Episode 145: A Sea Change for Europe

Feb 18, 2021

This podcast explores the European exploration and discovery in the 1400s, the linguistic impact of the New World discovery on the English language, the origins of nautical terms and shipbuilding incentives, the etymology of terms like 'denim', 'jeans', and 'maps', the historical origins of terms like Middle East and India, the influence of island chains on European exploration and naming conventions, the trading relationship between England and Iceland, and Christopher Columbus's search for support from Spanish rulers.

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Introduction

00:00 • 5min

Shipbuilding and the Origins of Nautical Terms

05:20 • 16min

Origins of Denim, Jeans, Mops, and Maps

21:09 • 6min

Origins of Terms and Misconceptions: From the Near East to the Americas

26:44 • 23min

Origins of Island Chains in the Atlantic

49:28 • 5min

Cod Fishing, Nautical Terms, and Trading Missions

54:05 • 3min

The Northern Voyage and Seek for Support

56:43 • 11min