Common Uncommon…jargon references from the author’s quill

EDITION ONE, SEGMENT ONE

Hello everyone! Long time, right? How have you been?

Lately, I have been wondering how our language and communications have evolved over the eons. I have been pondering over how everyday words and phrases have come into being. Not just events and incidents, but literature and books  have also played a vast role in bringing the English language to its current form. In this four segment post cluster, I will bring you the words and phrases that have originated from published works in different, creative ways. Sit back, relish the read and be prepared to get your mind blown by some surprising revelations!

Literature, in my opinion, is akin to a free flowing river of clear water; it reflects each spectrum of the society and keeps flowing and evolving. Its depth too, like a river, varies at each brink.

It often performs the dynamic dual role of portraying the existing melange of cultures and shaping the new cultural norms. Thoughts, characteristics, ethics, morals and even the nuances of language, are influenced by an author’s quill. Undoubtedly, innumerable idioms, phrases, sayings and words have been added to the lexicon of language, after appearing in notable published works. A diverse collection of Greek, Latin, French, Sanskrit, Hindi words amongst many more, coupled with the author’s imagination have contributed to the ever expanding linguistic base of the English language. Some words and their meanings have evolved from their original use and some of these phrases now reflect a perversion of their actual meaning.

Various tools and elements of language and expression are employed by literature to convey an anthology of complex human emotions. Poetry, prose, dramatics, mythology, folklore, legends and so on and so forth; its reach is widespread. Studying the etymological aspects of this discipline along with its comprehensive study may offer a delightful reverie and open realms of intellectual discourse for all literature lovers and readers alike.

In this issue, an anthropomorphic limerick (a humorous, five-line poem with a rhyme scheme of a-a-b-b-a), titled ‘A WISE OWL HEN’, composed by yours truly, delves into the use and origin of some words that you would be surprised to know, originate from popular works.

It’s now the time to thank our preceding wordsmiths for their timeless bequest to world of English language and relish their beautiful thought and creativity.

A wise owl hen, once decided to lie low,

To escape her life; lonely and slow,

Hid in a namby-pamby creeper,

To be a utopian day sleeper,

Only to be woken by the snores of a crow!

WISE OWL -Originates from the Greek mythology, where the goddess of wisdom, Athena, was represented as an owl. It finds its mention in popular culture, in the rhyme of ‘A wise, old owl’, recorded in 1875, quoted by John D. Rockefeller in 1909 and frequently misattributed to Edward H. Richards and William R.

NAMBY-PAMBY -A consequential nickname by English Poet, Henry Carey, for his fellow poet Ambrose Philips because of a feud between the poets of that age. Carey used the phrase in his poem of the same name, ‘Namby-Pamby’ (1725), to ridicule Philips .Since then the phrase has been used to describe someone as weak, silly or emotional. 

UTOPIAN -Taking inspiration from the Greek word ‘ou-topos’, meaning, no place, Sir Thomas More coined the term and used in in his novel, ‘Utopia’ (1516).Since then, the aforementioned word has been used to describe any ideal world or society.

LONELY -Originating from the English word ‘lone’ (solitary or unaccompanied),Used as an adjective by playwright Shakespeare in many of his plays.

 LIE LOW -Used by English playwright and poet William Shakespeare, in his play ‘Much Ado about Nothing’ (1623). It originally meant (of a person) being dead. Over time, the meaning of this phrase has evolved and is now used with reference to keeping a low profile and not attracting attention to one self.

Hope you enjoyed reading it. See you in the next segment! Follow my blog for similar content!

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