Think that all English words have perfectly rational origins? Think again!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In this blog, we\u2019ll explore 11 English words with unexpected origins. In fact, some are so unexpected they could be considered downright bizarre. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Whatever your opinion, the origin of these 11 words are so strange that each one makes for an excellent conversation topic \u2013 whether you\u2019re eating a sandwich or washing your hair\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sarcasm can feel viscous and hurtful \u2013 and when you know the origin of the word, you\u2019ll understand why. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The word \u201csarcasm\u201d comes from the Greek word \u201csarkazein\u201d which originally meant to \u201ctear flesh like dogs\u201d. With these biting, teeth-related origins, it slowly started to mean \u201cgnash the teeth\u201d and, as communication became more sophisticated \u201cto speak bitterly\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mortgage is a French word which comes from \u201cmort\u201d \u2013 meaning \u201cdead\u201d, and \u201cgage\u201d \u2013 mean \u201cpledge\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
If a \u201cdeath pledge\u201d sounds more like something from a Stephen King horror novel, don\u2019t worry \u2013 it has a more literal meaning. A loan taken to buy a property was considered a pledge \u2013 one that was brought to an end when the debt \u2018died\u2019 \u2013 or, in today\u2019s terms, was paid off. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
When we fire up a barbeque today, we place our food on a wire grill. However, back in the 15th<\/sup> Century in the Caribbean, a frame of sticks was used in place of metal. Back then, the word for \u201cframe of sticks\u201d was \u201cbarbacoa\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Ketchup on a hotdog sounds might appealing today \u2013 but one possible origin of the word is likely to sound a lot less appetizing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Thought to come from the Chinese \u201ck\u00f4e-chiap\u201d \u2013 the word originally meant a blend of spices and pickled fish. Interestingly, when the word was first translated to English, it was spelled \u201cCatchup\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n We use the word \u201cnightmare\u201d today to describe any bad dream. With this in mind, the \u201cnight\u201d portion of the word is pretty easy to figure out \u2013 but \u201cmare\u201d is less obvious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While \u201cmare\u201d means a female horse today \u2013 it has also previously been used as a word for a female demon or goblin. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Said female goblin was thought to visit you in the night, sit on your chest, then suffocate you while you sleep by wrapping her hair around your throat \u2013 inspiring thoughts of terror. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If that\u2019s not enough to inspire a nightmare, then nothing is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you use Grammarly, you\u2019ll often find that the word \u201cnice\u201d is flagged as being overused \u2013 and it\u2019s a message that\u2019s been the same from English teachers through the years. <\/p>\n\n\n\n English teachers and Grammarly might have a point though. You might like the word \u201cnice\u201d \u2013 but its origin is actually at odds with what it means today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s thought that the English \u201cnice\u201d comes from the Old French word \u201cnice\u201d- from the Latin \u201cnecius\u201d. If you described someone with this word, you\u2019d be suggesting that they\u2019re overdressed, to the point of looking ludicrous. The connection with being over-dressed eventually meant that the word transformed to mean that someone who well presented \u2013 hence its use today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To understand the origin of \u201cclue\u201d we need to look at an ancient Greek word that describes a ball of string \u2013 \u201cclew\u201d. So, how did a ball of string come to represent a piece of information that a detective might follow to crack a case? <\/p>\n\n\n\n Well, the story of Theseus sees the titular hero enter the Labyrinth (a vast maze) to kill the Minotaur, a mythical bull-headed beast. He unravelled a \u201cclew\u201d as he went into the maze and let it trail behind him \u2013 so he\u2019d have a way of finding his way back out afterwards. Hence today, we might follow a clue to get to the bottom of a mystery or find our way through tricky information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sandwich is a strange word, right? Who could have possibly thought that the word sandwich could ever mean two slices of bread with a filling between them?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Apparently, the word comes from a particular English Earl and his taste for both gambling and food. Rather than leave the gambling table to eat at a table, he\u2019d ask for his favorite foods to be delivered to him between two slices of bread. His title? The 4th<\/sup> Earl of Sandwich. <\/p>\n\n\n\n People close to the Earl claimed that his love of convenience food came from the fact that he never wanted to leave his desk, allowing him to deal with the important matters of the day \u2013 but, whatever his reason, the sandwich lives on to this day \u2013 handy for gamblers and politicians alike. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The word \u201chooligan\u201d is often used in relation to rowdy sports fans. In fact, it\u2019s common in British English as a word that\u2019s used to describe violent soccer fans \u2013 but the origin of the word may relate directly to one family with an especially bad reputation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n An old song from the 1890s talks about an Irish family called the \u201cHoulihans\u201d who were considered to be especially talented at causing trouble and being rowdy. The pronunciation has changed a little, but the family\u2019s legacy lives on in violent soccer fans around the world. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Ever wondered how an Indian flatbread and your hair-care regimen are related?! The answer is probably a solid \u201cno!\u201d \u2013 but that\u2019s about to change!<\/p>\n\n\n\n A \u201cchapati\u201d is a type of bread traditionally eaten with curries. The word relates to how the bread is kneaded or massaged \u2013 a motion that\u2019s similar to the massaging motion used to wash your hair. This \u201cmassaging\u201d meaning meant the word \u201cchapati\u201d eventually evolved into \u201cshampoo\u201d \u2013 the technique used to wash hair \u2013 then later into the name for the product we now use to clean our hair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Next time you smash your avocados for a breakfast full of healthy fats, you might wince a little. This is because \u201cavocado<\/a>\u201d comes from the Aztec word \u201cahuacatl\u201d which literally translates to \u201ctesticles\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n This unusual origin \u2013 dating back over 2500 years \u2013 is partly due to the fact that avocados hung from the plant they grow on in pairs. It\u2019s also likely that the word was used because the ancient Aztecs considered the fruit to be an aphrodisiac \u2013 closely related to virility and sexual prowess!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Think that all English words have perfectly rational origins? Think again! In this blog, we\u2019ll explore 11 English words with unexpected origins. In fact, some are so unexpected they could be considered downright bizarre. Whatever your opinion, the origin of these 11 words are so strange that each one makes for an excellent conversation topic… <\/p>\nKetchup<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Nightmare<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Nice<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Clue<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Sandwich<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Hooligan<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Shampoo<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Avocado<\/h2>\n\n\n\n