Hello my dear teacher!
If I´m not mistaken both Titanic and Lincon went down in april … so it has to be number one then, the french connection…
from your dear student / Swedehunter
donfelipegonzales on
May 6th, 2008 12:52 pm
Dear teacher
Argh too late! this one was very interesting, I go to read the answer!
Amicalement
Your devoted student
Voïvode Philohippos
dvdpage on
May 6th, 2008 7:37 am
I am guessing answer #1.
I miss the electric guitar at the end of your lessons. I’ll have to go back to some of the earlier lessons to hear it. It’s hot like you!
Thanks again
scarab808 on
May 6th, 2008 12:53 am
I know that this is a late response to your video, but did you also know that there is a May Day in Hawaii (not mayday but an actual day in May, usually may 1st). It is a celebration in Hawaii and I just thought I’d let you know in case you were interested in learning more about that… It started in 1927, I believe.
There’s even a song by Leonard and Ruth Hawk called, “May day is Lei day in Hawaii”
Thank you so much for making me the teacher’s pet in this video lesson. I am so very honored. I e-mailed the link to all of my friends. They find it hard to believe that such a beautiful, intelligent teacher would have selected me as the teacher’s pet, but, I think they are jealous.
My pleasure Bill.. thanks for coming here and contributing on my website
2hotforwordsfanclub replied on May 6th, 2008 9:04 am:
I can’t believe that you are teachers pet either LOL
hutchiee on
May 5th, 2008 6:12 am
Answering #1 (crossing fingers)
prospero811 on
May 5th, 2008 5:42 am
Hey, Marina,
Lately, when I log on to your website, it will allow me to post comments, but not on the most current video. For instance, I logged on just now and can post here, but when I click over to the Mayday Answer, it does not allow me to post a comment. After a while it will, but there is frequently a delay now.
I was wondering if any one else experienced this, and if it was your website or my computer that was the cause.
Thanks,
Eric
P.S. Abe Lincoln was assassinated on April 14, 1865, and the Titanic struck an iceberg on April 14, 1912. Also, on April 14, 1828, the first edition of Webster’s dictionary was published. On April 14, 1935, Babe Ruth played his first game for the Boston Braves.
uh, no. mine never did. neither firefox nor safari.
prospero811 replied on May 5th, 2008 7:22 am:
I use Firefox. Some sites have an option when one signs up that says “keep me logged in.” I’m not sure if this was an option I failed to choose when signing up. I don’t remember. However, I do use Firefox, and it does not keep me logged in all the time, unfortunately.
I always stay logged in.. don’t know why you would be logged out.. you have to physically log out. Are you able to make comments now?
prospero811 replied on May 6th, 2008 4:29 am:
Yes - I can always post comments, but sometimes it’s the most recent board. There are times when I will be able to post on one board, but not the most recent. It’s really strange. It might have something to do with cookies, as alx mentioned, but I don’t think I delete cookies - maybe my computer automatically deletes them when I shut my browser - however, I don’t think that’s the case since cookies for remembering passwords are always there….
Perhaps this is one of those insoluble mysteries…..I much prefer soluble mysteries….
your browser stores your passwords differently. that’s not what cookies are. yeah, ff has a few options how to handle cookies and the like.
extras > options > privacy (or (data) security) > [x] accept cookies > keep cookies until … (be sure to not choose “until firefox is closed” or however they put it, sry, got the german version).
you have to accept cookies. just tried it, emptied the cache and deleted all cookies. after deleting the cookies I wasn’t logged in anymore when I restarted the browser. that’s it, I guess. just don’t delete the cookie you’re given. plus, there’s this “remember me” thing when you sign in. be sure to check the box in front of it.
prospero811 replied on May 6th, 2008 4:30 am:
Tx! I’m going to check out the cookie situation on my computer.
your browser stores your passwords differently. that’s not what cookies are. yeah, ff has a few options how to handle cookies and the like.
extras > options > privacy (or (data) security) > [x] accept cookies > keep cookies until … (be sure to not choose “until firefox is closed” or however they put it, sry, got the german version — choose “until they’re not valid anymore”).
prospero811 replied on May 6th, 2008 5:17 am:
Marina and aLx - further to my log on issue…. it’s weird - I “logged on” using the button at the top right of the home page. I then clicked to the Molotov Cocktail page and the “reply” links were on. However, I clicked to the Mayday Game page, and the “reply” links were not on. I tried a couple times (same browser window as well as different browser window), and same result. Now - after having posted my last post on the Molotov Cocktail page, this page is working fine!
This is just weird! I wonder if anyone else has had the same issue.
Or, am I just crazy?
greenbush replied on May 7th, 2008 12:30 am:
Yes guys, aLx and prospero811, my May 3 reply was hard to do. This time, I could not sucessfully login to post a reply on my MSN browser, nor Mozilla, rather with IE7 I could. Why? Beats me.
walkinintherain on
May 3rd, 2008 7:08 pm
How about “eavesdropper”? And surely there must be some funny origins of Russian words that can be explained in English? Why did you choose ENGLISH to study anyway? Popularity? And WHERE did you get that HORRIBLE New York accent :)?
I’ve taken some Mandarin classes and my teacher always tells me funny stories about how some words in that language came to be. The Italian word “ciao” also has an interesting origin.
