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Cracker (Answer)

Here is the answer to the cracker word origin game.

I REALLY stumped so many people on this one!

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513 Comments and 63 threads

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  1. azur says: 146

    There are two other southern regional names that I know of. “Tar Heels” and “Raw Backs”. North Carolina was a large producer of tar (pine pitch) for bottom of boats, and the North Carolina regiments were said that “they stuck to their works as if their heels were stuck with tar”. Of course this became a tease as the other states [especially the Virginian's] who would joke that they were slow, because of the “tar” on their heels. This ensued the nickname “Raw Backs” to the Virginian’s as the “Tar Heels” would reply that the Virginian’s “backs” were raw, because of they (NC) had to run over top of them in order to get to the front.

  2. darlingj says: 145

    I’m getting you now…

    …but still not getting 30 secs of co-comment promo at the end of the vid…or maybe I do…

    You are SO much better and enduring than a temporary Sponsor…it’s YOU Marina – you will be around after they have had their moment in the sun…

    I feel it – know it…notice the date here…and the future will tell…

    …but then again, I could be wrong…

  3. leonard says: 144

    :smile: random rules…http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/featured/everyday-life-russian-antarctic-station/10210…guess when learning happens , just get out of its way… :eek: :razz: Related PostsA Day in the Life of Novolazarevskaya Antarctic Station
    16,500 Condoms Delivered to Antarctica Research Base
    Helpless Penguins Killed by Climate Change….thanks to HFW…[efforts] and [affects]…now is nite, woe the bite..flyte

  4. leonard says: 143

    random lesson and comment ‘nice pictures’ SPAIN Hot word to expand on. Soda crackers are food. Bees are Good and so are you!

  5. I thought the way you compared yourself wearing heals to the airport to Russian girls wearing heals to MacDonalds was really sweet–it would be terrible if were born sophisticated snobs! I loved the way you showed your old pictures; the moment had a certain wistfulness, which I liked.

    By the way, there are too good words to investigate: sophisticated and snob.

    lostforwords

  6. tedt says: 141

    :lol: Me as a German knew that one, how could she stump so many ?
    Btw, most Americans are Europeans, and telling lies was invented by us I think, the old Romans already dd it :lol:

  7. I believe that they called Northerner’s Yank’s or Yankee’s.

  8. daddydoc says: 137

    you asked, “if the northerners called the southerners ‘cracker’ as a slur, what slur did the southerners use to describe the northerners?”

    the obvious answer is that southern gentlemen don’t use slurs. The more common folk used the offensive term ‘Yankee’, to refer to the foppish idiocy described in the song yankee doodle dandy. note that members of the confederacy considered Washington and Jefferson as southerners.

    other slurs: up until the civil rights movement, the word ‘N*gger’ (nope i don’t mean nagger) was not considered a slur, it only referred to the color of one’s skin->latin nigre meaning ‘black’

    I was born and raised in the north, but my family roots are in the south, and i take personal affront every time i hear the derogatory term Yankee. Did you know that new york has even named one of its baseball teams this offensive slur? personally, i think that they should change it to something far less offensive, like “the New York Nigres”

    nequaquam Veritum

  9. okay4now says: 135

    Marina, everyone’s always commenting on your looks/features I’d like to add to that and say I think your hair looks real nice. Of course, it always does etc etc. <—wow Andy, why was that so hard to say?

  10. shane says: 134

    OK, dumb question. Where does the term Yankee come from then?

  11. lostinhere says: 133

    Post-Civil War, the southerners called northerners ‘CarpetBaggers’. Anyone know the origin?

    • azur says: 133.1

      If I remember correctly, the term “Carpet Bagger” is a term used for Northerners that settled in the southern states. They usually carried with them bags made of oriental rugs, thus the name.

      Any one? Any one? Hope this helps.

  12. shane says: 132

    Marina,

    I was watching the Russia vs Netherlands soccer game today and got to wondering… why are people from the Netherlands called Dutch and speak Dutch. Why are they not Netherlanders and speak Netherian? :)

    Where does the name Dutch come from?

