This blog is for everyone who uses words.

The ordinary-sized words are for everyone, but the big ones are especially for children.



Thursday 18 September 2014

Never more: a rant.

Zidul lui Hadrian

It's the day of the Scottish referendum. Everyone aged sixteen or over who lives in Scotland has a chance to decide whether Scotland should become an independent country.

What exactly does being an independent country mean?

Well, I don't know. Years and years of talking, and no one even knows in which currency the Scots will be getting paid.

Words, words, words...a tumult of them. Some of them must surely be true, just as many of them are certainly lies. But when everyone's shouting how can you hear what's really going on?

Ah well. Today it all ends, one way or the other...

...at least, I hope it does. Horrifyingly, some people have started using the word neverendum...

Word To Use Today: neverendum. This word was coined by Canadian writer Josh Freed to describe the repeated referendums on the secession of Quebec. 

Referendum is a Latin word and means something to be carried back. It comes from referre, to refer. Never comes from Old English nǣfre, from ne 'not' and ǣfre ever.

No comments:

Post a Comment

All comments are very welcome, but please make them suitable for The Word Den's family audience.