Love the web site, even WITHOUT the boobs (take that as you may lol).
wordlover replied on May 3rd, 2008 7:22 pm:
New York accent? Are you referring to her diphthong of [o]? Y’know, like “dwahg” /d̪ɒ͠ɑɡ/ for “dog”.
walkinintherain replied on May 3rd, 2008 8:13 pm:
Exactly. She sounds like my aunt from Brooklyn lol.
wordlover replied on May 3rd, 2008 8:23 pm:
Some have suggested that this [o] diphthong came from second generations Jews who wished not to sound like their parents who used a flat [o] sound. This was not due to a generation gap, but rather a desire for cultural distinction.
To me, it seems to be a Slavic import. I’ve noticed certain Russian locutions have an almost New-Yawk sound to them. But seemingly this phonetic trend started too far back for us (linguists) to be certain for sure.
The dental consonants could be from Italian, etc. The nasality, hmm—tough one, who knows…
mrchex on
May 3rd, 2008 6:36 pm
I really don’t like that top. Others are much better. tiny designs and rufles look frumpy or ghetto or grandma like. thanks for word quiz tho
nettitus on
May 3rd, 2008 6:14 pm
Hello,
My word request is Titanus.
What is the mean of this word ??
Is particular ??
Tanks,
Alex
plasticafro on
May 3rd, 2008 5:30 pm
My word request:
Can you do the word ‘love’. More specifically ‘love’ from the tennis terminology. But if you want to do the other meaning you can do that too.
supersexychong on
May 3rd, 2008 4:41 pm
Poppycock!
wordlover replied on May 3rd, 2008 5:26 pm:
Bet she’ll do it, ’cause it sounds naughty—well, it’s origin IS sorta naughty, but I’ll let Marina answer it…
supersexychong replied on May 3rd, 2008 7:10 pm:
i like eating the poppycock popcorn too.
wordlover replied on May 3rd, 2008 7:16 pm:
What about peppercorns?
wordlover on
May 3rd, 2008 4:10 pm
I want you to do a video on the origin of the word “origin”.
LOVE YA, BABE!
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
superman on
May 3rd, 2008 3:59 pm
Where does the term “stoned” come from? ie.. “that person looks stoned”? Thanks Marina
PS. Enjoy your classes - you’re a great teacher!
2hotforwordsfanclub replied on May 6th, 2008 9:27 am:
I don’t think that the answer to this one is set in stone.
Most likely explanation is that a particularly potent 19th century mixture of Brandy and beer was called ’stone fence’. People that used this concoction were called stoners.
Or maybe people that got stoned looked like that people had cast stones at him/her like in Jesus’s time. He who cast the first stone etc etc,
Question is are plasterers always tired ? Has anyone seen a pissed Newt ? Or a drunk skunk for that matter ? And how can a fart get pissed LOL ?
bobsully on
May 3rd, 2008 3:49 pm
I will guess #1.
dfannin43 on
May 3rd, 2008 3:45 pm
Hey Marina!! ITs me Your favorite! Soo I have been watching the NBA playoffs and i always hear the announcers say ” He has ice water in his veins.” I understand what it means but i dont really understand how it got started. Soo i thought maybe you could explain. Have a good day! bye!
webflyer on
May 3rd, 2008 3:36 pm
Hi Marina…Mayday is used as “the international radiotelephony distress signal” and I believe it is derived from the French word “m’aider”. According to the Airman’s Information Manual (AIM) used by pilots in the US, “Mayday” is the term when repeated three times indicates “imminent and grave danger and that immediate assistance is requested.”
Here’s a question for you. Also according to the AIM, the term “PAN” when repeated three times “indicates uncertainty or alert followed by the nature of the urgency.” Where does the word “PAN” come from?
pennsyltucky9 replied on May 3rd, 2008 4:04 pm:
From the French as well (en panne). It means something is broken or disabled, my plane, ship, etc. won’t work right. One thing they’ll know for sure is not to count on your support in the clutch. Not as dramatic as a mayday call, but maybe that complete failure is imminent.
wordlover replied on May 3rd, 2008 4:07 pm:
PT9, I’ve got a dare for you (if you’re up for it):
Next time nbeltran asks a question, answer it (i.e., post a response posthaste [i.e., immediately]).
Just a suggestion.
webflyer replied on May 3rd, 2008 4:15 pm:
Thanks PT9….I’ve been wondering about that for years.
wordlover on
May 3rd, 2008 3:28 pm
And speaking of love, Marina, please teach us about the name «Людмила».
Большое спасибо!
pennsyltucky9 replied on May 4th, 2008 4:34 pm:
WL,
Jeez, I finally found a place where we can talk.
I meant “You’re on your own” in reference to your aforementioned dare. You with me now?
Go ahead, call me chicken, it don’t make no nevermind to me. I’m not trying to prove anything to anyone. Just wanna have some laughs and get out before the toll taker comes collecting. I got no truck with gettin’ all riled over somebody needin’ someone else to beat on. What our compadre said to the good Captain proves my upcoming point.
There are lots of people out there who lack danger and excitement in their real lives. They go looking for new ways to prove they’re better than others on a daily basis. People abound who make it their habit to subsist on a thin gruel of piss mixed with vinegar. They’ll even brag about their superior earning power when they have no idea who they’re talking to. Ya gotta laugh about that.
