The Free Ride Blog
MUNDANE MYSTERIES: Where Does “Willy-Nilly” Come From?
When doing something “willy-nilly”, you’re doing it haphazardly, with no planning or forethought, especially about the consequences of your actions. It’s a peculiar turn of phrase that’s been in our language since the early 1600s (1608, to be specific, according to the earliest example in the Oxford English Dictionary). But how willy-nilly originated, though, goes further back in time than that.
“Willy-nilly” is actually a running-together of an earlier 4-word phrase, variously recorded in the 16th century in forms such as “will ye nill ye”, “will he nill he”, and “will I nill I”. Both the “will” & “nill” are verbs, to which the ye/he/I pronouns gradually became attached over time, leading to the compounded rhyme of “willy-nilly”. Over the years, several other forms of this same phrase came & went (like nilling, willing, and even william-nilliam). But only “willy-nilly” stood the test of time.
The “will” in willy-nilly is actually the same verb we have in our modern English, albeit with a slightly different usage. Back in Old & Middle English, “will” could be used to mean “to want, wish for, or desire”. And it was through that notion of being determined to achieve or obtain something that the word “will” would go on to signal a future tense action (“I will do that tomorrow”).
As for the “nill”, that was simply the negative form of “will” in Old English, so it implied the direct opposite, to be unwilling, or to have no wish or desire to have or do something. Pairing will & nill together in sing-songy formations like “will he nill he” was probably just a natural way of contrasting those two opposing states of mind.
So, when those two root verbs (will & nill) were put together, as “will he nill he”, what it basically implied was “whether he wishes it or not”. And from there, “willy-nilly” went on to be used for any careless, unthinking, or haphazard action.
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MUNDANE MYSTERIES: The Disappearance of Convertibles
It appears the golden age of the convertible is over…for now, at least, according to new car sales & registration data. But why are convertibles disappearing?
Their decline’s actually been pretty constant since the 2000s convertible boom, when it seemed like everyone wanted to feel the fresh air in their crimped hair. But now, less than 100,000 convertibles are sold annually in the US. That’s just 0.6% of all new car registrations (compared to 2% in the mid-2000s). We’ve also lost some of the most iconic models. Of the eight most popular convertibles in 2001, four have been discontinued, leaving only the Ford Mustang, Mazda Miata, Chevy Corvette, and Mercedes-Benz SL. And only the Corvette’s sales have increased; the other three have sold less than half of what managed 20 years ago. But even the 2000s boom can’t compare to the true convertible heyday: the 1960s. The ’60s was when convertibles became more than just cars…they were symbols. Just look at movies from the ’60s & ’70s…if a director put a pair of sunglasses on a character & had them cruise around in a convertible, that was all it took to successfully convey a sense of freedom & adventure.
So, why is it that convertibles have fallen out of fashion? Well, the simple answer is…people just stopped buying them. And there are two primary theories as to why that is: economic hardships caused by the 2008 financial crisis; and car trends changes among wealthy people, with affluent car owners now more likely driving ultra-efficient (and potentially electric) vehicles. But our cars’ reputations have also changed among us average Americans, as well. While convertibles were once seen as “sporty”, trucks & SUVs have taken over that niche within the last ten years, thanks to their ruggedness & roominess. For proof: go back to 2014 & 38.6% of new cars were SUVs. But by 2023, that percentage had jumped to 59.7%.
Experts say that the fall of the convertible is about more than just finances or fashion, however. It’s actually part of a larger overall mindset shift, one in which our personal vehicles have become places for us to hide away instead of experience the world. But much like clothing, car trends do tend to be cyclical. And just as the 2000s convertible craze was a resurgence of a ‘60s trend, there’s always a chance that convertibles will be making their way back onto the roads in the future. Just gotta give ‘em time.
Got a Mundane Mystery you’d like solved? Send me an email: [email protected].
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MUNDANE MYSTERIES: Why Does “Crickets” Imply Silence?
With all due respect to Simon & Garfunkel, when you consider the sound of silence, you’ve probably thought “crickets”, the noisy insects that have somehow become synonymous with no sound at all. But how did crickets come to symbolize silence?
Well, this sense of the word “crickets” is so recent that it has yet to make it into the Oxford English Dictionary, though it does get plenty of coverage from Merriam-Webster, which added it to the dictionary in September 2023 with the definition being “a conspicuous lack of response”. The term likely evolved from your senses indicating a rural setting (which is way less noisy than the city) to any place or stretch of time that’s quiet enough that, in theory, only the sound of crickets could be heard. From there, crickets became a term for silence itself. Even screenwriters use it as cinematic shorthand for quiet country locations.
But we also use crickets to describe non-rural settings. When a standup comedian’s joke bombs? Crickets. When a teacher asks students a tough question? Crickets. When a band plays an unknown song instead of one of your favorite bangers? Crickets. Crickets equals a total non-reaction. Crickets are the patron critters of silent awkwardness.
But “crickets” is somewhat of a paradoxical term, though, isn’t it? The way we primarily use it nowadays implies silence. Yet it does so by literally referencing one of the noisiest little creatures around! (Did you know that a cricket’s chirp can be as loud as 100 decibels? That’s about as loud as a snowmobile!). Even the word “cricket”, itself, imitates the noise the insect makes. There are even some older, mostly obscure expressions that used to reference crickets’ over-exuberance: “lively as a cricket”, for instance, or “merry as a cricket”…both were Old English phrases that were used in the early 1500s. But fast-forward to 1815, and writer J. Mathers was describing one particularly happy & satisfied fellow by saying: “I slept sound, ate & drank heartily, grew as merry as a cricket & as fat as a porker.” So, from the 1600s on, “crickets” had taken on a different sense of the word, meaning “merry or lively persons”. And, oddly enough, that usage can still occasionally be found in various publications even today.
So, give the simple cricket its due: it can signify merriment & noise…or awkwardness & silence. And that ain’t too shabby for such a humble little insect.
Got a Mundane Mystery you’d like solved? Send me an email: [email protected].
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Andy Webb, a 30-year Radio entertainer & content creator, is WFRE’s Program Director & host of “The Free Country Free Ride” weekday afternoons from 3pm-7pm.
From his first job in 1995 in his hometown of Meridian, MS, Radio has been the only occupation Andy’s ever known. From the age of reel-to-reel tape to today’s digital audio, he worked his way up through late-night air shifts all the way up to morning drive. And Andy’s been featured across many different formats, primarily Country, but also Classic Rock, Adult Contemporary, Hot AC, Southern Gospel, and even Urban AC.
As testament to his talents & commitment to fun-yet-informative Radio, Andy was awarded the Mississippi Association of Broadcasters’ “Radio Personality of the Year” award 4-out-of-5 years, from 2006 to 2011. And he’s been named one of the “Best Program Directors in Country Radio” by Radio Ink magazine for three years running (2022-2024).
Andy attended The University of Southern Mississippi on an Opera Performance scholarship. Yet he always followed the path Radio set before him, a path which has taken him from his hometown to Hattiesburg, MS, to Charleston, SC, and now Frederick, MD.
Andy is devoted to his wife, Emma (WFRE’s Midday host), and his daughter, Isabel. With his infrequent free time, he enjoys golfing, shooting sports, wood-working, motorcycle riding, and horseback riding.
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