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Would you like a signed copy? Bookplates available Details at wordfoolery.wordpress.com/2025/02/17/w... Basically I sign one and post it. You stick it in your Wordfoolery book. Apologies for my terrible handwriting, a lifetime in the making, and unlikely to improve. p.s. won't work on Kindle 😉

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This week's word on the Wordfoolery blog is knolling - the careful arrangement of a collection, with a little help from the janitor and the Vikings. wordfoolery.wordpress.com/2025/02/24/k... #etymology

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This week's gem from the Wordfoolery archives is the word history of glimmer, with a side jaunt into the rationing of gas during WWII in Dublin and the role of the glimmerman. wordfoolery.wordpress.com/2021/12/27/g... #etymology

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What used to be found in Christmas crackers? False teeth! Uncover these fun facts and more in Words Christmas Gave Us. #ChristmasHistory #FunFacts #etymology All the ways to get my books are at wordfoolery.wordpress.com/my-books/

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Unsolicited writing advice, no. #1614: Put down the thesaurus. Your readers don't need a wide variety of different words for the same thing. They want different IDEAS.

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My interview with AllAuthor is now live - lots of chat about writing life and process. allauthor.com/interview/gr... #writinglife #authorinterview

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#OnThisDay 1916 the death of Ernest Mach. Mach is the measure of speed relative to the speed of sound, and entered English in 1937. It was named in honour of the Austrian physicist Ernst Mach (1838-1916) whose work concerned shock waves and influenced Einstein. #etymology 🧵

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“What’s up with Nutty Thompson?” There is no squashing Linda or making her politically correct. “She doesn’t like Darwin, or his notebooks.” “Typical, Nina. What would you do if she gave you a gift?” I considered for a moment. “A controlled explosion?” “Exactly.” #1linewed

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This week in "The Librarian's Secret Diary" Nina the librarian gets a visit from the local conspiracy theorist. Subscribe to read at www.channillo.com/series/the-l... #serial #irishfiction #librarylife

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What's in my monthly newsletter? 2025 plans, hop with Frobisher, new bookplates, the British Library, Book of the Month, Blog Highlights, histories for palaver, venom, scintillate, impluvious, grizzerable, and drawk. Subscribe at subscribepage.io/wordfoolerywhispers & remember to confirm email.

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What a palaver! This week's word on Wordfoolery is palaver, one of the words Portugal gave to English, with a little help from the sea. wordfoolery.wordpress.com/2025/02/17/t... #etymology #nautical

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This week's word gem from the Wordfoolery archive is hero - a Herculean story. wordfoolery.wordpress.com/2021/11/15/t... #etymology #WordsTheGreeksGaveUs

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Word lover? Celebrate #ValentinesDay with a Wordfoolery book - sea words, viking words, eponyms, modern words with old roots, and Christmas words - all details at wordfoolery.wordpress.com/my-books/ #etymology

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After lunch she asked me for help at the computer and I was instantly on guard. This would usually be when she pounced with some practical joke. Had she really changed and turned over a new leaf or what she up to something? #1linewed "The Librarian's Secret Diary"

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It's April Fool's Day in Castle Bailey Library this week. Nina is braced for trouble from her Senior Librarian who can't resist a prank. Read all about it in this week's episode on Channillo, the reading platform. www.channillo.com/series/the-l... #librarylife #serial #irishfiction

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Today is National Inventors Day. To celebrate here's the story of bic and biro pens. #etymology 🧵 Bic, like biro, is a trademark used to describe a ballpoint pen.

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With Valentine's falling later this week I explore a romantic word this week on Wordfoolery - venom. Yes, the surprisingly romantic word history of venom - wordfoolery.wordpress.com/2025/02/10/t...