This kind of person needs something they’re never gonna find. And putting myself in their line of fire is not my idea of a fun challenge, thanks anyway. They’ll target anyone. The purpose seems to be maintaining a solid backlog of enemies. What gets their goat is to be ignored. Last thing I need: extra battles to fight. Sorry to vent… Thanks for being my therapist, WL. Check’s in the mail.
pennsyltucky9 replied on May 4th, 2008 4:48 pm:
(allow 8 to 12 years for delivery)
wordlover replied on May 5th, 2008 1:56 pm:
I am terribly sorry, PT9, but I haven’t the slightest inkling of WHAT YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT!
stokesjrj1 on
May 3rd, 2008 3:18 pm
Marina, Dearest of all my teachers,
There is the chingalalee. Go get the chingalalee. Where is the chingalalee? This is a word i’ve used quite often as a nondescript name for an object or item, usually accompanied along with a pointing of the finger, err index finger. This is my word request, is this an actual word?
My word request: chingalalee
I dont even know if the spelling is correct since i”ve never seen it in print anywhere.
Thanks.
Somebody in Texas Loves You
wordlover replied on May 3rd, 2008 3:21 pm:
How do you pronounce “chingalalee”?
stokesjrj1 replied on May 3rd, 2008 3:45 pm:
hmm thats out of my abilities to type ,but i’ll try.
chinga
lay
lee
If that makes any sense?
wordlover replied on May 3rd, 2008 3:57 pm:
Wow, gosh, I haven’t heard of the term. Hmm. Dunno.
pennsyltucky9 replied on May 3rd, 2008 4:59 pm:
Me either. It must be colloquial. But I don’t have a whole lot of miles under my tires on the Gulf Coast per se; maybe it’s cajun-influenced. Sounds like it could be from the Acadian/ expatriate French-Canadian, ne c’est pas?
wordlover replied on May 3rd, 2008 5:25 pm:
The “chinga” part sounds strangely Spanish…
murdoc129 replied on May 3rd, 2008 5:39 pm:
that’s right wordlover, is a spanish word, is the present form of the verb ‘chingar’, it does not have an english translation but it’s meaning is the same as the english word ‘fuck’. It has a lot of uses as well as the word ‘fuck’.
wordlover replied on May 3rd, 2008 5:48 pm:
It’s funny how people think that “chingar” literally means “to fuck” in Spanish. “Manajar” is probably a better translation for “to fuck”. “Chingar” more correctly means “to trouble” (in just about every sense of the word).
stokesjrj1 replied on May 3rd, 2008 7:16 pm:
Hey ok these word origins have led me to the word i should be using
chingadera, used as a replacement for an item or object if its name is not known or forgotten. Cool Thanks Guys
lytw84x4 replied on May 4th, 2008 7:38 am:
My guess is that you were learned to talk around someone who used the prase “thing a ma gig” and when you could not quite say it right they thought it was cute the way you did and adopted it.
wordlover on
May 3rd, 2008 3:15 pm
My dear Marina,
Could you please do a video on the etymology of the word “taxi” as in “taxicab”?
Thank you, Sweetie!
PS—Don’t forget to mention my screenname!
prospero811 replied on May 5th, 2008 2:09 pm:
That would be a good one. And, I suggested previously that she hook up with the “Cash Cab” Discovery Channel television quiz show and do the video from the Cash Cab. It would be funny and novel for the site.
In all your lessons how could no one have fallen so in love with their wonderful teacher as to suggest the etymology of the word “Love”? We all love love, why not show it by payng due attention to where love comes from (personally, I think it comes from being Marina’s student)
cimska on
May 3rd, 2008 2:00 pm
does the the phrase “mirror image” have an origin
does XOXO really mean hugs and kisses Ihave heard of the XO meaning senior officer in the modern military
wordlover replied on May 3rd, 2008 2:40 pm:
Oh, Marina, how ’bout the word(s) “ox”/“oxen”!
webflyer replied on May 3rd, 2008 3:41 pm:
“XO” is sort of an acronym for “Executive Officer” and he or she is usually an assistant to the commander. Don’t know about the rest of the stuff though.
cimska replied on May 3rd, 2008 4:38 pm:
but xoxoxoxo means hugs and kisses
zelfirelli on
May 3rd, 2008 1:36 pm
Has got to be #1.
I believe they used ‘mayday’ in World War I and it couldn’t have caught on in just 2 years.
And Lincoln was shot April 14th anyways.
cimska on
May 3rd, 2008 1:30 pm
What about the phrase “i’ll do it if you do it” or “if you can do it I can do it”
escorpion3000 on
May 3rd, 2008 1:18 pm
The correct answer is number #1, M’aidez that means “help me”. I love wikipedia, I love you.
you’re a philologist, right?
so, you’re familiar with a lot of linguistic stuff. check out wikipedia’s article on “word”. this is crap. totally worthless, misleading crap.
even worse is the article on “sentence”:
A simple complete sentence consists of a subject and a predicate.
–> link
it does not say if the subject is a grammatical or a logical one. that is, the distinction between a logical and a grammatical subject is not even mentioned. this distinction can be important when analyzing a sentence — consider subject-to-subject raising constructions[1] or even ECM which can be analyzed as subject-to-object raising constructions[2].
at the end of the article it is briefly mentioned that there are indeed sentences that do not follow the “rule” or “definition” above:
However, a minor sentence is an irregular type of sentence. It does not contain a finite verb. For example, “Mary!”, “Yes.” [...].
now, why are those sentences “irregular” sentences? no, they’re not irregular sentences, they just _are_ sentences. and, true, they do not contain a finite verb. “yes.” as a sentence, however, does not contain a subject either.
“does not contain a finite verb” sort of implies that only the finite verb is missing, not the subject. what about “mary!”? is “mary” a subject?
how about “look at that!”? this is a sentence containing a finite verb, but no (overt) subject.
