://www.lernu.net

]]> By: Matt Wolf http://blog.oup.com/2009/02/gleanings-7/comment-page-1/#comment-149190 Matt Wolf Wed, 04 Feb 2009 14:50:07 +0000 http://blog.oup.com/?p=3005#comment-149190 "Crows do not fly in straight lines . . ." Are you saying that the expression "As the crow flies" doesn't allude to the black bird? What is your etymology for this expression? Hunyak. Reading this paragraph reminded me of a word that people of my parents' generation used in rural Minnesota: hunyucker. I don't remember it having a racial connection, but it was mildly derogatory. I wonder if the words are related. A Google search for hunyucker only returns references to a band of that name. “Crows do not fly in straight lines . . .” Are you saying that the expression “As the crow flies” doesn’t allude to the black bird? What is your etymology for this expression?

Hunyak. Reading this paragraph reminded me of a word that people of my parents’ generation used in rural Minnesota: hunyucker. I don’t remember it having a racial connection, but it was mildly derogatory. I wonder if the words are related. A Google search for hunyucker only returns references to a band of that name.

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