What does lorem ipsum mean?

“I was setting up a newsletter on the computer, and all the examples were in a foreign language! Why?”

After asking for more details, we found that the language in question was lorem ipsum, not a language at all.

Typically beginning “lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetueur,” it’s a pseudo-Latin nonsense phrase mostly lifted from a treatise on ethics written by Cicero in 45 B.C. According to the Microsoft support website, the original phrase by Cicero is “Neque porro quisquam est qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit,” which translates as "There is no one who loves pain itself, who seeks after it and wants to have it, simply because it is pain."

Lorem ipsum, however, has had letters added and removed to the point where it’s no longer proper, meaningful Latin. For example, according to http://generator.lorem-ipsum.info/, a webpage for generating lorem ipsum and other text, sometimes the letters K, W, and Z are added randomly, just to give an idea of what they would look like.

Because it’s meaningless, lorem ipsum is often used as filler text in design, such as in our patron’s newsletter example. It’s supposed to give an idea of what the finished product will look like without distracting the eye.

Can I use "til" or "till" instead of "until"? Which one is correct?

English is a strange language. Words are easily confused and their meanings aren’t always intuitive. It looks as though “til” is short for “until” and “till” is an entirely separate word, but that’s not exactly the case.

“Till” does have a few different meanings. It can refer to a supply of money or the act of cultivating land. It can also be used interchangeably with “until.” In fact, all three are correct. According to The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, “till” developed from the Old English “til.” The “un-” (meaning “up to”) in “until” was added later. In the 18^th century, “’till” was the trendy spelling, as though the word were an abbreviation of “until” and not a word in its own right.

Anyone looking to further their understanding of English grammar is welcome to check out Strunk and White’s Elements of Style, Mary Norris’s Between You and Me: Confessions of a Comma Queen, or Michael Strumpf and Auriel Douglas’s The Grammar Bible. All of these books are available for borrowing at the Newton Falls Public Library.

Where Did the Phrase "Blood Is Thicker Than Water" Come From?

“Where did the phrase ‘blood is thicker than water’ come from?”

You’ve probably heard the saying “blood is thicker than water,” meaning that family ties take precedent over any other relationship, but you may not have realized how long it’s been around. In the Random House Dictionary of Popular Proverbs and Sayings, Gregory Titelman traces its origin back to John Lyndgate’s Troy Book. Lyndgate’s book, a long poem about the history of Troy from its beginnings until the end of the Trojan War, can be found in the Cleveland Public Library’s special collections department, and parts of it can also be found online at archive.org. It was written around 1412 in Middle English, so it’s interesting to have a look at.

Titelman cites a few other early uses of the phrase: A Collection of English Proverbs by John Ray, written in 1670, and Journal of Athabasca Department (which seems to refer to Sir George Simpson’s Journal of Occurrences in the Athabasca Department), written in 1821. Both are available at the Cleveland Public Library, the former in microform and special collections and the latter in the history department. An edition of A Collection of English Proverbs is also available at archive.org.

However, http://www.phrases.org.uk/ claims that “blood is thicker than water” first appeared in Sir Walter Scott’s Guy Mannering; or, The Astrologer, published in 1815. The exact quote where it appeared is "Weel, blude's thicker than water; she's welcome to the cheeses and the hams just the same." 

The Facts on File Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins (3rd Edition) by Robert Hendrickson traces it back even further. According to Hendrickson, the phrase became famous when used by U.S. commodore Josiah Tattnall in 1859. Tattnall came to the aid of the British against the Chinese even though it would violate U.S. neutrality, and gave “blood is thicker than water” as his reason for doing so. However, Hendrickson writes, the phrase is much older than that – it was first recorded in Germany in the 1100s.

Despite whatever you think about family ties, the phrase is scientifically true – blood is indeed thicker than water.

Where Does the Term "Red Herring" Come From?

“Where does the term ‘red herring’ come from?”

A red herring is commonly defined as a piece of information that misleads or distracts from the real situation. You can often find them in mystery stories, added in by the author to keep the reader from unraveling the plot too quickly. Literarydevices.net uses The Da Vinci Code and “The Hound of the Baskervilles” as examples – both contain characters who function as red herrings by behaving so suspiciously that the reader believes them to be the culprit, until the end of the story when they’re revealed to be innocent all along. Red herrings also appear in arguments when a person brings up an unrelated topic in the hopes of turning their audience’s focus away from the actual issue at hand.