(you may argue that a command is directed to one or more other people so the subject would most likely be you[+sing] or you[+pl] and that there is an arbitrary PRO, like in sentences with subject or object control[3], or that imperatives work like sentences in pro-drop languages like italian, though the subject there can be overt[4].)
[1] [he° seems [ t° to sleep]]., from: [e seems [he to sleep]].
[2] [he heard her° [ t° coming]].
[3] [I ordered mary° [PRO° to kill her mother]].
[4] [(io) parlo].
wordlover replied on May 5th, 2008 1:53 pm:
aLx, I’ll admit that I haven’t read every single WP article, nor even all of the linguistics-related ones. But keep in mind that the definition of “sentence” varies in different languages. WP has a bent for eschewing systemic bias and tries too much to cater for all view points, nevertheless there’re still alot of good articles that you won’t find in any other encyclopedia.
Don’t focus too much on the errors. Besides, if you’re really pissed at WP’s shortcomings, why don’t you go there and correct them yourself?
because a lot of them provide false / not enough / biased / subjective information.
one of my linguistics profs once said, “if you use wikipedia, only use it to correct articles. never use it to look something up. most of it is hair-raising.”
wordlover replied on May 4th, 2008 3:17 pm:
Es ist Kuhscheiße, aLx; ganz und gar Ammenmärchen!
wordlover replied on May 4th, 2008 3:19 pm:
Oops! Must - write - in - English:
That’s bullshit, aLx; out and out poppycock!
2hotforwordsfanclub replied on May 6th, 2008 6:05 am:
I agree with wordlover. I find Wikipedia very informative and accurate. Admittedly it does need the occasional tweak, but it is usually a grammatic tweak rather than a factual one.
WK tends to use citations wherever possible so one can always qualify most of it’s content
wordlover replied on May 6th, 2008 4:00 pm:
Plus, it is open to ANYBODY (whose IP address hasn’t been blocked for vandalism), so people who hate WP can unfortunately sneak bum info in to sabotage the works…
electricuniverse on
May 3rd, 2008 1:10 pm
Hi Marina, i want to know two words: “Aye Aye” (heared on ships..) and “Condomium”
Regards from Hamburg
electricuniverse replied on May 3rd, 2008 1:14 pm:
..i mean: condominium
cimska on
May 3rd, 2008 1:00 pm
My body makes Dopamine where does that word originate from
Well, hell, Cimska, it tells right there where the word comes from…
cmacfamsc on
May 3rd, 2008 12:59 pm
Hi Marina. How about the origin of the term “shot glass”.
gmf7162 on
May 3rd, 2008 12:54 pm
Super Duper job, Miss Marina. I do have a correction for you though. It should be written m’aidez. Since it is second person plural, it should end in ‘Z’.
I really enjoy word/phrase origins and you have put a new spin on it. Thanks to you and your sister.
GMF7162
mattia on
May 3rd, 2008 12:31 pm
I would Like to Know the origin of the word “Concubine”
thank you I love your lessons Btw
petrosxp on
May 3rd, 2008 12:15 pm
I think it is the first origin…!
Thank you very much!kisses!
I was going to venture with the Titanic, then realized they had to have gotten the idea from an earlier source. So I ‘m gonna go with #1.
guardianjosha on
May 3rd, 2008 10:59 am
well sence the titanic sank on my birthday number 2 is wrong i think that you r trying to trick us with the whole tricky one saying i think its #1 but thanks for the game. hey how about the phrase
i take the high road you take the low road
RED
juancarlosjones on
May 3rd, 2008 10:37 am
It is choice numero uno.
I have another phrase request. Higgledy-pigglety (sp). Sorta like snafu. Something is messed up.
Is Babealicous a real word? It should be.
Back in Missouri, I had a corny sense of humor. Not that I live in Nevada, it’s more of a dry sense of humor.
murdoc129 on
May 3rd, 2008 10:09 am
I like this lesson and I LOVE the teacher, I think everybody does.
I wanna request the word HOAX.
wordlover replied on May 3rd, 2008 2:34 pm:
Me too. (On all three counts.)
jwc905 on
May 3rd, 2008 9:50 am
Hi Marina,
I love your videos, I could shoot the bull with you for hours. Wait, shoot the bull? That doesn’t seem very nice, how did that come to mean to chat idly?
- Jeff
2hotforwordsfanclub replied on May 6th, 2008 6:14 am:
Didn’t the saying originate from playing darts meaning to waste time in an idle manner.
faiz99 on
May 3rd, 2008 9:41 am
i wonder where the origin of the phrase; ‘to pull a leg’ if you are lying or joking about something. everyone uses it a lot, and i was thinking about how it came about. Thanx Marina,
ps i think u are a REALLI hot teacher!
hey, it would be intersting to find the origin of the word “fluke”. since it is my last name, and it means luck, it would be cool to find out its origin. also can you tell the general country the last name “Fluke” would come from? thank you
Well, you know about a fluke in pool? It could also be called and thought of as a “lucky break”. I don’t know how popular this term is in contemporary pools circles, though.
so yeah.. its like the first one… i wanna be teachers pet too yumm
Warren on
May 3rd, 2008 8:36 am
I DIGGed Marina.
At least two of us are trying to help you.
I’ll guess that #1 is the correct answer.
wordlover replied on May 3rd, 2008 2:31 pm:
We’re all (or almost all) trying to help her. It’s just that most of us do the helping IN CLASS!
tayljim on
May 3rd, 2008 7:46 am
Answer # 1 is correct
the Titanic sank on April 14/15, 1912 so #2 is incorrect
Lincoln was assassinated on April 14, 1865 so #3 is incorrect
Note to CaptJack, I heard somewere that the letters s & o
were used for SOS was because they were the easiest and
fastest to type out. Is this correct?
