Roz's Random Ramblings: Language, History, and Other Adventures

This episode looks at several questions having to do with funerals and language. What is a eulogy? Or an epitaph? What do cemeteries and dormitories have in common? How did the word chair come from cathedral? And a few more. A sometimes fun and always informative look at where some of our funeral customs have come from, and how they have shaped the English language.

Gin and tonic is the most popular highball cocktail today, but where did it come from, and how did it get invented? The story has lots of twists and turns, as creating the iconic drink required the right things to be in place before it could ever be created. Join me on a fun journey through time and space to discover how this popular beverage combination came to be.

The ironic thing is... We use or hear this phrase every day, but have you ever been told that you're using it incorrectly? And how can that be? You've heard it used this way before. In this episode, I take a look at what the word irony means in use, and why you probably aren't using it wrong at all. Also, how you should react to people who correct you (whatever). Accompanied by my usual tangential trips to other areas of language, including a leisurely drift down a lazy river in an attempt to cool off, this episode hopefully...

This episode takes a look at the ancestors of Sierra, whose family were among the earliest settlers in both the US and Canada. I talk about the Burrows family of Virginia, who landed in Jamestown within a year of its founding, and had a few adventures that represented the best and the worst of early colonial life.

This episode takes a crack at answering 2 questions: How did cobalt blue get its name? and What makes Prussian blue special? Both answers do deep dives into history to uncover tales of scientific exploration, industry, art, and intrigue. Flecked with the usual fun facts and asides, enjoy an entertaining and educational look at two shades of the color blue.

Most people are pretty sure they know what a salad is - that leafy green stuff that cows eat. But then there are all these other things we call salads that don't even have vegetables, let alone lettuce or spinach. How did Jello become a salad? The answer takes some crazy twists and turns through history and also through the amazing abilities of the human mind. Take a walk on the wild side and find out why something that contains whipped cream and chocolate bars can still be called a salad.

Most of us tend to think of English as being, well, English, but the English language is the product of numerous influences from languages all over the world. One of the most impactful languages on English, particularly in vocabulary, has been French, but how did that happen? This episode attempts to answer this question by looking at one eventful year, 1066, and how the events of that year profoundly changed the English language, with the effects still identifiable today. This episode also includes the usual fun facts, including a quick look at some of the quirkier royal nicknames of the...

A little ditty highlighting the parts and history of the banjo that make the instrument unique. Featuring interludes about my own experiences as well as some side tracks about other instruments, this episode will get your toe tapping and offer a few chuckles along with the usual insights.

This episode looks at the answers to two questions: How did Madrid, Iowa, get its name? and How did Kossuth, Humboldt, and Webster counties get their shapes? Both have entertaining answers about how the wild west... well, maybe madcap midwest is more accurate... was settled, and some of the characters that left their mark on history. No shootouts or wagon trains or anything like that, but adventurous nonetheless.

If you've ever had Korean food, one thing you know is that they like their spice. But why do Koreans love spicy food? This episode looks at the history of gochu, a distinctly Korean spice, including theories about where it came from and why Koreans love it so much. My usual humorous approach to the topic, including several fun anecdotes from my own personal experiences with Koreans and spicy food. Spicy!

Where do cookies come from? The answer may surprise you. This episode is a wild and crazy ride through the history of cookies, discussing where they come from and how they got their name.

This episode changes things up a bit - got to be random! - by looking at a couple of generations from my brother-in-law's family tree. Specifically, his 14th and 15th great grandparents, who hung out in the court of the notorious King Henry VIII. Think Henry's life and romances were crazy? Well, they were, but the Staffords, Nevilles, and Howards did their best to keep up with him. Take a closer look at the lives of a few nobles in the court of King Henry VIII, who also happen to be my brother-in-law Randy's ancestors.

Have you ever noticed that green often represents both good things and bad? Green likely makes you think of foliage and new growth, but it is also the color used to represent poisons and witches' brews and people getting sick. How did that happen? This episode looks at the history of the word green, focusing on how and why it has developed these dual meanings. Look forward to feeling fresh, followed by feeling sick, in this revealing look at the color green.

In this episode, I try to answer the question: Why does everyone have lawns? Which isn't true - some people don't - but there are certainly a lot of them. This episode looks at the etymology and history of lawns from a somewhat humorous angle to explore the popularity of lawns, both yesterday and today.

Ever wonder why "two, to, and too" sound the same, even though they're spelled differently and mean different things? This episode offers a somewhat whimsical look at an answer to the question with a deep dive into the history and phonology of the three function words. Hopefully as entertaining as it is informative.