    Also, I visited the Getty museum and they had some Flemish art. I was told Flemish is also from the Holland region. So why is it Flemish art and not Dutch art?

  13. Marina, I was doing some channel surfing on the TV this morning and happened to catch a show called “Attack Of The Shows” onG4. They had a bunch of Hi-tech stuff, new video games, etc., and the top 10 Women Of The Web. They listed Hot For Words as number 5! Kudos to you, kiddo! Keep up the good work!

  14. lofkc says: 130

    Yankee is the term for northerns that i know of. From the pictures i take it you are not a natural blonde so was you a red head just curious.

  15. capman911 says: 129

    Ok it’s working now. Thanks a million. :wink:

  16. misterben says: 128

    what is the origin of “sucker” referring to so someone who is gullible or easily tricked.

  17. harkorebel says: 127

    why dony ya put some pics on yer site. ill bet not everyone is wathing you for yer lessons. :oops:

  18. muggins says: 126

    I believe the Southern soldier called Northerners was ‘Yanks’, short for ‘Yankee’.
    A term used by the Yanks for Southerner soldiers was ‘Johnny’ or ‘Johnnies’, which is short for ‘Johnny Rebs’, which is short for ‘Johnny Rebels’.’ The crackers were also called ‘Butternuts’ because it was a cheap natural dye they used in their woolen uniforms.

    Wow…no funky xylophone ‘n’ flute transitional music in this lesson.
    I was getting used to that. What CD is that on?

    I want to recommend an easy reading and humorous book called….”Crackers” by Roy Blount Jr., which can be snatched up at
    Amazon, used hardcover, for practically S&H. (5 bucks)
    http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B0017KX4XM/ref=sr_1_olp_5?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1214051541&sr=1-5

  19. WooYownik says: 125

    Please, Can You tell what is the origin of the word Pandemonium ? :)
    Thanks

  20. I kindly request the word origin of the word “smart” as in Marina is very pretty and smart.

    It seems that there are many uses for the word smart as in, “ouch, that smarts”, and “smart ass” and “smart aleck”. What does aLx have to do with that? :lol:

    Just kidding aLx…..

  21. what is the origin of hte word foot fetish, you are stunning xx

  22. What is the origin of the word, playboy :?:

  23. I was wondering if you could find the origin of the word.. Defenestrate! A weird verb, and sounds weird. Please investigate ;;) thanks HFW

  24. What is the origin of the word ..

    SMITTEN

    As in Marina I am smitten by youe brains and beauty.

  25. davemarkwz says: 119

    :idea: Going to make a game of this one.
    It’s something you do in every video. All your students want this.
    You never have a blooper on this word because you haven’t done it
    incorrectly.
    Have you thought of it? :???:
    Once you have, I bet it’ll be your best video ever.
    (And if you haven’t thought of it, I’ll give in – but give it a try)

  26. I would like to request the word “kundalini”.
    You are amazing!

  27. blacckkidh says: 117

    you should investigate the origin of the word “word” next, lol, it’s in your name too

  28. gsketch says: 116

    i would like to know where the term Geisha came from

  29. pagedoll says: 115

    I know who the new teachers pet is!

  30. choiseul says: 114

    Bleachers — everyone sits on them some point in time.. that word doesn’t even seem to be a word to me, and I do hope I spelled it correctly; just never use it.
    That or the expression Bloody Hell heh…

    See ya милашка

  31. Dang! Missed another one!
    And the homework answer is we call ‘em Yankees!

  32. The southerners called the northerners yankees, during the Civil War the southerners called the union solders billy yank and blue belly.

  33. swatoy says: 111

    Марина ты прекрасна :wink:

  34. Could you please do a lesson on the word (not trying to offend anyone) faggot?

  35. salem590 says: 109

    Sure stumped me.

    I’m sure they called them either Yankees, or Carpet Baggers..

    Oh! and a Request!
    Where did the phrase “Morning Wood” come from?

