Etymoleon - Word History, the etymology podcast.
Word History is a podcast for people who enjoy words and history.
Each episode takes a small set of words linked to a theme. You'll hear what they mean, where they come from and which familiar words share the same linguistic roots, along with stories from the past related to their use.
Listen for words that sharpen expression, and brief histories that show how ideas and practices, as well as language, took shape. Across an archive of more than a hundred episodes, you'll find explanations of word, name and phrase origins.
The majority of etymologies featured return to Old English, Ancient Greek, Latin and Old French, providing a look into languages of the past that underpin English.
New episodes on Sundays.
Play the daily word game Derivety: https://derivety.com
Get in touch: https://etymoleon.com
Etymoleon - Word History, the etymology podcast.
73. Mythology
This episode gets into the mythological roots that are embedded in our everyday vocabulary. From narcissism to nemesis to Achilles' heel, the tales of ancient societies shapes the way we speak. Explore the stories of Prometheus, Odysseus and Sisyphus and their corresponding terms promethean, odyssey and sisyphean. The Ship of Theseus theory finds surprising modern parallels in 'Trigger's broom' from Only Fools and Horses and the changing line-up of the girl group Sugababes. Also featured is why the Midas touch became a curse and what it means to suffer from the Cassandra complex.