Exploring Diverse Word Origins and Linguistic Phenomena

Key Quotes

"Add oil! Add oil! ... it turns out the Oxford English Dictionary added this expression a few years ago and it noted that it's from Hong Kong English meaning expressing encouragement or excitement or support that it's similar to go for it and it's that same idea of making your engine run even more smoothly you know keep it humming."

Martha Barnette explains that "add oil" is a phrase from Hong Kong English, adopted by the Oxford English Dictionary. Barnette clarifies that this expression signifies encouragement or excitement, akin to saying "go for it." The phrase is used metaphorically to energize or support someone, much like oil helps an engine run smoothly.

"The modern word sack, as in a bag, can be traced back to Akkadian. This is a language that was written in cuneiform, so that makes the word about 2300 to 5000 years old. Oh my gosh, this is old. I mean recognizably the word sack, like the sounds the S and the C sound are there. It's crazy, right?"

Grant Barrett traces the etymology of the word "sack" back to the ancient Akkadian language, highlighting its immense age. Barrett emphasizes that the word's core sounds have remained remarkably consistent over millennia. This historical depth underscores the word's ancient origins and its widespread linguistic influence.

"In English, if we want to emphasize extreme smallness or insignificance in the context of something vast, we might say a drop in the ocean or a drop in a bucket. But in Mandarin, there's a wonderful expression that translates as nine cows one hair."

Martha Barnette introduces a Mandarin expression, "nine cows one hair," to illustrate the concept of extreme smallness. Barnette contrasts this with similar English idioms like "a drop in the ocean." The comparison highlights how different languages use vivid imagery to convey the same idea of insignificance within a larger whole.

"No Mr. Kenny is following a dialect tradition that's sprinkled throughout the United States. Sometimes it's turn off, T-U-R-N space O-F-F, and then whatever adjective you want there, or sometimes it's come off. You know, it might come off colder, come off hot, or 'turn off pretty' is one, or 'come off fair,' just always about the weather."

Grant Barrett explains that the phrase "turn off cold" is not an isolated invention but part of a broader dialect tradition found across the United States. Barrett notes that similar constructions like "come off colder" also exist and are used to describe weather. This clarifies that the phrase is a regional linguistic variation rather than a unique personal expression.

"And if you're finifugal, then you want to avoid the end of something because you want it to go on forever. So you might be finifugal about reading a book, you know, you just don't want to get to that last page."

Martha Barnette defines the word "finifugal" as a desire to avoid the end of something, stemming from the Latin words for "end" and "flight." Barnette provides an example of being finifugal about reading a book, illustrating the concept with the reluctance to finish an enjoyable story. This explanation clarifies the word's meaning and its application to personal experiences.

"What's happening here is that Baton Rouge has more in common with general Southern dialect than it does with New Orleans English. So Baton Rouge has things like, um, the 'a' and 'i' vowels are often lengthened, so you, the word 'ride' may sound like 'rod.'"

Grant Barrett analyzes the linguistic characteristics of the Baton Rouge accent, distinguishing it from New Orleans English. Barrett points out specific phonetic features, such as the lengthening of vowels like "a" and "i," giving the example of "ride" sounding like "rod." This analysis highlights how regional dialects develop unique sound patterns.

"Weltschmerz literally means world pain, and it was coined by a 19th-century German novelist and humorist who wrote under the pen name Jean Paul. And in 1827, a book was published that he had written called 'Selina,' and this book was a poetic meditation on love and death and memory and the afterlife, and he used this word 'Weltschmerz' to mean world sorrow made bearable only by contemplating a blessed afterlife."

Martha Barnette explains the origin and meaning of the German word "Weltschmerz." Barnette states that the term literally translates to "world pain" and was coined by the writer Jean Paul in 1827. Barnette further elaborates that in its original context, "Weltschmerz" signified a sorrow about the world that could only be alleviated by contemplating a future afterlife.

"And in the larger realm of advertising, to drop the articles, to say something like 'get iPhone,' you know, 'get iPhone 17,' the marketing people, the rationale there is to change the style so that it seems more archetypal and elevated. It's kind of a form of headlines; that's the language used in the news media to summarize a story in a headline or sub-headline, but it omits verbs, omits prepositions, omits articles, and gives a sense of immediacy and directness."

Grant Barrett discusses the advertising practice of omitting articles, such as in "get iPhone." Barrett explains that marketers use this style, similar to news headlines, to create a sense of immediacy and directness. This linguistic choice aims to make the product sound more archetypal and elevated, deviating from standard conversational English.