With a few exceptions that are Latin, the Polish month names of the year take more from the Pagan world of seasonal changes, rather than from the Latin calendar that we all know and use in English.
Tag Archives: words
Ancient Word of the Day: Sussurate
Sussurate: n: to whisper or murmur. The noise produced by a hive of bees, a rustling of leaves in the forest or the crackling of a fire It turns out that elemental experiences for ancient humans echo and whisper back over aeons and are universally received and recognised. No matter where we are on thisContinue reading “Ancient Word of the Day: Sussurate”
Ancient Word of the Day: Maturun / Binturong
Binturongs, also known in English as bearcats, are long, stocky and heavy tree-dwellers with large bushy tails which they use to communicate. Strangely they have an odd but pleasant scent which people who smell them seem to enjoy – like buttered popcorn. Like all animals large and small they are endangered by palm oil expansionContinue reading “Ancient Word of the Day: Maturun / Binturong”
Ancient Word of the Day: Snu
The smell sensing organ in animals is often described as a Snout and when someone is annoyed with you, you may get snubbed by them. Humans since prehistoric times have been sniffing, snuffling, snorting and sneezing and when we are blocked up, we have a lot of snot. Philosopher’s lamp, 1936 Rene Magritte These nasalContinue reading “Ancient Word of the Day: Snu”
Ancient Words of the Day: Week Days
Why are there seven days in a week? A week is a cycle of seven numbered or named days most likely due to the Jewish calendar. However things get complicated as early medieval Europe inherited the idea of the week from imperial Rome, via Christianity. Name days are similar across all European languages: English, German,Continue reading “Ancient Words of the Day: Week Days”
Ancient Word of the Day: Nightmarish Nursery Rhymes
The sweet little rhymes and refrains that fills out childhoods are actually full of ghoulish and gruesome revelations. Here are some creepy examples… The rhythmic patterns of nursery rhymes provided an ideal framework for infants and children to develop language. Mary, Mary, quite contrary,How does your garden grow?With silver bells, and cockle shells,And pretty maidsContinue reading “Ancient Word of the Day: Nightmarish Nursery Rhymes”
Eight ‘classic’ and popular books that are unreadable…
Do you have any books that everyone else seemed to love and you absolutely hated, or that you found to be a bit mediocre? Do you disagree with my assessment on these books and want to give me a good talking to? Let me know below.
Ancient Words: Cute words in Polish and how to say them
PB and I were thinking about what we would name our pets. Once we get a place where we can have a backyard so that animals can run around, we will be getting a rescue dog and cat or perhaps a whole menagerie. What we discovered was an astonishing number of cute words in Polish,Continue reading “Ancient Words: Cute words in Polish and how to say them”
Book Review: Lost Wisdom by Una McGovern and Paul Jenner
* No Spoilers Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟 Lost Wisdom and its two other companion books Lost Crafts and Lost Lore are beautifully typeset and laid out. Their contents are a cabinet of curiosities – a wunderkammer of the same sort as the Book of Barely Imagined Beings, which I have mentioned in the past. Although in thisContinue reading “Book Review: Lost Wisdom by Una McGovern and Paul Jenner”
Book Review: Tulip Fever by Deborah Moggach
Tulip Fever is one of the most captivating historical fiction reads I have had the pleasure of enjoying in recent years. Tulip Fever takes place in Amsterdam in the 1630’s during a time of immense wealth that is brought into the country by merchants and tulip sellers. If you enjoyed that other iconic historical novelContinue reading “Book Review: Tulip Fever by Deborah Moggach”
Content Catnip 