According to NTC’S American Idioms Dictionary, the term comes from the practice of using a strong-smelling smoked fish (the aforementioned red herring) to throw hunting dogs off the scent they were following, particularly to keep them from chasing a fox.  However, Michael Quinion’s article on World Wide Words disputes that commonly-held belief. In all his research of fox hunting, the only time he came across anyone using a literal red herring was the mention of hunters dragging one across the ground for dogs to follow so that the horses used in the hunt could grow accustomed to following along with the dogs. Obviously, that doesn’t have much to do with confusing a trail.

Quinion writes that the proper etymology of the phrase has since been traced back to 19^th century journalist William Cobbett. Cobbett claimed that, as a boy, he used a red herring to divert dogs from their quarry. Most likely he had made this story up, but he compared the dogs being distracted from their hunt by the false scent to other journalists being distracted from domestic matters by false news of Napoleon, and the idiom “red herring” was born.

Why Do People Knock On Wood?

"Why do people knock on wood?" While all of us here on the Newton Falls Public Library staff are familiar with the expression "knock on wood," typically used after remarking on one's own good fortune, none of us were sure where it originated.

According to A Dictionary of Superstitions, edited by Iona Opie and Moira Tatem, "knock on wood" (or "touch wood," which is the British equivalent of the expression) has been around for a long time. In nineteenth-century England, it was already considered an old superstition.

While there's no hard-and-fast explanation for how the custom came about, Peter Lorie gives a few theories in his book, Superstitions. It may have something to do with the cross of Jesus being made from wood, or it may date back to the ancient Celts who viewed trees as having spiritual significance. According to Lorie, touching wood grounds evil spirits and renders them harmless.

Matt Soniak in his Mental Floss article "Why Do We Knock on Wood?" also traces the superstition back to the Celts. They may have touched trees when asking for a favor or to show gratitude to the spirit inside it. The custom eventually morphed to touching wood after mentioning a streak of good luck. It may also have originated from the belief that loud noises scare away evil spirits, so the sound of knocking is meant to frighten away any lurking nearby.

For more information on superstitions, Ferne Shelton's Pioneer Superstitions is available at the Newton Falls Public Library. Stefan Bechtel's The Good Luck Book and Deborah Aaronson's Luck: The Essential Guide are both available for borrowing through CLEVNET. 

How Do I Go About Applying for U.S. Citizenship?

“How do I go about applying for U.S. citizenship?” The Newton Falls Public Library staff was happy to assist this individual with their search. 

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service’s website, www.uscis.gov, has everything our patron needs to begin this process. There are two ways to become a citizen of the United States:

• The first is to become a citizen at birth, either having been born in the United States or certain territories or outlying possessions of the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction of the United States; or having  a parent or parents who were citizens at the time of your birth (if you were born abroad) and meet other requirements

• The second is to become a citizen after birth.  For this you must either apply for “derived” or “acquired” citizenship through parents or apply for naturalization

Most naturalization applicants are required to take tests on English and Civics (U.S. history and government). The USCIS website has all the forms needed by an individual applying for citizenship, as well as videos, other resources, and study guides for those taking the naturalization tests.

Whether or not they are interested in becoming citizens, someone new to this country may find the following library resources useful: the audio book English for New Americans and the library database mángo languages. By going to the library’s website, www.newtonfalls.org, and selecting Ohio Web Library, library users have the option to click on mángo languages. This resource has 15 English courses for foreign language speakers.

What is a Devil Strip?

“I’ve never heard this phrase before, a devil strip. When I asked someone at work, they said it was the strip of land between the sidewalk and the road. I’ve always lived where there are no sidewalks. Why is it named that?” The Newton Falls Public Library staff was familiar with the term, but had no other knowledge about it.

We began our search by searching a variety of books such as the Oxford English Dictionary, TheCassell Dictionary of Slang (1998) by Jonathon Green, and Descriptionary [a Thematic Dictionary] by Marc McCutcheon. Failing to find the information we needed, we extended our search online.