  36. DAMNYANKEE!
    I was 12 years old before I knew that ‘Damn’ and ‘Yankee’ were two seperate words. :smile:

  37. yo you should do a show about hte word gun

  38. buzzword says: 106

    the south refers to the north as the, champions don’t they?

  39. bill2468 says: 104

    Carpet Baggers

    The unit of luggage that was easy to hand carry onto a train or stage coach made from carpet material.

    BiLL

  40. Marina, where exactily did you were in Spain ??? That hat is very cool !

  41. But the picture shows a black hair teenager :smile:

  42. augie says: 99

    yes my dear i was stumped !!!!but that black outfit you wore as you say crazy picture WOW your FANTASTIC awsomelious sweetheart

  43. gio.forever says: 98

    Why do we call “Doctor” when we reffer to a “Medic” ?

  44. blahboy says: 97

    Marina, what is the origin of the expression “to pass with flying colors”? Or what about the word “consumptive”? How did it come to refer to someone with tuberculosis?

  45. Being a damn Yankee, I’m pretty sure thats what they were yellin when I took outa there like I was on fire…yes ma’am, thats my final answer. Yankee. (How about the origin of that one teach?. other than that it came from the south?) Please Marina, moi drug, how do I write Bvwe Ochin kra see vwe on an English keyboard? was I even close? lol
    Vas drug Leonard

  46. pagedoll says: 95

    Wow, there is some serious poo flingin’ going on down there a little ways :shock: …sure am glad I was at work today, jeez :neutral:

    • capman911 says: 95.2

      Well you’r here now. So join in :wink:

      • Whats up buddy?..buddy,buddy :grin: Good ta hear from ya!…speeking of kids that came out alright from the mouse show, don’t forget my dearest Christina Aguilara …saw this show twice, once in a sports arena and once in small place, 2700 seats!, in the 7th row! Its was awesome! you can guess who with. :grin: To this day I can’t wacth this dvd without getting goose bumps! I know, call me crazy, but we love Christina. This clip is from about the middle of the show and the whole stage turns into a circus and the song that follows is pretty cool too…turn it up! :grin:

    • buzzword says: 95.3

      it’s all old shit, shit that’s been thrown before and will be thrown again. shitty ain’t it?

      • aLx says: 95.3.1

        no, it’s poopy. people w/ $40,000 toys don’t think about shitty things, let alone do them. that’s just … the others, you know. the dumb ones in the cubicles, if i recall correctly. something like that. that’s shitty, yeah …

      • ha, that just reminded me of an argument i had with a nascar fan. i was saying those drivers have to were adult diapers. and the guy was like, no they don’t! and i said, dude, they are driving for hours in like an oven on wheels, they piss and shit themselves i tell you! and the nascar dude was getting real offended. and of course i couldn’t stop, so i says, you know when their up there in the winner’s circle, holding the trophy, pretty girls, cameras, cheering crowd… shitty diapers. the winning dude is standing there in shitty diapers. and then they all go back and have to change out of their dirty diapers. he got all pissed but after anything he said i would just say, shitty diapers. i wonder if they have little sponsor stickers on their nascar driver man size diapers.

      • BillyB says: 95.3.3

        Sell it You just need the right venue.

      • BillyB says: 95.3.4

        I race short track & I think, only the ones that crash need the diapers. Takes me back to an old boyscout moto “be prepared” The guy in victory square is clean (probably) except the team bent the rules far enough to excell.
        no diapers for Danica ,fiesty little thing, I’m sure she wears a jock.

      • billyb, how much youtube do you watch? i thought i had a high number! by the way i meant to send this to you before fathers day and graduation, look to your right and click on fathers or graduation. the dude has a really great radio show, i listen all the time.

        http://woub.org/radio/index.php?section=4&page=16

      • OMG BW !!! your comments about my nascar brothers in shitty diapers got me Rolling on the floor laughting my silly ass off. (ROTFLMSAO). I need to call 911 I think I busted my gut. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: OMG I think Im going to die laughing my ass off!!! :!: :!: :!: :!: I can’t stop laughing!. OH im in paint. damn I can’t spell! Shitty Diapers!!!!! I have to tell this joke to all my friends. This is just too funny!!! :lol: :lol:

      • Watching your Danica vid. Funny the Michael said he got the back end lose and he nailed Danica in the left rear! LOL!!!!