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This week's gem from the Wordfoolery archive is millibar, along with some musings about the radio sea area forecast. Enjoy! wordfoolery.wordpress.com/2022/11/21/m... #etymology

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#OnThisDay 1812 Charles Dickens born. Journalism, court reports, comedy, tragedy, travel writing, historic fiction, paranormals (all with a theme of social justice) and a genius with character names. This is part of my Dickens shelf. Anybody else a fan?

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Available in ebook, paperback, hardback - wordfoolery.wordpress.com/my-books/

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Ava, during her work experience, had sourced tiny international flags on stands which we had lined up on the issue desk. It looked like the UN had landed on my desk. I wish Ava had seen the smiles on the faces of the invitees as they entered and spotted their own flags. #1linewed

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This week in Castle Bailey Library Nina and her colleagues host an outreach day for international newcomers and muddle through with phone translation apps and sign language. www.channillo.com/series/the-l... "The Librarian's Secret Diary" is a weekly #serial set in a small Irish library. #fiction

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A quick reminder that the lovely Alan Hanna's bookshop in the heart of #Rathmines is now stocking the paperback of "Words Christmas Gave Us". You can pop in for a browse or order online at www.alanhannas.com/words-christ... #indiebookshop

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Apparently February is Library Lovers Month - a fine way to celebrate is subscribing to read "The Librarian's Secret Diary" - following Nina and Bob the Library Bear on their adventures in a small Irish library. Over 200 episodes available and first one is free - www.channillo.com/series/the-l...

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This week on the blog I take a look at the sparkling history of scintillating. wordfoolery.wordpress.com/2025/02/03/t... #etymology

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This week's gem from the Wordfoolery archives is a selection of words - trudge, sludge, drudge, and fudge. Enjoy! wordfoolery.wordpress.com/2021/10/18/u...

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I'll be talking to Gerry today on the Late Lunch about the stories behind milligrubs, running the gamut, inspiration, and gerrymandering. Our mystery word is clinomania. Tune in, listen online at www.lmfm.ie, and I'll share the pod link here later. #etymology

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This is the final January mystery word. I'm now back in book-writing-mode but if you enjoy the history of words and #etymology, please check my blog where I explore one every Monday (wordfoolery.wordpress.com) or my books - eponyms, words from Old Norse, nautical words, and Christmas words.

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My mental image for a whiffler is when Fezzick yells "Everybody, move!" #etymology #MysteryWordMonth

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Ever bump into somebody you know but their name simply won't come to mind? There's a word for that and no, it's not "old age" 😉 although I do suspect it's getting worse... #etymology #Wordfoolery #MysteryWordMonth

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When I stepped out into the courtyard the snowflakes were still swirling down in the light breeze. They landed on my outstretched hand like gentle icy kisses. #1linewed "The Librarian's Secret Diary"

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It's Wednesday so there's a new episode in my #serial fiction available to subscribers. This week Nina and Alex hide in the library courtyard during a snow fall, and Alex makes a declaration. channillo.com/series/the-l... #irishfiction #librarylife

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The English language has some wonderful insults. #etymology #MysteryWordMonth

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The Welsh told the Saxons this hill was called "pen" (meaning "hill"). The Saxons added their word for hill, "tor," and called it Torpen (hill hill). Later the Norse added their world for hill. So it became Torpen Haugr (Hill Hill Hill). Now the English call it Torpenhow Hill (Hill Hill Hill Hill)

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Today's word is fufflement, perfect for a cold January day. I investigated it in more detail back in 2022 - wordfoolery.wordpress.com/2022/01/03/f... #etymology #MysteryWordMonth

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Zarf - one to contemplate as you sip your tea or coffee today. Full details on its #etymology at wordfoolery.wordpress.com/2022/07/04/z...

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Happy #BurnsNight! I'll sip a wee dram this evening. If you're seeking more Scottish etymology for the night that's in it, you might enjoy the history of tartan, covered on my blog back in 2021 - wordfoolery.wordpress.com/2021/11/08/t...

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Storm Éowyn, I'm looking at you. #MysteryWordMonth #etymology

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