Two sources seemed to fit our patron’s need. UrbanDictionary.com, defined it as the “grassy area between the street and the sidewalk. This term is unique to the Akron, Ohio area.” The second, SummitCountyMyths.com, quoted Dictionary of American Regional English( vol II; 1991) stating that a “Devil Strip (or Devil's Strip) is the grass between the sidewalk and street in the front yard.  The phrase is not unique to Akron but can be heard throughout Northeastern Ohio.  Some versions of the legend hold that it keeps the devil out of your house.  The term is more likely derived from the area being a no-man's land between public and private property

I'm Taking a Trip

“I’m taking a trip to Spain this summer, and I want to be able to say a few words and read easy signs.  Do you have anything here that can help me?”  The Newton Falls Public Library staff has heard other questions similar to this one which have included Korean, Chinese, Polish, French and Italian. There are some great resources available both in the library and online.

Some of the audiobooks available for borrowing from the library include Arabic, Chinese, French, Italian, Japanese, Russian, Spanish, and English for New Americans. There are also others which may be borrowed through our shared library catalog.

mángo languages is a wonderful online resource. By going to the library’s website, www.newtonfalls.org, and selecting Ohio Web Library, library users have the option to click on mángo languages. The user will create a profile, and then will be able to select from 38 foreign languages for English speakers. There are basic and complete 2.0 level courses. “Mango Basic teaches simple, practical skills for common, polite conversation situations in only a few short hours. Mango Complete 2.0 teaches in-depth and comprehensive language and grammar skills.” There are also 15 English courses for foreign language speakers. In both cases, real-life situations and actual conversations are used to teach the language. “By listening to and repeating after material designed from native conversations,” the user will learn the words and phrases and how they are used in practical situations and conversations. The learner can replay the courses as often as needed. The website also remembers where the learner stopped so they can begin again where left off.

Why Do We Use the Term Czar for Someone Involved in American Government?

“Former Youngstown Mayor Jay Williams just went to Washington D.C. as the Auto Czar. Czar seems to be an odd term to use for someone involved in American government; I thought it was a Russian ruler. When did this become used by our presidents?” Recently, _________ czar has been a phrase that seems to have worked itself into our common language. The Newton Falls Public Library staff found the question to be intriguing.

The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language defines czar in three ways: the first is a ruler or monarch; the second is an autocrat; the final one is considered an informal usage: “An appointed official having special powers to regulate or supervise an activity: . . . an energy czar.” [p. 455]. This seems to fulfill part of our patron’s request. 

The aforementioned book was published in 2000, so we know that the term was in use in this context prior to that year. Continuing our search online, we found that the Los Angeles Times' article (March 5, 2009) President Obama's czar system concerns some by Tom Hamburger and Christi Parsons. "President Nixon may have named the first 'czar' with his appointment of William E. Simon to handle the 1970s energy crisis."

According to Czar Struck: Sorting Through the Misconceptions and Understanding the Implications of an Expanding ‘Czar’ Phenomenon by Kathryn J. Murphy, United States Military Academy, "President Franklin D. Roosevelt originated the concept of the policy czar in American politics. Under his administration, Roosevelt created a 'brain trust' of advisors whom he relied upon for policy-related advice . . . In 1942, political cartoonist, Clifford Berryman depicted Roosevelt's advisors as czars . . . The Nixon administration was the first to actually use the term 'czar' with specific reference to the appointment of a 'Drug Czar' in 1971. This was subsequently followed by a highly controversial 'Energy Czar.' (pp. 1-2)" Murphy cites 32 Obama czars as of January 2010. We were not able to locate a difinitive czar listing from United States Government websites. Others, such as Wikipedia, did list the numbers of U.S. Executive Branch czars for each president from Franklin Roosevelt to Barack Obama. According to their listing Ronald Reagan had the least, one.

  

 

Where Can I . . .? Does the Library Have . . .? Can You Find . . .?

Sometimes the questions asked at the Newton Falls Public Library are not complicated, but are for information people need at that moment.  These include some of the following:

“Where can I dispose of batteries?” The Geauga-Trumbull Solid Waste Management District has collection events  which cover a wide variety of household waste from Ammonia to Wood Strippers. Batteries are accepted at the Geauga-Trumbull Solid Waste Management District's Household Hazardous Waste Recycling Facility, located at 5138 Enterprise Blvd., Warren, Ohio, off Route 422. It is only open to residents of Geauga and Trumbull counties, and identification is required. The facility is open every Wednesday between 10 am and 6 pm, beginning May 4, 2011 through September 28, 2011 and the first Saturday of May, June and August, 9 am to noon for residents of Geauga and Trumbull County..