        Wow I have never seen Danica that pissed off. She was going to kick Ryan’s ass!

        Danica is Smart, Fast, and Sexy. That girl has it all!!!!!

      • You’r right buzzword they do wear diapers. I go to alot of Nascar races. If they didn’t they would explode shit all over the car at about halfway through the race :lol:

    • pagedoll says: 95.4

      Oh, look who decided to chime in, Mr. all smiles all the time for everyone (alx) :cry: . You never have anything good to say about anything, ever. What a buzzkill you are. Everytime you raise your little fingers to type something its always just a bunch of rubbish. You must be one miserable human being, I feel for ya. And no, you don’t recall correctly, I never said “dumb” or even “something like that”, the misery that is your life must have skewed your recall, :sad: —Marina, How could you have EVER picked this guy to be teacher to be teachers pet? What a giant downer he is.

      • BillyB says: 95.4.1

        Don’t be intimidated by aLx, He was intimidating to me when I first started posting here, I was afraid to talk to him he is from what I can grasp really inteligent, but young & fiesty & from a different culture…speaks in short sentences & gets a lot more across in short than most of us can with an avalanche of words, but it is easy to take him to personally he is young & I’m sure full of a certain amount of angst, whatever the heck that is. I’ve forgotten (not really), what it was like to be his age. What the heck am I doing defending alx, flip him the bird he’ll flip it right back at you.

      • What would this blog be without aLx? We have to have some buzzkill. You can’t eat cake every day. Anyhow he says his point in a short sentences. He doesn’t do long speeches on how he is right. He says his thing and that’s it. He has lots of points that are spot on. I respect him a lot. I do wish once in a great while he say something really positive. Even if he fakes it. :wink:

  47. monkcow says: 94

    Is there a word gospazha? I read it in a Heinlein novel and I don’t know if it is real or made up.

    -Thanks tovarisch

  48. monkcow says: 93

    could you clear up the history behind the word definistrate: to throw something or someone out of a window.

  49. dansworld says: 92

    Hi Marina – I was wondering what the top 10 or 20 or so top slang terms for either male or female genitalia might be. We all know what they are, it’s just what are we calling them these days. It might be a fun game to play on youtube…thanks – your devoted student

  50. buzzword says: 91

    did i miss anything? been doing hospital rounds, ugh.

  51. trgoblin says: 90

    Word Request…

    You could make this video quite interesting… I suspect….

    …the word is “Nymph”

  52. nighteye says: 89

    Well, maybe they called them slackers?

    Anyway, Marina, your natural hair colour looks good on you – have you considered letting it grow back? It saves money on the peroxide, too. ;)

    • trgoblin says: 89.1

      Nighteye… from the spelling of “colour” I’m guessing you are Canadian?

      I don’t think people actually use peroxide any more do they?

      At this point, I think she’d have to transition gradually. To do this professionally would cost big bucks.

      What’s I think is nice is how she shares little bits and pieces of her personal life every now and then. Just enough to create perspective, but not enough to kill the mystery.

      • No, I’m dutch – I just try to speak proper english, like english english, and not like american english.

        I never bleached my own hair, so I don’t know about any modern alternatives to peroxide. I also think most people look the best with their natural hair colour – natural selection made it that way. Other hair colours can also look good, but often not as good as the natural colour.

      • I hope you’re not suggesting that American English is not “proper” english – after all, we’re merely talking about one vowel in the spelling, not a major error in grammer.

        The evolution of language occurs partly from the development of “dialects”, or variations of usage within the same language. Without regional dialects, we would all still be speaking latin or something even more ancient, perhaps.

