#76 - Crocodile Tears

 

Crocodile Tears Print by CuriousArtLab on Etsy, $20

Crocodile tears usually refers to big ole fake tears. These tears are often cried by little ones trying win over their parents. ;)

Where does the term originate? I mean, how often have you seen a crying crocodile? I always thought it was a reference to big tears.

Crocodiles actually cry. It's not an emotional response like we have though. Crocodile sunbathe with their mouths open to keep from overheating. (Like many animals crocodiles don't sweat.) When the crocodile holds its mouth open, it pressurizes its tear ducts and tears start flowing. It's been said that crocodiles weep to lure in their prey because these tears are not an emotional response but are thought to aid in digestion of food.

#62 - Origin of the Word Lunatic

Today during our weekly knitting time, I was talking about being amazed how much the moon affects people.  When I was working in the nursing home as a nurse aide, I never kept track of the moon cycles but some evenings when I walked into work, I immediately knew it was a full moon. The patients were very different on those evenings. I remember one evening/night I had a patient who kept telling me something was in her room, another one kept saying someone was pinching her (she was alone in her room), and several yelling and carrying on. As all the nurses and nurse aides scurried around the nursing home trying to calm everyone done, someone said "it happens every time there's a full moon".

Lunatic Pillow by elementees on Etsy, $15.95

The science nerd in me loves the use of the
periodic table elements to spell things! :)

Today I was talking about this chaos during a full moon when a friend said and that's where the word "lunatic" comes from. I'd never really thought about it but once she said it, I knew it must be true. "Luna" is the latin root for "moon". Of course, "lunatic" would have originated from the craziness that a full moon brings on.

Full Moon Behind a Tree Painting by WindingRoadGallery on Etsy, $25

In the 13th century, lunatic meant "affected with periodic insanity, dependent on changes of the moon".

In the old days, people believed you'd go mad if the moon shone on your while you were sleeping. So some people had roofs that came down over the windows of their house.

Other uses/phrases with the word lunatic:

In 1933, "lunatic soup" was Australian slang for "alcoholic drink". For some reason this really made me giggle.

Today the phrase "lunatic fringe" is used to describe extremists and irrational members of a group or society.

#45 - Why do we call the backup players "second string"?

UK Basketball Art by petuniafitzgerald on Etsy, $40

 
There's usually sports on in the background at our house. It's probably the only reason we even have a television. If it wasn't for live sports, I'm sure we could get along just fine with Netflix.

A common reference in sports is "second string". This refers to players who aren't starters. They may be decent players but they aren't the very best on the team. So why do we call them second string? I mean sports overall have very little to do with strings.

The phrase "second string" comes from Medieval times when an archer always carried a second string for his bow. He always had a replacement in case the string broke. It's odd to think of players as replacements in case the starters break but often times, that's exactly what they are. They replace tired, injured, etc starter players.

Now you know why we refer to them as second string. :)

#44 - Origin of "Kentucky"

Wooden Scroll Saw Art by ScrollSawTreasures on Etsy, $20.75

Today I learned that the word Kentucky is thought to have originated from the Cherokee word "Kentahteh" which means "meadowland".


However, other sources say the name Kentucky originated from the Iroquois word "Kentahten" which means "land of tomorrow".


However, for me and many others who've moved to Central KY, Kentucky means "land of allergies".Why is the Bluegrass area such a allergy pit for those of us not raised here (and for some that were raised here!)? I'll cover that in another post if I can find out. :)

#36 - Wild Goose Chase

Science Shirt by RogueAttire on Etsy, $18.99

As many of you know, I work in science. Today there was much frustration (for me anyways) at work in which we found a typo in some product information that basically means I've been on a "wild goose chase" for several months chasing a protein that isn't where they said it'd be.

But enough about that... during the mess I thought "why the heck do we say we've been on a wild goose chase?" I mean, I was on a wild protein chase, it has nothing to do with a goose!

 

So where did the phrase "wild goose chase" originate?

This phrase was introduced by Shakespeare in Romeo and Juliet in 1592.

 Romeo: Switch and spurs, switch and spurs; or I'll cry a match.

Mercutio: Nay, if thy wits run the wild goose chase, I have done, for thou hast more of the wild-goose i on of thy wits than, I am sure, I have in my whole five.

Collection of Vintage Shakespeare Books, MamaVonVintage, $12 on Etsy

Wow...I had a terrible time understanding what Shakespeare said when I was taking English Literature classes back before I got to focus mostly on science coursework and no wonder...I mean, what the heck does that jibberish above mean?  Shakespeare, your work is classic and beautiful...but hard to read nowadays.

In Shakespeare's time a wild goose chase referred to horse racing in which horses followed a lead  horse in wild geese flying formation.

Final Turn Horse Racing Print by dogartstudio on Etsy, $12.50

However, by 1811, the phrase meaning had changed. In Grose's Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue he defined the phrase as: "A tedious uncertain persuit, like the following of a flock of wild geese, who are remarkably shy".

Taking Off Goose Portrait by aliensink on Etsy, $25

Yep, this is pretty much what it looks like when you chase a goose...*looks innocent* not that I ever chased the geese at my Papaw's house. ;)