“Does the library have HEAP forms?”  The Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) is a federally funded program administered by the Ohio Department of Development's Office of Community Service. Those applying must have a total household income at or below 200 percent of the Fiscal Year 2011 federal poverty guidelines. Applications for the 2011-2012 Regular HEAP program are accepted through May 31, 2012. Applications can be printed from the website or picked up at the library.

“Can you find the meaning of near-quart? I’m working a crossword puzzle and it is a clue.” The library staff searched in The American Heritage Crossword Puzzle Dictionary, the 13 volume Oxford English Dictionary, and others. Not being successful, the search was expanded online. The staff was unable to find an answer, and could only suggest the patron try to see if “liter” would fit in the spaces, as it is nearly as large as a quart.

I'm Curious about Braille

“I’ve always been curious about Braille. Do you have anything for sighted people to look at or to feel?” Over the years others, such as students and scouts, have asked this question of the Newton Falls Public Library staff.

The Braille cell contains six raised dots which are numbered vertically: 1, 2, and 3 are arranged from top to bottom in the first column; 4, 5, and 6 are in the second. Letters, numbers, punctuation, music, and music symbols are created by using various combinations of these cell dots. For example the letter A contains only dot 1, B contains dots 1 and 2, and C is made up of dots 1, 3, and 4. Dot 6 placed before a letter signifies that it is a capital letter. Patrons may borrow sheets of Braille which have these raised cells to both feel and see.

Also available to be taken home are Expectations: a gift for blind children from Braille Institute (The Little Engine That Could in Braille), The Constitution of the United States, and The Black Book of Colors by Menena Cottin and Rosana Faría. This last item encourages readers to imagine living without sight. The illustrations are done with raised lines and descriptions of colors based on imagery. There are Braille letters with the illustrations and a full alphabet for sighted readers to help them read along with their fingers.

Patrons interested in this subject may also be curious about sign language. There are books, films, and kits available to teach signing to adults, children, and infants. Sign Language Interpreting: a basic resource book by Sharon Neumann Solow would be a good place for adults to begin. Parents might want to consider examining Teach Your Tot to Sign: the parents' guide to American Sign Language by Stacy A. Thompson and Baby Sign Language for Hearing Babies by Karyn Warburton.

English as a Second Language

“I know someone who wishes to further her education so she can find employment, but English is not her first language. She needs to improve her fluency. Is there anywhere she can get help?” The Newton Falls Public Library staff understands the need for good language skills in these difficult economic times; not just for those for whom English is their second language, but also those who need to strengthen their basic skills or prepare for the General Educational Development (GED) test.

The Trumbull Career and Technical Center (TCTC) is the administrating agency for the Adult Basic and Literacy Education (ABLE) program which includes both English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) and GED. We were able to tell our patron that the ESOL classes are held at TCTC, 528 Educational Highway, Warren, OH 44483 on Mondays and Wednesdays from 12:30 – 2 p.m. in room AE163. They are free and are offered continuously. For more information about the ABLE program, contact TCTC at 330-847-0503 ext. 1611. Copies of TCTC’s 2010 Adult Workforce Education Training Catalog are available at the Newton Falls Public Library.

The Newton Falls Public Library also has both print and online resources to assist those seeking to further their education. If preparing for the GED test, the library has several books including Cracking the GED/the Princeton Review, GED Success, and TABE level D : test of adult basic education: the first step to lifelong success by Phyllis Dutwin and Richard Ku. Online, library card holders may access the LearningExpress Library through the Ohio Web Library [www.ohioweblibrary.org]. The LearningExpress Library offers unlimited 24/7 access to courses for computer skills; job search and workplace skills; resume writing; interactive targeted skill-building in math, reading, and writing; as well as hundreds of online interactive practice tests for exams including grade school achievement, college entrance exams, GED, U.S. Citizenship and civil service positions.