  53. xrisos says: 88

    nice video marina!!!!!!!!keep on the good work!also your first picture -the one in school-was great. :oops: :oops:

  54. Northerners were yankees, ‘course…and if they ventured south, carpetbaggers ’cause their luggage was made of carpet…

    as some have already mentioned, you look smashing in the photographs – especially…oh, nevermind…

    Here’s something to make y’all smile:

    FOR NORTHERNERS COMING SOUTH

    In the South: If you run your car into a ditch, don’t panic. Four men in a four-wheel drive pickup truck with a tow chain will be along shortly. Don’t try to help them, just stay out of their way. This is what they live for.

    Don’t be surprised to find movie rentals and bait in the same store. Do not buy food at this store.

    Remember, “y’all” is singular, “all y’all” is plural, and “all y’all’s” is plural possessive.

    Get used to hearing “Y’all ain’t from round here, are ya?”

    Save all manner of bacon grease. You will be instructed later on how to use it.

    Don’t be worried at not understanding what people are saying. They can’t understand you either.

    The first Southern statement to creep into a transplanted Northerner’s vocabulary is the adjective “big’ol,” truck or big’ol” boy. Most Northerners begin their Southern-influenced dialect this way. All of them are in denial about it.

    The proper pronunciation you learned in school is no longer proper.

    Be advised that “He needed killin” is a valid defense here.

    If you hear a Southerner exclaim, “Hey, y’all, watch this,! ” you should stay out of the way. These are likely to be the last words he’ll ever say.

    If there is the prediction of the slightest chance of even the smallest accumulation of snow, your presence is required at the local grocery store. It doesn’t matter whether you need anything or not. You just have to go there.

    Do not be surprised to find that 10-year-olds own their own shotguns, they are proficient marksmen, and their mammas taught them how to aim.

    In the South, we have found that the best way to grow a lush green lawn is to pour gravel on it and call it a driveway.

    AND REMEMBER:

    If you do settle in the South and bear children, don’t think we will accept them as Southerners. After all, if the cat had kittens in the oven, we wouldn’t call ‘em biscuits.

  55. Bob says: 85

    Today’s quote:-
    “You can pretend to be serious – you can’t pretend to be witty.” – Sacha Guitry 1885-1957

    “You can’t be serious – you must be joking.” -
    John McEnroe 1959-
    (Same Birthday as me, BTW)

  56. roadrunrnch says: 83

    Hey Teacher; You need to bitch at the Guys at Gavatar, it’s nothing if not a mess. Pic are rarely on……….. WTF?

  57. dececk says: 82

    i want to post a word request…what’s a LAMER???

  58. dececk says: 81

    i try to give an answer…i think they call them yankee doodle..is that right?? :mrgreen:

  59. captainjack says: 80

    I think I found my new Yacht! Just imagine all the toys I could park inside! Oh and if I get stuck somewhere that I can only back out, I’ll just run to the other bridge and drive forward. No need to turn around! Just think of the parties we could have on here. Hey and Its cheap at only $350k. Sink in a million $$ and I could have one awesome boat hu? NOT!!! :twisted: :twisted:

    Ok here is a little puzzle for you. We know boats have a ‘Port side’ and a ‘Starboard side’ If your on the ship and facing the bow ( the pointy end) the Port side would be on your left and the starboard side would be on your right. Now which side of the ferry is the Port side? Anyone?

  60. lembata says: 79

    I think the answer is Yankees but im not sure. And also I want to post a word request for Indubitably.

  61. okay4now says: 78

    …and cracking-up also means to go nuts, or insane :twisted: , but then to crack-up over something, or she really cracked me up means to laugh…now this is getting more confusing not less…

  62. mloy says: 77

    Nothing much to say about “cracker”…but in a similar vein, what about “honky”? Or if you’re finally up to it, is “For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge” really what the “F” word of doom and destruction actually means?

    Take care.