Bob replied on May 3rd, 2008 7:59 am:
CaptJack already handled this at length on the SNAFU page and gave a reference for further study.
tayljim replied on May 3rd, 2008 8:32 am:
Thanks Bob, it’s just that there seems that there are still some
who think that SOS means save our ship/souls.
pennsyltucky9 replied on May 3rd, 2008 11:25 am:
Okay, Bob. I read the whole thing. Now I’ll be needing some strong coffee.
Captain Jack, you rule. Now heave to and prepare to be boarded! My war canoe done gone went an’ sprung a leak…
wordlover replied on May 3rd, 2008 2:29 pm:
tayljim, here’s a little info:
SOS. 1910, from International Morse code letters, chosen arbitrarily as being easy to transmit and difficult to mistake. Not an acronym for “save our ship” or anything else. Won out over alternate suggestion C.Q.D., which is said to mean “come quickly, distress,” or “CQ,” general call for alerting other ships that a message follows, and “D” for danger. SOS is the telegraphic distress signal only; the oral equivalent is mayday.¹
Hello my dear teacher!
If I´m not mistaken both Titanic and Lincon went down in april … so it has to be number one then, the french connection…
from your dear student / Swedehunter
Dear teacher
Argh too late! this one was very interesting, I go to read the answer!
Amicalement
Your devoted student
Voïvode Philohippos
I am guessing answer #1.
I miss the electric guitar at the end of your lessons. I’ll have to go back to some of the earlier lessons to hear it. It’s hot like you!
Thanks again
I know that this is a late response to your video, but did you also know that there is a May Day in Hawaii (not mayday but an actual day in May, usually may 1st). It is a celebration in Hawaii and I just thought I’d let you know in case you were interested in learning more about that… It started in 1927, I believe.
There’s even a song by Leonard and Ruth Hawk called, “May day is Lei day in Hawaii”
Marina:
Thank you so much for making me the teacher’s pet in this video lesson. I am so very honored. I e-mailed the link to all of my friends. They find it hard to believe that such a beautiful, intelligent teacher would have selected me as the teacher’s pet, but, I think they are jealous.
Keep up your great educational lessons.
Thanks,
Bill
My pleasure Bill.. thanks for coming here and contributing on my website
I can’t believe that you are teachers pet either LOL
Answering #1 (crossing fingers)
Hey, Marina,
Lately, when I log on to your website, it will allow me to post comments, but not on the most current video. For instance, I logged on just now and can post here, but when I click over to the Mayday Answer, it does not allow me to post a comment. After a while it will, but there is frequently a delay now.
I was wondering if any one else experienced this, and if it was your website or my computer that was the cause.
Thanks,
Eric
P.S. Abe Lincoln was assassinated on April 14, 1865, and the Titanic struck an iceberg on April 14, 1912. Also, on April 14, 1828, the first edition of Webster’s dictionary was published. On April 14, 1935, Babe Ruth played his first game for the Boston Braves.
just don’t log out. I never do.
If I close my browser, I think eventually it logs me out automatically.
uh, no. mine never did. neither firefox nor safari.
I use Firefox. Some sites have an option when one signs up that says “keep me logged in.” I’m not sure if this was an option I failed to choose when signing up. I don’t remember. However, I do use Firefox, and it does not keep me logged in all the time, unfortunately.
I always stay logged in.. don’t know why you would be logged out.. you have to physically log out. Are you able to make comments now?
Yes - I can always post comments, but sometimes it’s the most recent board. There are times when I will be able to post on one board, but not the most recent. It’s really strange. It might have something to do with cookies, as alx mentioned, but I don’t think I delete cookies - maybe my computer automatically deletes them when I shut my browser - however, I don’t think that’s the case since cookies for remembering passwords are always there….
Perhaps this is one of those insoluble mysteries…..I much prefer soluble mysteries….
your browser stores your passwords differently. that’s not what cookies are. yeah, ff has a few options how to handle cookies and the like.
extras > options > privacy (or (data) security) > [x] accept cookies > keep cookies until … (be sure to not choose “until firefox is closed” or however they put it, sry, got the german version).
you have to accept cookies. just tried it, emptied the cache and deleted all cookies. after deleting the cookies I wasn’t logged in anymore when I restarted the browser. that’s it, I guess. just don’t delete the cookie you’re given. plus, there’s this “remember me” thing when you sign in. be sure to check the box in front of it.
Tx! I’m going to check out the cookie situation on my computer.
ah, crap, wrong place … again …
your browser stores your passwords differently. that’s not what cookies are. yeah, ff has a few options how to handle cookies and the like.
extras > options > privacy (or (data) security) > [x] accept cookies > keep cookies until … (be sure to not choose “until firefox is closed” or however they put it, sry, got the german version — choose “until they’re not valid anymore”).
Marina and aLx - further to my log on issue…. it’s weird - I “logged on” using the button at the top right of the home page. I then clicked to the Molotov Cocktail page and the “reply” links were on. However, I clicked to the Mayday Game page, and the “reply” links were not on. I tried a couple times (same browser window as well as different browser window), and same result. Now - after having posted my last post on the Molotov Cocktail page, this page is working fine!
This is just weird! I wonder if anyone else has had the same issue.
Or, am I just crazy?
Yes guys, aLx and prospero811, my May 3 reply was hard to do. This time, I could not sucessfully login to post a reply on my MSN browser, nor Mozilla, rather with IE7 I could. Why? Beats me.