Death Comes in Threes

American English is filled with interesting sayings and phrases. The Newton Falls Public Library staff recently had patron wondering where another one came from. “With the passing of Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett, and Michael Jackson, I got to wondering where the expression, death comes in threes, originated? Another staff member has family who says a birth, a wedding and a death all come together. This got us to wondering if the expressions are linked.

Our staff searched the phrase, slang, and idioms books in the library’s collection and was unsuccessful in locating either expression, even though there were numerous listings for the words but not those particular phrases. Even McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs by Richard A. Speares, which has many pages containing death, come, and threes, does not have either of the sought after phrases.

Trying to consider other ways of looking at this; what if it is not a phrase but rather a superstition? Pioneer Superstitions by Ferne Shelton has a sampling of oral tales and beliefs. Ohio State Buckeye fans will be happy to know that “If a buckeye is carried in a chest pocket, all enemies become kind to you. If carried in a lower pocket or purse, expect prosperity [p.12].” Superstitions by Peter Lorie refers to death, birth, and marriage as milestones of life and offers interesting superstitions related to each, beautifully illustrated by paintings and photographs. Popular Beliefs and Superstitions: a compendium of American Folklore from the Ohio Collection of Newbell Niles Puckett is where we were partially successful. In volume 2 there is a section titled, Numbers, Counting in the Lore of Death. Most of the notions in this section included references to one death or funeral followed by two more. In the same volume, Love, Courtship, Marriage, etc. as Death Tokens, we found the belief that marriages, births and deaths will come linked together in families.

We were unable to find anything definitive either in print or online as to the origins of these beliefs, each of which deals with three events. One reason which might be considered is the prevalence of human beliefs focused on the number three. In the May 28, 2001 issue of Telephony [telephonyonline.com/mag/telecom_rule_threes/index.html], Jason Meyers writes in his article Rule of Threes [p.84], “Dividing things into threes is universally acceptable. There's Aristotle's principle of the three unities of time, place and action. There's Freud's id, ego and superego. There's the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Three strikes and you're out. Third time's a charm. Bad things happen in threes, and for some reason things are also supposed to be funnier in threes.”

Is It Harebrained or Hairbrained?

“I know this may sound odd. I was telling someone about something that was harebrained; then I wondered where that expression came from and if it is spelled harebrained or hairbrained?” The Newton Falls Public Library staff enjoys answering questions and finds ones about words and language to be intriguing.

According to A Dictionary of American Idioms by Adam Makkai, M.T. Boatner, and J.E. Gates, this thoughtless and foolish meaning word is spelled harebrained. Garner's Modern American Usage by Bryan A. Garner refers those looking under hairbrained to see harebrained; “hairbrained is the common blunder. The misspelling falls just short of being what it attempts to denote” [p. 398].

While we know the spelling, that still doesn’t explain where the expression came from. It seemed logical to try A Dictionary of Americanisms on Historical Principles, but it only had three hare words – hare, hare fly and hare-lip sucker (a species of sucker). The thirteen volumes of The Oxford English Dictionary was the resource we should have checked first. There it states that harebrayne was used in a book written in 1550 and denoted someone who had “a brain like a hare’s, or no more brain than a hare; a giddy or reckless person” [v. 5, p. 91]. Around the turn of the 16th century the spelling seems to have changed to harebrain. The website World Wide Words [www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-hai1.htm] also discusses the question of the use ‘hare’ vs. ‘hair’ over the centuries. The author, Michael Quinion ultimately recommends going with harebrained.

Out of curiosity, the staff used a search engine to see how harebrain(ed) appears online. In Minnesota there is a company named Harebrain Inc. which developed an acoustical voice-feedback headset called WhisperPhone. On MySpace.com there is a music group from Oregon,
Ky & HareBrain Media. Master Shortrod Harebrain, a jealous husband, is a character in A Mad World, My Masters, a Jacobean stage play written by Thomas Middleton. This “comedy first performed around 1605 and first published in 1608. (The title is proverbial, and was used by a pamphleteer, Nicholas Breton, in 1603)” [http://www.wikipedia.com/]. You can contact Dave Carter, Founder of Harebrained Schemes, LLC. at www.harebrained.com. Harebrained Films, Holidays, and Shop at Etsy can be found on the Internet as well as harebrained tax schemes at www.irs.gov.