MUNDANE MYSTERIES: Why Are Pilots’ Stations Called “Cockpits”?

MUNDANE MYSTERIES: Why Are Pilots’ Stations Called “Cockpits”?

I’ve always been fascinated by the audio that comes from a plane’s cockpit. But have you ever wondered…“Why is it called a ‘cockpit’ in the first place?” In aviation terms, the cockpit is the control center from which the pilot directs the functions & flight path of an aircraft. Commercial planes have them, as do…

MUNDANE MYSTERIES: Can Anyone Ever Really Lose Their Accent?

MUNDANE MYSTERIES: Can Anyone Ever Really Lose Their Accent?

Some folks might be able to pull off a Scottish accent every now & then whenever they try to quote something from Braveheart. But is it possible for someone to ever truly lose his or her native accent & replace it with a new one? Actually…no. The way you speak now will most likely going…

MUNDANE MYSTERIES: The Difference Between “Gifts” & “Presents”

MUNDANE MYSTERIES: The Difference Between “Gifts” & “Presents”

Christmastime…the time of year when everyone seems to be busy buying, wrapping, and giving items to people that we’d like for them to have. What are they called again?  Gifts! Or…is it presents? Is there even really a difference between “gifts” & “presents”? Each word arose from a different language family. “Gift” was derived from…

MUNDANE MYSTERIES: Why Does Fall/Autumn Have Two Names?

MUNDANE MYSTERIES: Why Does Fall/Autumn Have Two Names?

Yesterday marked the start of a new season. But which one? Was it the beginning of Fall? Or the start of Autumn? Which is correct (or, at worst, most correct)? What you call the season we’re now in actually depends on where in the world you’re from and/or whom you ask. In The United Kingdom,…

MUNDANE MYSTERIES: Why Is An Unidentified Person Called “John Doe”?

The news is regularly filled with reports of murders & missing persons cases involving unknown person. And that unknown person is usually referred to as “John Doe”. But why? Why do we call unidentified people John Doe until their real identity is established? This all comes from a weird, no-longer-in-use British legal procedure called an…

MUNDANE MYSTERIES: Why Are They Called “Piggy-Back Rides”?

MUNDANE MYSTERIES: Why Are They Called “Piggy-Back Rides”?

Catching a ride on the back of a pig isn’t really a thing, right? And yet, people love horsing around & giving others what are called “piggyback rides”. But why are they called “piggyback rides”? I mean, people walk on two feet, right? Pigs, on the other hand, hoof it on four. What gives? Where…

MUNDANE MYSTERIES: How To Pronounce “Caramel” Correctly

MUNDANE MYSTERIES: How To Pronounce “Caramel” Correctly

Thanks to the intricacies of our amazing English language, one thing is all but guaranteed: more often than not, we’re all going to mispronounce a word (or twelve). Because of the complexity of American English, how a word is spelled doesn’t always exactly indicate how it’s supposed to sound. And that can cause some embarrassment…

MUNDANE MYSTERIES: What Does “Spick & Span” Actually Mean?

MUNDANE MYSTERIES: What Does “Spick & Span” Actually Mean?

It’s Springtime again! And that means it’s time for “spring cleaning”, in the hopes of making your home, car, office, etc., look super clean & like new. Your goal should be to make your place look “spick & span”, you might say. But what does that even really mean, “spick & span”? The full phrase…

MUNDANE MYSTERIES: Why Do We Say We Get “The Willies”?

MUNDANE MYSTERIES: Why Do We Say We Get “The Willies”?

Getting caught in a spider web…walking through an abandoned warehouse…getting caught in a spider web while walking through an abandoned warehouse…those might make you feel uneasy, scared, or otherwise upset. Some would call that a case of “the willies”. But what are “the willies”? Who, or what, were they named after? And how did they…

MUNDANE MYSTERIES: What Does “Goodbye” Really Mean?

MUNDANE MYSTERIES: What Does “Goodbye” Really Mean?

Most of our greetings & farewells are pretty straightforward, especially ones that begin with good (like “good morning”, “good afternoon”, “good night”, etc.). But what about “goodbye”? Are you basically saying, “I hope you have a good bye”? What is a “bye”? Is it some old word once used to reference a certain time of…