  63. capman911 says: 76

    I’ll see you guys later :sad:

  64. What in the world is your last name, Marina? or do you like to remain only first-named? Maybe that’s better to remain mysteriously hidden – name-wise…

  65. Bob says: 74

    Homework: It’s Yankees, which I believe comes from the fact that New York was originally a Dutch colony called New Amsterdam.
    Someone, (or ones) called the Dutch by the epithet “Jan Kaas” (literally John Cheese meaning a cheesehead) and this got corrupted to Yankees as a transliteration.

  66. Answer to home work for crackers: Northerners are called carpetbaggers. They would come to the south with junk or scams to sell to the southerners. This bags were made of carpet. Thrick heavy material and the ulgyest bags you every saw. Only northerners could afford such bags. When southerens saw you carring one. They knew you are a Carpetbagger. You can do a word orign on this too. I sent this same comment by web page and youtube and now this one. I want to be the Teachers Pet.

  67. capman911 says: 72

    We need more [reply] buttons :???:

  68. capman911 says: 71

    Alx, you better watch out. I thought Pagedoll was a girl and was going to flirt with her until I found out she was a he. He even told me :lol: that he was going to keep me going for awhile then tell me he is a dude. So if errin sends you a picture of him or her in a bikini don’t be suprised. :lol: :lol:

  69. roadrunrnch says: 70

    Can you imagine if there were a sandwich called The ; N * GGER.
    Then why is there no outrage about ; THE WOPPER ?

    I say we go burn down something and get us a new TV.

    Oh come on chill :cool: just Cracking . :roll: are you cracking up?

  70. jaydeep says: 69

    why is the rash chicken pox called “chicken pox” does it have to do anything with chickens?

  71. wetsuit5 says: 68

    How about the word/phrase “i.e.”

  72. huggawood says: 67

    Hi hun, could you please tell me the origin of the word smorgasbord (in swdish-smörgåsbord)
    xoxo
    /Annika

  73. roadrunrnch says: 66

    Trolling__/\
    ………………\…………….> :shock:

  74. tayljim says: 65

    a 5 star job
    Also enjoy you sharing your pictures from
    your personal life with us. Thank you for
    being you.

  75. stokesjrj1 says: 64

    Maia Marina
    Crackers was the name of a cat my x wife and i use to care for. She had kittens in the bed in the middle of the knight and one of them really liked water so much when we watered the flower bed he would run and roll all around in the water. I never saw a cat that liked water so much.

  76. errin says: 63

    Confederate soldiers had hardtack biscuits as their rations, and hardtack is akin to a cracker because it is flat and dry. I wonder if our trusty teacher took the time to explore this possible origin of ‘cracker’ being a derogatory term for Southerners because of the hardtack they ate during the Civil War. Very plausible origin, and all I used with my knowledge of American history, something that is not Marina’s forte. In fact, it is something she is ignorant of. Quite a disqualifier when trying to come off as an expert on words of an American historical origin.
    Ok, I’ve said my peace on this matter, but, needless to say, I am deeply disappointed by such red herring philology as this. Marina isn’t perfect, but she should be held to high standards because she can be. HotForWords is great when done right, disappointing when done wrong. Mistakes are nothing more than something to be learned from and not repeated, so don’t take constructive criticism as something adversarial when it is not. Just try to be a little more thorough with your lessons, teach. It makes it easier to trust you that way.
    Peace and love, Errin : )

    • You’ve not identified a mistake.

      You used your knowledge of “American history” to speculate as to the possible origin of a word by suggesting that “cracker” MIGHT have arisen out of some derogatory view of southerners because of the hardtack they ate during the civil war, which was in your words “akin” to a cracker. Have you researched the first uses of the word “cracker” and the first uses of that word in reference to white people?

      Has any linguistics expert or etymologist adopted your speculation as a possibility? What does the Oxford English Dictionary say?

