The language of armed forces

Very few people know these 10 words come from the military. Do you?

Image: israel palacio

Throughout human history, one profession has stood the passage of time and remained constant even in our modern days: Most nations, kingdoms, or empires in history have taken great pride in the strength and honor of their military. In that sense, it seems only logical that something as valuable for any society has a profound and direct impact on the way we communicate with each other. However, this influence can sometimes be overlooked, so we have decided to select a few words we use every day that have military origins. We guarantee you’ll be surprised by more than a few of these entries! Enjoy!

Image: Mitchell Orr

Considering its meaning and silly-sounding nature, you might find it surprising to learn that the slang word "skedaddle", which means to hurriedly run away from a situation, rose to prominence during the American Civil War. While the exact origins of this word are unclear, it was first printed and popularized in 1861 by Northern newspapers, referring to the advancement and withdrawal of opposing troops.

Image: Kyle Johnston

Just like "skedaddle", the word "ginormous" seems more akin to a Dr. Seuss book than to the severity and discipline of the British army. And yet, that’s exactly where "ginormous" comes from: It was a slang term originated by British soldiers during WW2, naturally used to describe something extremely (and ridiculously) large, resulting from the combination of the words "gigantic" and "enormous".

Image: Markus Spiske

Nowadays, almost all forms of the word "picket" are associated with protesting: It can be used to refer to the act of protesting, to a group of protesters, or to a structure raised as a sign of protest. In fact, the meaning less linked to this word is its original definition: In the 17th century, the word "picket" described a post or fence with a sharp point, which was used as a defense against cavalry soldiers. In fact, this word comes from the French term piquet, which literally means "pointed stake".

Image: Indra Projects

"Jamoke" is a rather interesting term. Nowadays, this word is considered an insult, used to refer to someone uninteresting and dull. However, that wasn’t always the case: You probably already know that "jamoke" is originally a slang word used for coffee. It wasn’t until WW1 that soldiers started using this word as a derogatory term, used to insult someone as boring and plain as a cup of coffee.

Image: Lucas Lenzi

The word "raunchy" might be used to describe both a joke in bad taste or a messy and filthy place: It’s basically used to describe something dirty or in bad shape. While the etymology of the word remains unclear, we do know that it is a common slang term in the U.S. Air Corp, and some believe that it comes from cadets comparing an unkept place with a filthy "ranch".

Image: Kier in Sight Archives

The origins of the word "skosh", which is used to describe a small amount or a pinch of something, are truly fascinating. It was brought back to the United States by American soldiers deployed to the Korean War. Interestingly, this word comes from the Japanese word sukoshi, which means "a little", so although the word has changed when brought to an American audience, the meaning of both terms is basically the same.

Image: Johann Walter Bantz

The word "clobber" means to hit something or someone particularly hard: You might be familiar with the term from the Fantastic Four member "The Thing", whose iconic catchphrase is "It’s clobberin’ time!". In any case, most etymologists believe that the origins of this word come from the British Air Force, since "clobbering" was once used as a synonym for bombing.

Image: Andrew Neel

In our days, the word "hotshot" is usually used to describe someone of great importance, or of outstanding success in a particular field: For instance, you might employ the services of a hotshot lawyer or doctor. However, there’s also a derogatory side to this word, since a hotshot might be someone who recklessly jumps into action. Regardless, some historians believe that the origins of this word date back to the times of old naval battles, when sailors who loaded heated cannonballs (the titular "hot shots") were usually regarded as people with great skill for battle.

Image: Designecologist

This entry doesn’t refer to the etymology of the word itself, but rather to the military origins of the fireworks you might enjoy on a 4th of July. You might be surprised to learn that fireworks date back to Ancient China, since the earliest evidence of recreational fireworks can be dated back to the Song dynasty which ruled between 960 and 1279. However, the bright lights of fireworks were developed from early military rockets and explosive missiles, which employed the same kind of gunpowder.

Image: Megan Menegay

Think back on your first day at a new school or a new job, and focus on both the excitement and nervousness that you probably felt: With any luck, you had a more experienced friend or coworker who "knew the ropes" and was able to show you how everything worked in that new environment. As you probably guessed, the expression "to know the ropes" comes from the world of sailing, where sailors had to be extremely familiar with the ropes of their ships: Any sailor worth its salt knew which rope raised which sail, and how to properly tie them.

