Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing cover image

The dark histories behind your favorite scary words, with Jess Zafarris

Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing

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The Origins of Words and Their Meanings

This chapter explores the origins and meanings of certain words, discussing how some original words have been lost due to fear. It covers topics such as the origins of the words 'Arctic' and 'Antarctic', the banshee and its association with death foretelling, the difficulty of pronouncing Irish words, the origins of the word 'chimera' in Greek mythology and biology, the name 'chupacabra' in Spanish, and the history and symbolism of dragons and werewolves in folklore.

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