      Do the following points make your theory less plausible? (1) both union AND confederate soldiers used hardtack, (2) hardtack was invented around 1800 – a full 60+ years before Civil War, (3) originally hardtack was used by sailors of the US and Britain as a long lasting sustenance on long sea voyages, and in the 1840s it was used by miners and explorers in the gold rush, (4) there does not appear to be any examples of southern whites being singled out in derogatory manner for their consumption of hardtack, and (5) there doesn’t seem to be any examples of anyone, northerner, southerner, sailor, explorer, miner, being given any derogatory name because of the word “hardtack” or that “cracker” was in fact derived from the consumption of hardtack.

      The word “cracker” actually goes back to 1440, “hard wafer,” but the specific application to a thin, crisp biscuit is from 1739. This doesn’t seem to lend itself to your theory.

      There is a quote from 1766 which states, “”I should explain to your Lordship what is meant by crackers; a name they have got from being great boasters; they are a lawless set of rascalls on the frontiers of Virginia, Maryland, the Carolinas and Georgia, who often change their places of abode.” [1766, G. Cochrane] That’s a century before the Civil War, and 35 years prior to the invention of hardtack, and southern whites are being called “crackers” and this gentleman (Mr. Cochrane) is explaining to a Lord in England what that means.

      And, what do you mean, “red herring” philology? A red herring is something that is intended to divert attention from the real matter at hand. Is that what you think Marina was doing? She was employing a cunning debate technique to get us off the track of the true etymology of the word “cracker?” :grin:

    • capman911 says: 63.2

      Who pissed in your cornflakes? Please I mean no derogatory question. I am saying this in kindness, but give Marina a break she’s only human just like you and I. I have made plenty of mistakes on this web site and no one has chastized me for my mistakes. If you are such a well learned person and it sounds like you are then start your own You Tube site and teach us the way you think we should learn. I for one would join your site and listen to what you have to say. I am not prejudice, I will listen to anybody. Whether they are Danish, African, French, Russian, American or just an alien from outerspace. I have made a lot of new friends on this site who I care for and hope they care for me. They are from all over the world and I have learned alot from them and their different cultures. We enjoy the bantering and have fun with each other, even if the lesson is wrong or off pace. So Marina makes a few mistakes so do us all, we are human. Thanks for reading this Errin and I hope you have a better day. For we do care about you just as much as anyone else who comments here. As you put it Peace and Love. Mike

    • @Errin, If you don’t like the show your watching why don’t you just change the channel???? :neutral:

    • okay4now says: 63.4

      Every army that we know anything about had something like hardtack, the world sailed on it–even the Romans, & Marina does enough in Latin to make the grade. Besides, even if she were wrong now and then it’s the intelligence and progress of the student body that’s important–and in that regard she’s doing pretty good job even though now & again you can catch a student in error. :oops:

    • ERRIN. If you piss her off and make her quit HOTFORWORDS, im going to to be soooo angry at you.
      Nobody…And I mean NOBODY wants to watch ERRINFORWORDS!
      (so lighten up)

  77. errin says: 62

    For the record, Marina completely fucked up the word origin of the word ‘Wop’ in a recent lesson. She has a very limited understanding of American culture and history, so it is hard to take her seriously as an ‘expert’ of derogatory American words. If Marina is so clueless as to not know that wop stands for ‘Without Papers’ (harkening back to the Ellis Island days which were pre-passport), then how can she be trusted to have a clue as to what cracker means? Then again, maybe she’s too busy sharing her pictures and coloring books and knick knacks with us to get the job done as an educator and a philologist.

    • geronimo says: 62.1

      90% or more of the people here like the fact that she shares her pictures and things about her personal life with us. Who cares if she she DID get something wrong, this is all for fun, it’s a college course. I also have always heard that WOP is for with out papers, but what is your actual proof that your are right and she isn’t? Let’s see some links. If you are going to take this site too serious you will never have any fun. Maybe you should look for a more anal website to spend your time. Something along the lines of P.e.t.a. or greenpeace.

    • Without papers origin of the word “wop” is a myth. You’re wrong, and your history is way off base.

