Shashi Tharoor's World of Words is a weekly column dissecting English language
Shashi Tharoor's World of Words is a weekly column dissecting English language
shashi tharoors world of words
The term “Chevron”, derived from the Old French word chevron, meaning “rafter”, refers to a V-shaped symbol
shashi tharoors world of words
The term “fabric”, defined as “textile, woven, or felted cloth”, only came into existence in the 18th century
shashi tharoors world of words
When someone boasts he is “ahead of the curve”, in other words performing better, earlier or faster than the competition, that expression also has its roots in flying
Amusingly enough, the terms are rooted in Old English
shashi tharoors world of words
Dysphemisms involve the deployment of derogatory or offensive language in place of inoffensive expressions
These are words deriving from older variations of the language that have fallen out of common usage and have become largely obsolete
shashi tharoors world of words
Where did these commonly-used English idioms come from?
You need to know them because they are, in fact, commonly used in English, while remaining recognisably foreign
shashi tharoors world of words
The disputed origin stories of these terms may, in fact, be untrue but are too interesting to give up