Rotarians were sometimes laughing and sometimes awe-struck as Rotarian Jim Buck recounted origins of common words and phrases at this week’s meeting. Here is a sampling of what he shared:
Acid Test – This dates back to the Gold Rush days when acid was used to verify rocks were really gold since the acid would not harm them.
Baby Boom – First used to describe the influx of babies after World War II in a 1953 report to President Harry Truman.
Big Wig – This was popularized during the reign of French King Louis XIV who wore a large decorative wig and was imitated by scores of others trying to show their importance.
Earmark – Dating from the 16tth Century, this word refers to the custom of farmers clipping the ears of their sheep in a certain manner as a means of identification.
Read the Riot Act – The required reading of the English Riot Act Law of 1714 before authorities could take steps to break up an unruly crowd.
Red Herring – The practice of 17th Century criminals to smear a herring across their tracks while fleeing in order to confuse the scent of dogs tracking them.
Zig Zag – The World War II tactic by submarines to avoid detection which later came to describe any back-and-forth movement that deviates from the straightest route between two points.
Thank you, Jim, for enlightening us with your scholarly overview of the English language.