John Kelly
@mashedradish.bsky.social
Your "rigorous af" word guy. Formerly, head of content at Dictionary.com, contributor to Merriam-Webster and Oxford Dictionaries, emoji lexicographer for Emojipedia, and educator. I (still) blog about etymology at mashedradish.com.
‘Considering’ has been used prepositionally in English since the 1400s.
‘Consider’ is French via Latin ‘consīderāre,’ meaning “to inspect, examine, reflect on,” whose further origin is traditionally—and poetically—given as “with the stars.”
‘Consider’ is French via Latin ‘consīderāre,’ meaning “to inspect, examine, reflect on,” whose further origin is traditionally—and poetically—given as “with the stars.”
January 19, 2026 at 4:11 PM
‘Considering’ has been used prepositionally in English since the 1400s.
‘Consider’ is French via Latin ‘consīderāre,’ meaning “to inspect, examine, reflect on,” whose further origin is traditionally—and poetically—given as “with the stars.”
‘Consider’ is French via Latin ‘consīderāre,’ meaning “to inspect, examine, reflect on,” whose further origin is traditionally—and poetically—given as “with the stars.”
As ever, I find myself processing the news through etymology. In my latest, I dive into the origin of 'Minneapolis.'
Proposed in 1852 by a schoolmaster, it combines the Dakota 'Mniḣaḣa,' meaning "waterfall," with the Greek 'polis,' "city."
mashedradish.com/2026/01/18/m...
Proposed in 1852 by a schoolmaster, it combines the Dakota 'Mniḣaḣa,' meaning "waterfall," with the Greek 'polis,' "city."
mashedradish.com/2026/01/18/m...
“Minneapolis” means “Waterfall City”
A schoolmaster combined Dakota and Greek words to propose an official name for the city in the 1850s.
mashedradish.com
January 19, 2026 at 3:39 PM
As ever, I find myself processing the news through etymology. In my latest, I dive into the origin of 'Minneapolis.'
Proposed in 1852 by a schoolmaster, it combines the Dakota 'Mniḣaḣa,' meaning "waterfall," with the Greek 'polis,' "city."
mashedradish.com/2026/01/18/m...
Proposed in 1852 by a schoolmaster, it combines the Dakota 'Mniḣaḣa,' meaning "waterfall," with the Greek 'polis,' "city."
mashedradish.com/2026/01/18/m...
A blog about English etymology inevitably includes a lot of Latin, Greek, and Germanic.
But some of my favorite posts, like this one, are when I get to dive into less common languages like Dakota.
Dakota names so much of Great Plains and Upper Mississippi River Valley—and take it for granted.
But some of my favorite posts, like this one, are when I get to dive into less common languages like Dakota.
Dakota names so much of Great Plains and Upper Mississippi River Valley—and take it for granted.
The name 'Minneapolis,' which combines Dakota and Greek, was proposed by the city's first schoolmaster in 1852.
An early moniker was 'All Saints,' a cheeky out-holying of neighboring St. Paul and St. Anthony.
On the blog:
mashedradish.com/2026/01/18/m...
An early moniker was 'All Saints,' a cheeky out-holying of neighboring St. Paul and St. Anthony.
On the blog:
mashedradish.com/2026/01/18/m...
“Minneapolis” means “Waterfall City”
A schoolmaster combined Dakota and Greek words to propose an official name for the city in the 1850s.
mashedradish.com
January 18, 2026 at 8:19 PM
A blog about English etymology inevitably includes a lot of Latin, Greek, and Germanic.
But some of my favorite posts, like this one, are when I get to dive into less common languages like Dakota.
Dakota names so much of Great Plains and Upper Mississippi River Valley—and take it for granted.
But some of my favorite posts, like this one, are when I get to dive into less common languages like Dakota.
Dakota names so much of Great Plains and Upper Mississippi River Valley—and take it for granted.
The name 'Minneapolis,' which combines Dakota and Greek, was proposed by the city's first schoolmaster in 1852.
An early moniker was 'All Saints,' a cheeky out-holying of neighboring St. Paul and St. Anthony.
On the blog:
mashedradish.com/2026/01/18/m...
An early moniker was 'All Saints,' a cheeky out-holying of neighboring St. Paul and St. Anthony.
On the blog:
mashedradish.com/2026/01/18/m...
“Minneapolis” means “Waterfall City”
A schoolmaster combined Dakota and Greek words to propose an official name for the city in the 1850s.
mashedradish.com
January 18, 2026 at 8:08 PM
The name 'Minneapolis,' which combines Dakota and Greek, was proposed by the city's first schoolmaster in 1852.
An early moniker was 'All Saints,' a cheeky out-holying of neighboring St. Paul and St. Anthony.
On the blog:
mashedradish.com/2026/01/18/m...
An early moniker was 'All Saints,' a cheeky out-holying of neighboring St. Paul and St. Anthony.
On the blog:
mashedradish.com/2026/01/18/m...
Reposted by John Kelly
Reposted by John Kelly
Reposted by John Kelly
FTA: quant à Shakespeare, @mashedradish.bsky.social n'en a rien à foutre stronglang.wordpress.com/2016/02/05/p...
