Lame Duck = Still there, but useless

November 27, 2006

HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED HOW A WORD, IDIOM OR PHRASE ORIGINATED IN THE AMERICAN LANGUAGE?

Previously this month, we called the mid-term elections on 11/07/06 a “red-letter day” for the Democrats. Another political term that is frequently heard during this post-election period is “lame duck.” This lame duck era is especially interesting because there are two kinds of lame ducks:

1) The members of Congress who lost their seats in the election but stay on the job until January when the next Congress is convened.

2) President Bush, who, in the final two years of his term of office, now faces a legisative branch (House & Senate) controlled by the opposing party.

“Lame duck” session as defined in the Glossary of the United States Senate web site: “When Congress (or either chamber) reconvenes in an even-numbered year following the November general elections to consider various items of business. Some lawmakers who return for this session will not be in the next Congress. Hence, they are informally called “lame duck” Members participating in a “lame duck” session.”

The term was originally used in 1761 as London Stock Exchange slang for a defaulter. However, “lame duck” was used in 19th century America to describe a Congressional representative who had failed to hold office. It is difficult to tell exactly when this specific sense arose; however, there is a questionable quotation from 1863 that may attest this sense. The first clear example shows up in 1910, after which point the word is well documented.

Please read the attached pdf posting. As always, I hope this stimulates your investigation, and I would appreciate your feedback.

1) Did you find the posting informative?

2) How would you improve this posting?

3) Can you provide a better “Moment of Zen?”

Jim C Quiz – Lame Duck.pdf

Thanksgiving Day = The original celebration was not what we thought!

November 23, 2006

HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED HOW A WORD, IDIOM OR PHRASE ORIGINATED IN THE AMERICAN LANGUAGE?

The term for this week is Thanksgiving Day, which is strictly an American holiday. It has been drilled into us from a very young age that the first Thanksgiving was a feast thrown by the pilgrims to give thanks for surviving their voyage to the New World, their arrival at Plymouth Rock in the Winter of 1620, and the first several months that followed.

However, there now many things about Thanksgiving that we thought were gospel that appear to have been twisted through time, as will happen to all all stories that are verbally handed down from generation to generation. Let’s take a look at some of the most common elements of the annual Thanksgiving Day Feast.

1. The first settlers did not call themselves “pilgrims,” a term that came into use after a few years. In fact, the term really did not become popular until it was used by Daniel Webster some 200 years later in a bicentennial speech extolling “our pilgrim fathers.”

2. The first settlers did have a 3-day celebration after their first harvest in 1621 and invited native indians. The “feast” was not repeated nor was it referred to as a “Thanksgiving Feast” – it was a Harvest Day celebration.

3. The first settlers were a very devout people; therefore, if they wanted a day of thanksgiving, they would have spent the day or days in prayer and fasting.

4. The first harvest feast included turkey, fish, lobster, and venison, which very common in those early days. Other items would have been corn, beans, squash (Native Indian name = “askutasquash”), and succotash (Native Indian name = “misickquatash”).

It is interesting to note that by late 17th century “Thanksgiving” was associated more with food and the harvest than it was with religion and giving thanks.

Please read the attached pdf. As always, your feedback would be appreciated, and I hope this posting will entice you to do more research on your own.

1) Did you find the posting informative?

2) How would you improve this posting?

Jim C Quiz – Thanksgiving Day.pdf

Red-Letter Day = Still, a day to feast

November 13, 2006

HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED HOW A WORD, IDIOM OR PHRASE ORIGINATED IN THE AMERICAN LANGUAGE?

The mid-term elections on 11/07/06 could be called a “red-letter day” for the Democrats, because they gained control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate.

The term has actually been around for a very long time; in fact, ever since the Catholic Church in medieval times began marking special Feast Days on their calendars in red.

Actually, the system of highlighting important messages in red goes back to the Romans, and is the source of our word rubric [circa 1375, "directions in religious services" (often in red writing), from Old French rubrique, from Latin rubrica "red ochre, red coloring matter."]

“Red-letter day” was in use around the late 1500s primarily as a result of the first printing in 1549 of the Book of Common Prayer in which the calendar showed special holy days in red ink. For example, Annunciation (Lady Day), 25th March, was designated in the book as a red letter day.

Although the term began being used only in strict association with religious events, it gradually gained popularity in the non-secular community. Now, it is commonly used to denote an important day or an unforgettable event for an individual, as well as a group.

Current Examples:

Saturday was a red-letter day for Suzanne – she aced her exams and graduated with honors.

Jason got promoted and engaged to be married yesterday; it was truly a red-letter day for him.

Please read the attached pdf. As always, your feedback would be appreciated, and I hope this posting will entice you to do more research on your own.

1) Did you find the posting informative?

2) How would you improve this posting?

3) Can you provide a better “Moment of Zen?”

Jim C Quiz – Red-letter Day.pdf

Veterans Day = American Recognition of Military Service

November 6, 2006

HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED HOW A WORD, IDIOM OR PHRASE ORIGINATED IN THE AMERICAN LANGUAGE?

The first posting for the month of November is about Veterans Day, which was established by Congress and signed into law by President Dwight D. Einsenhower in 1954.

Actually, this new holiday replaced a long recognized day of remembrance – Armistice Day, which celebrated the end of fighting in World War I.

Why is the date for the holiday on November 11th? The end of significant armed fighting in World War I was announced on the 11th hour (11:00 AM) of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918.

However, Armistice Day was exclusively devoted to the veterans who only served in World War I. The enactment of Veterans Day expanded recognition to all military veterans.

Today, it should also be a reminder to put aside our concerns with unfavorable military involvement in Vietnam and Iraq. This holiday truly presents an unique opportunity for all of us to reflect on all veterans, whose past and present efforts are all too often forgotten or go unappreciated.

Please read the attached pdf. As always, your feedback would be appreciated, and I hope this posting will entice you to do more research on your own.

1) Did you find the posting informative?

2) How would you improve this posting?

3) Should a “Moment of Zen” be used for a posting concerning a holiday?

Jim C Quiz – Veterans Day.pdf