How about “eavesdropper”? And surely there must be some funny origins of Russian words that can be explained in English? Why did you choose ENGLISH to study anyway? Popularity? And WHERE did you get that HORRIBLE New York accent :)?
I’ve taken some Mandarin classes and my teacher always tells me funny stories about how some words in that language came to be. The Italian word “ciao” also has an interesting origin.
Love the web site, even WITHOUT the boobs (take that as you may lol).
New York accent? Are you referring to her diphthong of [o]? Y’know, like “dwahg” /d̪ɒ͠ɑɡ/ for “dog”.
Exactly. She sounds like my aunt from Brooklyn lol.
Some have suggested that this [o] diphthong came from second generations Jews who wished not to sound like their parents who used a flat [o] sound. This was not due to a generation gap, but rather a desire for cultural distinction.
To me, it seems to be a Slavic import. I’ve noticed certain Russian locutions have an almost New-Yawk sound to them. But seemingly this phonetic trend started too far back for us (linguists) to be certain for sure.
The dental consonants could be from Italian, etc. The nasality, hmm—tough one, who knows…
I really don’t like that top. Others are much better. tiny designs and rufles look frumpy or ghetto or grandma like. thanks for word quiz tho
Hello,
My word request is Titanus.
What is the mean of this word ??
Is particular ??
Tanks,
Alex
My word request:
Can you do the word ‘love’. More specifically ‘love’ from the tennis terminology. But if you want to do the other meaning you can do that too.
Poppycock!
Bet she’ll do it, ’cause it sounds naughty—well, it’s origin IS sorta naughty, but I’ll let Marina answer it…
i like eating the poppycock popcorn too.
What about peppercorns?
I want you to do a video on the origin of the word “origin”.
LOVE YA, BABE!
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
Where does the term “stoned” come from? ie.. “that person looks stoned”? Thanks Marina
PS. Enjoy your classes - you’re a great teacher!
I don’t think that the answer to this one is set in stone.
Most likely explanation is that a particularly potent 19th century mixture of Brandy and beer was called ’stone fence’. People that used this concoction were called stoners.
Or maybe people that got stoned looked like that people had cast stones at him/her like in Jesus’s time. He who cast the first stone etc etc,
Question is are plasterers always tired ? Has anyone seen a pissed Newt ? Or a drunk skunk for that matter ? And how can a fart get pissed LOL ?
I will guess #1.
Hey Marina!! ITs me Your favorite! Soo I have been watching the NBA playoffs and i always hear the announcers say ” He has ice water in his veins.” I understand what it means but i dont really understand how it got started. Soo i thought maybe you could explain. Have a good day! bye!
Hi Marina…Mayday is used as “the international radiotelephony distress signal” and I believe it is derived from the French word “m’aider”. According to the Airman’s Information Manual (AIM) used by pilots in the US, “Mayday” is the term when repeated three times indicates “imminent and grave danger and that immediate assistance is requested.”
Here’s a question for you. Also according to the AIM, the term “PAN” when repeated three times “indicates uncertainty or alert followed by the nature of the urgency.” Where does the word “PAN” come from?
From the French as well (en panne). It means something is broken or disabled, my plane, ship, etc. won’t work right. One thing they’ll know for sure is not to count on your support in the clutch. Not as dramatic as a mayday call, but maybe that complete failure is imminent.
PT9, I’ve got a dare for you (if you’re up for it):
Next time nbeltran asks a question, answer it (i.e., post a response posthaste [i.e., immediately]).
Just a suggestion.
Thanks PT9….I’ve been wondering about that for years.
And speaking of love, Marina, please teach us about the name «Людмила».
Большое спасибо!
WL,
Jeez, I finally found a place where we can talk.
I meant “You’re on your own” in reference to your aforementioned dare. You with me now?
Go ahead, call me chicken, it don’t make no nevermind to me. I’m not trying to prove anything to anyone. Just wanna have some laughs and get out before the toll taker comes collecting. I got no truck with gettin’ all riled over somebody needin’ someone else to beat on. What our compadre said to the good Captain proves my upcoming point.
There are lots of people out there who lack danger and excitement in their real lives. They go looking for new ways to prove they’re better than others on a daily basis. People abound who make it their habit to subsist on a thin gruel of piss mixed with vinegar. They’ll even brag about their superior earning power when they have no idea who they’re talking to. Ya gotta laugh about that.
This kind of person needs something they’re never gonna find. And putting myself in their line of fire is not my idea of a fun challenge, thanks anyway. They’ll target anyone. The purpose seems to be maintaining a solid backlog of enemies. What gets their goat is to be ignored. Last thing I need: extra battles to fight. Sorry to vent… Thanks for being my therapist, WL. Check’s in the mail.
(allow 8 to 12 years for delivery)
I am terribly sorry, PT9, but I haven’t the slightest inkling of WHAT YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT!
Marina, Dearest of all my teachers,
There is the chingalalee. Go get the chingalalee. Where is the chingalalee? This is a word i’ve used quite often as a nondescript name for an object or item, usually accompanied along with a pointing of the finger, err index finger. This is my word request, is this an actual word?
My word request: chingalalee
I dont even know if the spelling is correct since i”ve never seen it in print anywhere.
Thanks.
Somebody in Texas Loves You
How do you pronounce “chingalalee”?
hmm thats out of my abilities to type ,but i’ll try.
chinga
lay
lee
If that makes any sense?
Wow, gosh, I haven’t heard of the term. Hmm.