Pardon my French: Lewd language lessons in Henry V
In terms of plot, Shakespeare’s The Life of Henry the Fifth (Henry V) is fairly straightforward: invading France after making a claim on French territories, a vastly outnumbered King Henry (Harry) …
stronglang.wordpress.com
January 17, 2026 at 4:07 PM
FTA: quant à Shakespeare, @mashedradish.bsky.social n'en a rien à foutre stronglang.wordpress.com/2016/02/05/p...
Change a letter, ruin a mononym. I'll start:
Char.
Char.
January 17, 2026 at 4:33 PM
Change a letter, ruin a mononym. I'll start:
Char.
Char.
Duty calls. When @ainlif.bsky.social asks you to consult DARE about ‘warm-up’s’ as a regionalism for ‘leftovers,’ you stop what you are doing.
January 17, 2026 at 3:57 PM
Duty calls. When @ainlif.bsky.social asks you to consult DARE about ‘warm-up’s’ as a regionalism for ‘leftovers,’ you stop what you are doing.
“Zebras are my favorite animal.”
Outside Gracie Mansion. This is his job. But dare I day it he seems genuinely affected and happy to be there. There’s potentially immense power in that.
January 17, 2026 at 2:28 PM
“Zebras are my favorite animal.”
Reposted by John Kelly
Had an intriguing editorial discussion recently: how did people in the past talk about 'minutes' when they didn't have watches or standardised times? How does that affect your thinking?
Come down an Elizabethan/Jacobean rabbit hole with me.
1/
Come down an Elizabethan/Jacobean rabbit hole with me.
1/
January 17, 2026 at 10:34 AM
Had an intriguing editorial discussion recently: how did people in the past talk about 'minutes' when they didn't have watches or standardised times? How does that affect your thinking?
Come down an Elizabethan/Jacobean rabbit hole with me.
1/
Come down an Elizabethan/Jacobean rabbit hole with me.
1/
To me, guys like him are the “illegals”
Stan Kroenke, the rancher and billionaire owner of the Los Angeles Rams, Denver Nuggets and other major sports teams, is now the largest private landowner in the U.S., according to The Land Report, which tracks private land holdings.
L.A. Rams Owner Stan Kroenke Becomes Largest Private Landowner in the U.S.
A December purchase of 937,000 acres of land brought Mr. Kroenke’s total holdings to 2.7 million acres, according to a new report.
nyti.ms
January 16, 2026 at 1:26 AM
To me, guys like him are the “illegals”
Reposted by John Kelly
Also from Language Hat, I enjoyed this rant about a New Yorker article about dictionary-making: languagehat.com/menand-on-th...
Menand on the Dictionary. : languagehat.com
languagehat.com
January 15, 2026 at 5:18 PM
Also from Language Hat, I enjoyed this rant about a New Yorker article about dictionary-making: languagehat.com/menand-on-th...
Reposted by John Kelly
There are moments when you go, We live in a democracy! Why aren't the media speaking truth to power? Why aren't politicians doing something? Doesn't business care?
And then you look at the people of Minneapolis and go, Oh, that's the meaning of democracy.
And then you look at the people of Minneapolis and go, Oh, that's the meaning of democracy.
January 14, 2026 at 1:37 AM
There are moments when you go, We live in a democracy! Why aren't the media speaking truth to power? Why aren't politicians doing something? Doesn't business care?
And then you look at the people of Minneapolis and go, Oh, that's the meaning of democracy.
And then you look at the people of Minneapolis and go, Oh, that's the meaning of democracy.
Reposted by John Kelly
ICE. An abbreviation of the initial letters of Immigration and
Customs Enforcement.
Gestapo. An abbreviation of the initial letters of Geheime Staatspolizei (Ge-Sta-Po).
🤔
Customs Enforcement.
Gestapo. An abbreviation of the initial letters of Geheime Staatspolizei (Ge-Sta-Po).
🤔
January 14, 2026 at 1:25 AM
ICE. An abbreviation of the initial letters of Immigration and
Customs Enforcement.
Gestapo. An abbreviation of the initial letters of Geheime Staatspolizei (Ge-Sta-Po).
🤔
Customs Enforcement.
Gestapo. An abbreviation of the initial letters of Geheime Staatspolizei (Ge-Sta-Po).
🤔
Reposted by John Kelly
@mashedradish.bsky.social chose "fascism" for his etymology of the year--it's from Italian "fascio," meaning "group," from Latin meaning "bundle."
January 13, 2026 at 10:05 PM
@mashedradish.bsky.social chose "fascism" for his etymology of the year--it's from Italian "fascio," meaning "group," from Latin meaning "bundle."
Reposted by John Kelly
Come for the WOTY. Stay to hear @benzimmer.bsky.social get challenged by @mashedradish.bsky.social to say
"Lake Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg."
"Lake Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg."
January 13, 2026 at 10:35 PM
Come for the WOTY. Stay to hear @benzimmer.bsky.social get challenged by @mashedradish.bsky.social to say
"Lake Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg."
"Lake Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg."
