The History of English Podcast Episode 144: A Murder of Crows and Princes
Jan 20, 2021
Explore the creation of new words and collective nouns in English during the mid-1400s. Delve into the origins of onomatopoeic words and bird-related sounds. Uncover the political intrigue and tragic fate of the two princes in the Tower of London. Discover Richard III's impact on the English language and law. Trace the genealogy of the Lancastrians and Tudors and analyze the strengths and weaknesses of their claims to the throne.
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Origin Of "Without Rhyme Or Reason"
- John Russell coined "without rhyme or reason" to mean errors of form or content belong to the author.
- Rhyme referred to poetic form while reason referred to the substance of the work.
Gibberish Is Imitative, Not Borrowed
- 'Gibberish' first appears in a 15th-century translation warning against lazy prayers.
- It derives from imitative words like gibber and echoes sounds rather than foreign roots.
Lullaby Comes From Soothing Sounds
- Baby lull-sounds like 'lalet' and 'lul' are imitative soothing noises recorded in the 1400s.
- These soothing luh-sounds later produced the word 'lullaby' in the following century.