Dunno. 
Me either. It must be colloquial. But I don’t have a whole lot of miles under my tires on the Gulf Coast per se; maybe it’s cajun-influenced. Sounds like it could be from the Acadian/ expatriate French-Canadian, ne c’est pas?
The “chinga” part sounds strangely Spanish…
that’s right wordlover, is a spanish word, is the present form of the verb ‘chingar’, it does not have an english translation but it’s meaning is the same as the english word ‘fuck’. It has a lot of uses as well as the word ‘fuck’.
It’s funny how people think that “chingar” literally means “to fuck” in Spanish. “Manajar” is probably a better translation for “to fuck”. “Chingar” more correctly means “to trouble” (in just about every sense of the word).
Hey ok these word origins have led me to the word i should be using
chingadera, used as a replacement for an item or object if its name is not known or forgotten. Cool Thanks Guys
My guess is that you were learned to talk around someone who used the prase “thing a ma gig” and when you could not quite say it right they thought it was cute the way you did and adopted it.
My dear Marina,
Could you please do a video on the etymology of the word “taxi” as in “taxicab”?
Thank you, Sweetie!
PS—Don’t forget to mention my screenname!
That would be a good one. And, I suggested previously that she hook up with the “Cash Cab” Discovery Channel television quiz show and do the video from the Cash Cab. It would be funny and novel for the site.
http://dsc.discovery.com/fansites/cashcab/cashcab. html
I love the Cash Cab!
If I remember correctly the ‘taxi ‘ is the only word that is universal in every country in the world
I just recorded taxi.. it’s coming out maybe in the next week.
Thanks, Marina!
re: taxi — Norwegian still uses “drosje,” I think.
In all your lessons how could no one have fallen so in love with their wonderful teacher as to suggest the etymology of the word “Love”? We all love love, why not show it by payng due attention to where love comes from (personally, I think it comes from being Marina’s student)
does the the phrase “mirror image” have an origin
does XOXO really mean hugs and kisses Ihave heard of the XO meaning senior officer in the modern military
Oh, Marina, how ’bout the word(s) “ox”/“oxen”!
“XO” is sort of an acronym for “Executive Officer” and he or she is usually an assistant to the commander. Don’t know about the rest of the stuff though.
but xoxoxoxo means hugs and kisses
Has got to be #1.
I believe they used ‘mayday’ in World War I and it couldn’t have caught on in just 2 years.
And Lincoln was shot April 14th anyways.
What about the phrase “i’ll do it if you do it” or “if you can do it I can do it”
The correct answer is number #1, M’aidez that means “help me”. I love wikipedia, I love you.
You love Wikipedia? Wow, that’s makes two of us!
I love Wikipedia and Marina. You too?
you’re a philologist, right?
so, you’re familiar with a lot of linguistic stuff. check out wikipedia’s article on “word”. this is crap. totally worthless, misleading crap.
even worse is the article on “sentence”:
it does not say if the subject is a grammatical or a logical one. that is, the distinction between a logical and a grammatical subject is not even mentioned. this distinction can be important when analyzing a sentence — consider subject-to-subject raising constructions[1] or even ECM which can be analyzed as subject-to-object raising constructions[2].
at the end of the article it is briefly mentioned that there are indeed sentences that do not follow the “rule” or “definition” above:
now, why are those sentences “irregular” sentences? no, they’re not irregular sentences, they just _are_ sentences. and, true, they do not contain a finite verb. “yes.” as a sentence, however, does not contain a subject either.
“does not contain a finite verb” sort of implies that only the finite verb is missing, not the subject. what about “mary!”? is “mary” a subject?
how about “look at that!”? this is a sentence containing a finite verb, but no (overt) subject.
(you may argue that a command is directed to one or more other people so the subject would most likely be you[+sing] or you[+pl] and that there is an arbitrary PRO, like in sentences with subject or object control[3], or that imperatives work like sentences in pro-drop languages like italian, though the subject there can be overt[4].)
[1] [he° seems [ t° to sleep]]., from: [e seems [he to sleep]].
[2] [he heard her° [ t° coming]].
[3] [I ordered mary° [PRO° to kill her mother]].
[4] [(io) parlo].
aLx, I’ll admit that I haven’t read every single WP article, nor even all of the linguistics-related ones. But keep in mind that the definition of “sentence” varies in different languages. WP has a bent for eschewing systemic bias and tries too much to cater for all view points, nevertheless there’re still alot of good articles that you won’t find in any other encyclopedia.
Don’t focus too much on the errors. Besides, if you’re really pissed at WP’s shortcomings, why don’t you go there and correct them yourself?
never ever rely on wikipedia articles.
why?
because a lot of them provide false / not enough / biased / subjective information.
one of my linguistics profs once said, “if you use wikipedia, only use it to correct articles. never use it to look something up. most of it is hair-raising.”
Es ist Kuhscheiße, aLx; ganz und gar Ammenmärchen!
Oops! Must - write - in - English:
That’s bullshit, aLx; out and out poppycock!
I agree with wordlover. I find Wikipedia very informative and accurate. Admittedly it does need the occasional tweak, but it is usually a grammatic tweak rather than a factual one.
WK tends to use citations wherever possible so one can always qualify most of it’s content
Plus, it is open to ANYBODY (whose IP address hasn’t been blocked for vandalism), so people who hate WP can unfortunately sneak bum info in to sabotage the works…
Hi Marina, i want to know two words: “Aye Aye” (heared on ships..) and “Condomium”
Regards from Hamburg
..i mean: condominium
My body makes Dopamine where does that word originate from
“body” or “dopamine”?
dopamine http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dopamine
Well, hell, Cimska, it tells right there where the word comes from…
Hi Marina. How about the origin of the term “shot glass”.
