A (brief) History of Christmas – Part 2
A history of Christmas might sound like a fairly simple undertaking. From nativity, to church, to family, to commerce – a story of high beginnings, a cosy, warm middle and the chill of cold hard cash and commercialism at the end. However its not quote that simple – the type of Christmas we celebrate today has a very winding tale indeed.
A (brief) History of Christmas – Part 1
A history of Christmas might sound like a fairly simple undertaking. From nativity, to church, to family, to commerce – a story of high beginnings, a cosy, warm middle and the chill of cold hard cash and commercialism at the end. However its not quote that simple – the type of Christmas we celebrate today has a very winding tale indeed.
Why Did the Magi Bring Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh?
Since the early days of Christianity, Biblical scholars and theologians have offered varying interpretations of the meaning and significance of the gold, frankincense and myrrh that the magi presented to Jesus. The latest one is that the magi “from the East” may have presented Frankincense to the baby Jesus for its’ healing properties.
Christmas Carols – The Oldest ones are the best – Some Origins
Christmas carols are mostly a Victorian tradition along with trees, crackers and cards. In this article we look at why the popularity of Silent Night has never faded, why there’s always a place for Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, and why the British fondness of Good King Wenceslas has yet to subside.
They have a word for that in Greek / Russian / Italien … (things you can’t say in English)
If you look at the statistics around the English language you’d think that we already have more than enough words in this ‘language of the World’. However as much as we like to think of English as the biggest and best of all the World languages, it turns out there’s just some things you can’t express in one word … but you can in other languages. Duende (Spanish); Hygge (Danish); Komorehi (Japanese); Fartlek (Swedish)
Origins of Some English Eponyms : Farenheit, Colossal, Macabre, Dolby
Eponyms are one of the most fascinating examples of how the English language gains new words. In this article we take a colourful look at the phenomenon that is the eponym gathering together the stories of the people behind the words that have passed into our everyday vocabulary : Farenheit, Colossal, Macabre, Dolby
How is it that a Yacht Can Travel Faster than the Wind ?
There is something undeniably odd about a yacht doing 25 knots while sailing into a 15 knot wind. So, how is it that a yacht can travel faster than the wind ?
Is There Any Truth in the Old Weather saying of “Red Sky at Night Shepherds Delight” ?
Red Sky at Night – Shepherd’s delight. Red Sky in the morning – Sailor’s Warning” – This is one of those venerable bits of meteorological lore and weather experts confirms it to be around 70% reliable. But Why ?
What is the Evidence Supporting Claims of Spontaneous Human Combustion?
In the 150 years since Dickens described the horrific death of Krook the rag-dealer in Bleak House, several hundred cases of apparent spontaneous human combustion in humans have been recorded. They typically involve the rapid yet complete incineration of the person, often with no obvious nearby source of heat. But what of any scientific analysis ?
Mysteries of History : Atlantis
HISTORY RECORDS ACTUAL EVENTS whereas myths spin tales that help explain a culture’s worldview. It’s where history and myth intersect that we find some of the most enduring legends. In this particular article we look at Atlantis.
How Far Back in Time Could an English Speaker Go and Still Understand the Language ?
“How Far Back in Time Could an English Speaker Go and Still Understand the Language ?” In a Nutshell : it would be somewhere between 400 to 500 yrs ago. In order to justify this let’s compare how the speech of ‘English’ speakers sounded in Chaucer’s time, the late 14th Century, with that in the late 16th Century – at the time of Shakespeare.
What Are the Oldest Words in the English Language Still in Use Today ?
The oldest (known) words in the English language are, as you might expect, “building block words” – words that reflecting key elements in any developing human society. All of the ones we’ve listed in this article originate on or before 1000AD and 900AD.
The British Parliament – “Mother of Parliaments”
The British Parliament is often referred to as the Mother of Parliaments (in fact a misquotation of John Bright, who remarked in 1865 that “England is the Mother of Parliaments”) because the British Parliament has been the model for most other parliamentary systems. In this article we look at 4 other amazing facts about one of our most venerated institutions.
How Was the Christian Bible Put Together ? Who Wrote it All ?
How Was the Christian Bible Put Together ? Who Wrote it All ?
Coffee – The Revolutionary’s Drink of Choice ?
Did you grab a cup of coffee on your way to work this morning, or drop in to a coffee shop with a friend to gossip whilst savouring the bitter sweet nectar of the that king of all beans the coffee berry ? If you’d done this in the 17th Century then you might have been regarded as either a subversive or or a danger to the moral fabric of society.