FROM CAVE WALLS TO CYBERSPACE

10 Pivotal Moments in the Evolution of Writing

Image: Glenn Carstens-Peters

From ancient cave drawings to the digital age, the way we record and convey information has always been at the heart of human culture. Writing not only enabled us to better grasp the world we live in, but also to bridge vast distances of time and space, linking us with our past and our future.

Join us to explore ten pivotal moments in the history of writing. We are about to unravel a captivating tale of human ingenuity and deep cultural transformation.

Image: Rabah Al Shammary

Before the dawn of formal writing systems, the earliest forms of communication took shape in the form of cave paintings, petroglyphs, and engraved symbols. These primitive markings served as visual expressions of early human experiences, beliefs, and cultural practices, laying the groundwork for the development of more sophisticated writing systems.

Image: Egor Myznik

The birth of cuneiform script in Mesopotamia marks the dawn of recorded history. Developed by the Sumerians around 3500 BCE, this early form of writing consisted of wedge-shaped symbols impressed on clay tablets. This breakthrough technique allowed for the first time the systematic recording of transactions, laws, and even literature.

Image: mostafa meraji

One of the earliest known literary works in human history, the Epic of Gilgamesh, also holds the significant honor of being the first heroic narrative ever written. The epic poem recounts the adventures of Gilgamesh, a legendary king of Uruk. Its universal themes of friendship, love, and mortality resonate across millennia, shaping the narrative tradition of storytelling and influencing later literary works (like the Homeric epics).

Image: Tomas Martinez

The Phoenician alphabet, developed by the ancient Phoenicians around 1100 BCE, represented a monumental leap forward in the history of writing. Unlike earlier writing systems, which primarily relied on logograms or syllabic symbols, the Phoenician alphabet is considered the first purely alphabetic script. Consisting of only 22 consonant letters (vowel sounds were implicit), this early alphabet greatly simplified the process of writing and reading, paving the way for the development of many other alphabetic scripts like Greek, Latin, and Cyrillic.

Image: Ben Seymour

The establishment of early universities in medieval Europe played a crucial role in the advancement of writing and literacy. Emerging during the High Middle Ages, institutions such as the University of Bologna, Oxford University, and the University of Paris became centers of learning and intellectual exchange. The rise of universities fostered a culture of scholarship and critical inquiry, fueling the demand for written texts and contributing to the dissemination of knowledge across Europe.

Image: Lennert Naessens

In the year 1440 CE, German inventor Johannes Gutenberg revolutionized the spread of information with his design for a movable type printing press. With the ability to produce up to 3,600 pages per day, the new printing press enabled for the first time the mass production of books, making the written word accessible to everyone - and not just scholars or the elite. This groundbreaking innovation deeply changed the way information and ideas moved within societies, bringing about social and scientific advances of all kinds.

Image: Daria Kraplak

Although there were many previous attempts at similar designs, the first typewriter to be commercially successful was patented in 1868 by American inventor Christopher Latham Sholes, with the assistance of a team of printers and mechanical engineers. This mechanical marvel not only streamlined the process of producing documents, making writing faster and more efficient, but also empowered individuals to express themselves freely, revolutionizing both literature and journalism.

Image: Thomas Jensen

Tim Berners-Lee's creation of the World Wide Web revolutionized how we access and share information. Initially conceived as a "universal linked information system," the web largely democratized access to information and, for the first time in history, offered anyone the possibility of disseminating knowledge on a global scale. The main pillar behind the Information Age, widespread access to the Internet has forever changed the way we think about the world and our societies.

Image: camilo jimenez

The advent of social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram facilitated instantaneous global connectivity, reshaping how we interact, share ideas, and consume information in the digital age. As of 2015, studies show that there are as many as 4.76 billion social media users in the world, more than half of the total global population.

Image: Alina Grubnyak

Advancements in artificial intelligence, such as OpenAI's GPT models, are currently reinventing the way we write and produce digital content. These AI-powered tools assist writers, automate content generation, and even produce literature, blurring the lines between human and machine creativity. Although the system is still in development, and it is far from perfect, it has the potential to completely change the way we write, or even think about writing!