This time, we delve into the concept of eponyms—words or names derived from people's names or places that capture little slices of history. The discussion starts with general definitions and shares interesting examples like the Jacuzzi, named after the Jacuzzi brothers, and the sandwich named after the fourth Earl of Sandwich. The hosts explore how eponyms often tell compelling stories, sometimes reveal historical facts, and occasionally involve controversies or unintended legacies, such as the 'Pellereau,' a term humorously defined by Lord Sugar. They also touch on the potential pitfalls of eponyms associated with infamous figures, brands becoming generic terms, like 'Hoover' and 'Google,' and the implications of eponyms on intellectual property law. The episode is rich with anecdotes that illustrate the origin and importance of these linguistic phenomena.
Apology: In the podcast Rob insists that the word for shadow in French is Silhouette and Jono confirms this. Strictly speaking, the word for shadow is "ombre", but silhouette is sometimes used.
Below are links to more information and depth on topics and content we reference in the podcast:
- The 99% Invisible podcast with Roman Mars
- The Don't Say Velcro Song
- Many more of Jono's sketches under the category of words
- Previous Eponym podcast episodes include: The Peter Principle; Hanlon's Razor; Goldilocks Tasks; The Shirky Principle; Dunbar's Number; and Goodhart's Law.
00:00 Introduction to Eponyms
00:57 Meet the Hosts
01:56 Exploring Famous Eponyms
03:11 The Fun of Sketchplanations
11:42 Scientific Eponyms
17:31 Controversial and Historical Eponyms
23:47 The Origin of Hoover
24:58 Matthew McConaughey's Career Shift
25:59 The Concept of Genericide
28:12 Famous Eponyms: Zipper, Escalator, and More
32:11 Boycott and Maverick: Stories Behind the Words
35:42 Eponyms in Everyday Language
38:19 The Art of Naming and Eponyms in History
40:36 Final Thoughts and Takeaways
All music on this podcast series is provided by Franc Cinelli.
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