Word Suitcase is going on hiatus, n.—this word comes to English directly from Latin, where it meant “gap”—for a little while.
I do have a few more word origins to share before I go, though.
In books that are neither Romance nor romance, I finally finished Michael W. Twitty’s memoir and history of African-American culinary traditions The Cooking Gene—”finally” because the library took it back when I was still in the middle of it and then I had to wait a few weeks for it to be available again—and it had tons and tons of etymologies in it. I learned a lot from this book about how intertwined the history of slavery is with the history of food, and how much of what are often spoken of as “American” food traditions have their roots in specifically African-American contexts. “Gumbo,” the Louisiana seafood or meat stew, comes from the Angolan word “kingombo,” which means “okra,” while “okra” itself comes from the Igbo word “okwuru.”
Here are a few selections from the Word Suitcase archives in case you’d like to read or reread them during the hiatus:
Joints and popsicles, March 21, 2021. On “let’s blow this popsicle stand,” One Night in Boukos by AJ Demas, Combustion by Elia Winters, Budding Romance by Lara Kinsey, Perfect Matcha by Erin McLellan, Honeytrap by Aster Glenn Gray, and When No One Is Watching by Alyssa Cole.
Secret masterpieces, April 5, 2020. On “discomfit,” Portrait of a Lady on Fire, 18th-century French hats and female portraitists, Balzac’s “The Unknown Masterpiece,” Tough Guy and Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid, Think of England and Proper English by KJ Charles, and Priestdaddy by Patricia Lockwood.
Runaway horses, stationary bikes, April 12, 2020. On “essay,” Michel de Montaigne’s Essais, idleness, an energetic professor I had in graduate school, keeping one’s mind occupied, The Ultimate Pi Day Party by Jackie Lau, and Jackpot by Nic Stone.
The inevitable sparrowfart, November 10, 2019. On “sparrowfart,” early mornings, making plans, Teach Me by Olivia Dade, For Real by Alexis Hall, and Alice Payne Arrives by Kate Heartfield.
The Fantastic Mr. Renard, August 11, 2019. On “renard,” Le Roman de Renart, animal euphemisms, memes, Les Mis, The Death of Marat, Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake by Sarah Maclean, Best of Luck by Kate Clayborn, and A Little Light Mischief by Cat Sebastian.
I hope to be back in your inbox May or June. Best wishes until then!