There are moments when you go, We live in a democracy! Why aren't the media speaking truth to power? Why aren't politicians doing something? Doesn't business care?
And then you look at the people of Minneapolis and go, Oh, that's the meaning of democracy.
And then you look at the people of Minneapolis and go, Oh, that's the meaning of democracy.
January 14, 2026 at 1:37 AM
There are moments when you go, We live in a democracy! Why aren't the media speaking truth to power? Why aren't politicians doing something? Doesn't business care?
And then you look at the people of Minneapolis and go, Oh, that's the meaning of democracy.
And then you look at the people of Minneapolis and go, Oh, that's the meaning of democracy.
I mean, you learn the word "dictator" is from the Latin verb "dicere," meaning "to say, speak" and it seems abstract.
Now, we see just how literal it can be.
In his derangement, that man really thinks—nay, has been yes'd to think—he rules the world by saying so.
Fiat. Decree. Edict.
Now, we see just how literal it can be.
In his derangement, that man really thinks—nay, has been yes'd to think—he rules the world by saying so.
Fiat. Decree. Edict.
January 14, 2026 at 1:32 AM
I mean, you learn the word "dictator" is from the Latin verb "dicere," meaning "to say, speak" and it seems abstract.
Now, we see just how literal it can be.
In his derangement, that man really thinks—nay, has been yes'd to think—he rules the world by saying so.
Fiat. Decree. Edict.
Now, we see just how literal it can be.
In his derangement, that man really thinks—nay, has been yes'd to think—he rules the world by saying so.
Fiat. Decree. Edict.
ICE. An abbreviation of the initial letters of Immigration and
Customs Enforcement.
Gestapo. An abbreviation of the initial letters of Geheime Staatspolizei (Ge-Sta-Po).
🤔
Customs Enforcement.
Gestapo. An abbreviation of the initial letters of Geheime Staatspolizei (Ge-Sta-Po).
🤔
January 14, 2026 at 1:25 AM
ICE. An abbreviation of the initial letters of Immigration and
Customs Enforcement.
Gestapo. An abbreviation of the initial letters of Geheime Staatspolizei (Ge-Sta-Po).
🤔
Customs Enforcement.
Gestapo. An abbreviation of the initial letters of Geheime Staatspolizei (Ge-Sta-Po).
🤔
And on the heels of Teyana Taylor winning a Golden Globe for her stunning portrayal of Perfidia Beverly Hills in “One Battle After Another.”
PERFIDY.
Recorded in the late 1500s in the sense of “treachery.” French via Latin “perfidia,” meaning “faithlessness.”
Based on “perfidus" (treacherous, false), which combines “per” (through) and “fides” (faith).
The notion is, apparently, deceiving through a show of faith or trust.
Recorded in the late 1500s in the sense of “treachery.” French via Latin “perfidia,” meaning “faithlessness.”
Based on “perfidus" (treacherous, false), which combines “per” (through) and “fides” (faith).
The notion is, apparently, deceiving through a show of faith or trust.
January 13, 2026 at 1:48 AM
And on the heels of Teyana Taylor winning a Golden Globe for her stunning portrayal of Perfidia Beverly Hills in “One Battle After Another.”
PERFIDY.
Recorded in the late 1500s in the sense of “treachery.” French via Latin “perfidia,” meaning “faithlessness.”
Based on “perfidus" (treacherous, false), which combines “per” (through) and “fides” (faith).
The notion is, apparently, deceiving through a show of faith or trust.
Recorded in the late 1500s in the sense of “treachery.” French via Latin “perfidia,” meaning “faithlessness.”
Based on “perfidus" (treacherous, false), which combines “per” (through) and “fides” (faith).
The notion is, apparently, deceiving through a show of faith or trust.
January 13, 2026 at 1:46 AM
PERFIDY.
Recorded in the late 1500s in the sense of “treachery.” French via Latin “perfidia,” meaning “faithlessness.”
Based on “perfidus" (treacherous, false), which combines “per” (through) and “fides” (faith).
The notion is, apparently, deceiving through a show of faith or trust.
Recorded in the late 1500s in the sense of “treachery.” French via Latin “perfidia,” meaning “faithlessness.”
Based on “perfidus" (treacherous, false), which combines “per” (through) and “fides” (faith).
The notion is, apparently, deceiving through a show of faith or trust.
In a moment of unadulterated good today, I had my seventh graders share pictures of their favorites foods during a transition. The joy! Chicken adobo, paneer tikka, and, my word, shucos. The resounding favorite, though, was tortas. I dare you to defy them.
January 13, 2026 at 1:35 AM
In a moment of unadulterated good today, I had my seventh graders share pictures of their favorites foods during a transition. The joy! Chicken adobo, paneer tikka, and, my word, shucos. The resounding favorite, though, was tortas. I dare you to defy them.
Reposted by John Kelly
Man with a Newspaper - 1928
https://botfrens.com/collections/61/contents/1123724
https://botfrens.com/collections/61/contents/1123724
January 11, 2026 at 4:35 PM
Man with a Newspaper - 1928
https://botfrens.com/collections/61/contents/1123724
https://botfrens.com/collections/61/contents/1123724