Super Duper job, Miss Marina. I do have a correction for you though. It should be written m’aidez. Since it is second person plural, it should end in ‘Z’.
I really enjoy word/phrase origins and you have put a new spin on it. Thanks to you and your sister.
GMF7162
I would Like to Know the origin of the word “Concubine”
thank you I love your lessons Btw
I think it is the first origin…!
Thank you very much!kisses!
I would like to request the origin of the saying “going over like a lead balloon.”
Thanks Marina!
p.s. I’m having trouble with my homework……..can I stay after class for some one on one lessons!
Hi Again.
Please, could you tell me the origin of the word “fortune”
Thank you
Alidor
Hi.
I think the Number 1 is the correct answer. Mayday come from a french word.
regards
Alidor
for your next video on youtube tell me wat the word photo come from
Origin of ‘uproar‘?
I am forced to agree with the word Bravo, I know that it can be congratulations and bravo team, It sounds closely related to brave
From the Italian, isn’t it? Supposed to use it when cheering for a virtuoso performance.
No clue at all very famous in italy though
No that is correct virtuoso confused me. It is used as an applause
Also seems to be used in a alphabetic order could it also be used to imply the number 2? sometimes military code uses it to symbolize the letter B.
bravissimo
I was going to venture with the Titanic, then realized they had to have gotten the idea from an earlier source. So I ‘m gonna go with #1.
well sence the titanic sank on my birthday number 2 is wrong i think that you r trying to trick us with the whole tricky one saying i think its #1 but thanks for the game. hey how about the phrase
i take the high road you take the low road
RED
It is choice numero uno.
I have another phrase request. Higgledy-pigglety (sp). Sorta like snafu. Something is messed up.
Is Babealicous a real word? It should be.
This Lesson Was Very Helpful, You Teach Us Well Marina!
P.S Your STUNNING!
xxx
Marina your the best!
Can I request the word “corny”
Thanks marina
Back in Missouri, I had a corny sense of humor. Not that I live in Nevada, it’s more of a dry sense of humor.
I like this lesson and I LOVE the teacher, I think everybody does.
I wanna request the word HOAX.
Me too. (On all three counts.)
Hi Marina,
I love your videos, I could shoot the bull with you for hours. Wait, shoot the bull? That doesn’t seem very nice, how did that come to mean to chat idly?
- Jeff
Didn’t the saying originate from playing darts meaning to waste time in an idle manner.
i wonder where the origin of the phrase; ‘to pull a leg’ if you are lying or joking about something. everyone uses it a lot, and i was thinking about how it came about. Thanx Marina,
ps i think u are a REALLI hot teacher!
hey, it would be intersting to find the origin of the word “fluke”. since it is my last name, and it means luck, it would be cool to find out its origin. also can you tell the general country the last name “Fluke” would come from? thank you
You shoot pool, wes?
y do you ask?
Well, you know about a fluke in pool? It could also be called and thought of as a “lucky break”. I don’t know how popular this term is in contemporary pools circles, though.
o well yea i guess, i dont play that much, but im good at it.
You may or may not find this interesting.
How about the word movie?
Answer #1 is correct. The Titanic only had a wireless telegraph set no radio. Don’t know about Lincoln without a googling
so yeah.. its like the first one… i wanna be teachers pet too yumm
I DIGGed Marina.
At least two of us are trying to help you.
I’ll guess that #1 is the correct answer.
We’re all (or almost all) trying to help her. It’s just that most of us do the helping IN CLASS!
Answer # 1 is correct
the Titanic sank on April 14/15, 1912 so #2 is incorrect
Lincoln was assassinated on April 14, 1865 so #3 is incorrect
Note to CaptJack, I heard somewere that the letters s & o
were used for SOS was because they were the easiest and
fastest to type out. Is this correct?
CaptJack already handled this at length on the SNAFU page and gave a reference for further study.
Thanks Bob, it’s just that there seems that there are still some
who think that SOS means save our ship/souls.
Okay, Bob. I read the whole thing. Now I’ll be needing some strong coffee.
Captain Jack, you rule. Now heave to and prepare to be boarded! My war canoe done gone went an’ sprung a leak…
tayljim, here’s a little info:
SOS. 1910, from International Morse code letters, chosen arbitrarily as being easy to transmit and difficult to mistake. Not an acronym for “save our ship” or anything else. Won out over alternate suggestion C.Q.D., which is said to mean “come quickly, distress,” or “CQ,” general call for alerting other ships that a message follows, and “D” for danger. SOS is the telegraphic distress signal only; the oral equivalent is mayday.¹
¹Source, Online Etymology Dictionary [*].
Thanks Bob!
PT9, Canoe sinking? Shall I call out a Mayday for you?
Thanks WL!
I was just thinking we have a bunch of great TAs here. (Unofficially recognized that is) You guys are why I come back to this site.
But, as the founder of the UTAs club, what’ll happen if YOU get chosen as TA?
I think it means something like S>O>Signal
Plz do the word Hacker as a Video
“First they ignore you, then they laugh at you …”
geez… define Hacker eh, black , white, smoker, bad golfer…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwlzIXt7BfY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxBgeRGL-tQ&feature =related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OD8q-BOjT7g&NR=1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qz7GBxcH2Kk
That third one was brilliant, Billy.
How did he do that, I wonder?