      It is absolutely not an acronym for “With Out Papers” or “Without Passport.” This is one of the most famous examples of folk etymology or backronym. The reason for this is that the term was already in popular use as early as 1910, a period in which no immigrant needed papers to enter the United States (passports and visas were not required of immigrants entering the country until 1921).

      [Origin: 1910–15, Americanism; < It (Neapolitan dial.) guappo swaggerer < Sp guapo pimp, ruffian, via dial. F < L vappa wine that has gone flat, worthless person; initial w perh. by assoc. with a related Gmc word]

      “Wop” is a derogatory word for “Italian,” 1912, Amer.Eng. slang, apparently from southern It. dialect guappo “dandy, dude, stud,” and it was used as a greeting among male Neapolitans, said to be from Sp. guapo “bold, dandy,” which is from L. vappa “sour wine,” also “worthless fellow;” related to vapidus.

    • Oh, for the record, I like it when Marina does cute things in her video – shows some pictures – makes a juice – shows us her bloopers – all that stuff. It adds character to her videos.

      I concur with geronimo that part of the fun of this site is its lighthearted nature. Marina’s not only hot, but she comes across as a very happy and fun person. I like that.

    • Errin, Where on this blog did you read that she was an expert of derogatory American words? I must have missed something.

      • Errin makes no sense.

        There is no inherent difference between the etymology of derogatory American words, and non-derogatory American words. Marina’s knowledge of American culture and history is also not a prerequisite to her being able to research the etymology of words.

        Errin seems to be of the belief that Marina just sits around contemplating and speculating about where words might have come from. That’s certainly not the case. Marina has said in some of her posts that she has several main sources that she looks to to find the etymology of words. This isn’t stuff she makes up, this is stuff that other people have made careers out of gleaning from the language.

        Some of the information to back up Marina can be found just by some crafty internet searching and references to websites that focus on linguistics and etymology. Errin seems to think you just go by your recollection of American history/culture and come up with a theory that may work, and then berate someone who actually did the research. It took me about 3.5 minutes to blow the vapid “hardtack” theory of cracker etymology out of the water. It’s about the most inane and stupid idea one could come up with, and has no basis in fact (and clearly shows that while errin is quick to rudely berate others for their “mistakes” he or she has little concern for being anywhere close to the truth).

      • By the way, cap’n, don’t you think Marina should finally make me teacher’s pet for my vigorous defense against these verbal assaults?

      • Yes Prospero she should!

      • Your “Word Fu” is great old master!

        No! I don’t think she should make you teachers pet. :shock:
        Yea she should make you Teachers Assistant! In fact many of us could be a TA. Abracadabra I make you and Unofficial TA (UTA) for HFW. :grin: I think that since I am a Captain I can do that, unofficially of course . But I am at sea right now (well a lake that leads to the sea) my words are law. Anyone else want to become a UTA in hopes of becoming an OTA by Commander in Chief Marina? :smile:

      • Jack can you marry people at sea? Or have you ever done one before. Could be a good side line job to help pay for the new boat or Yacht Yatch Yacth well you no what I mean :lol: :smile:

      • i want prospero to be teachers pet so he’ll stop begging. give the dog his bone.

      • Capman, Nope I can not. Its just a common myth. BUT if one where an ordain minister then one could do such a thing. I have heard you can go on the internet and become ordained, or something like that. But thats what has to happen to legally marry someone.

        Speaking of such. I think I have a charter to do next weekend. Some couple wants a captain to take them out for the evening. I hear it might be a proposal. Whats that movie? Where the girl is always planning weddings and she doesn’t even have a BF? But I think in the end she does get hitched up?

        _/)__/)__

      • Good job, prospero811. I agree with you 100%.

    • WE ARE NOT WATCHING SO THAT WE CAN BE EDUCATED…!!!
      (didn’t you see her get up and go get the pictures? ….hello)

  78. stupermundi says: 61

    What is the origin of the word PARADIGM.

    Are you familiar with the phrase ’subvert the dominant Paradigm’

    Also what is the origin of my nickname…Stupermundi

  79. voldemort says: 60

    i request the word “chill”