51吃瓜 of the Day
More about pishogue
Pishogue, 鈥渁n evil spell,鈥� is adapted from Irish Gaelic piseog, 鈥渃harm, spell,鈥� from Middle Irish 辫颈蝉别贸肠 or 辫颈蝉贸肠. Though these words are of uncertain origin, some linguists have suggested a derivation from Latin pyxis (stem pyxid-), 鈥渂ox, medicine box.鈥� Pyxis is a borrowing from Ancient Greek 辫测虫铆蝉, 鈥渂ox,鈥� which is also the source of English box as well as its French synonym 产辞卯迟别. The linguistic community is divided over the source of 辫测虫铆蝉, with some advocating for an origin in Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey) and others suggesting an origin in the ancient Italian peninsula, specifically from a lost language that must predate Latin. Pishogue was first recorded in English in the 1820s.
how is pishogue used?
In 1992, Cavan business man Sean Quinn鈥檚 lost his multibillion-euro fortune and it was believed that the reason was down to a fairy curse known as a pishogue.
鈥楢re you asking for a pishogue? 鈥� It鈥檚 a curse and the worst one,鈥� the old man said. 鈥榊ou can be cursed by a fairy or a saint.鈥�
shaman
noun
a person who acts as intermediary between the natural and supernatural worlds, using magic to cure illness, foretell the future, control spiritual forces, etc.
More about shaman
Shaman, 鈥渁 person who acts as intermediary between the natural and supernatural worlds,鈥� comes via German Schamane and Russian 蝉丑补尘谩苍 from Evenki 拧补尘腻苍. Evenki is an endangered language spoken in Siberia that belongs to the Tungusic family, another member of which may also be the source of the recent 51吃瓜 of the Day saber. A common claim is that, prior to Evenki, the word derived via Mandarin 蝉丑腻尘茅苍, 鈥淏uddhist monk,鈥� or Tocharian B 峁尘腻苍别, 鈥渕onk,鈥� from Sanskrit 艣谤补尘补峁嘺-, 鈥渁scetic, monk.鈥� Shaman was first recorded in English in the 1690s.
how is shaman used?
Shamans play an important role in many cultures .鈥� The special treatment of the body and use of stones to keep it in a certain position suggests the woman held a unique position in the community, likely some sort of a shaman, the researchers said.
horripilation
noun
a bristling of the hair on the skin from cold, fear, etc.; goosebumps.
Why the Museum of Science chose horripilation
Halloween is rapidly approaching, and you might wonder why horripilation happens when you watch scary movies. Watch the video below to hear more about horripilation from award-winning science communicator Maynard Okereke, better known as the Hip Hop M.D.
More about horripilation
When delving into the history of horripilation, things become hairy rather quickly. The horri- part comes from a Latin verb meaning 鈥渢o bristle,鈥� and this verb is also the source of words such as horrendous, horrify, and horror. Unlike terror, which literally has to do with being frightened, the root of horror is all about hair standing on its end! In addition, the -pil- part of horripilation is a Latin stem meaning 鈥渉air.鈥� Horripilation was first recorded in English in the 1650s.
EXAMPLE OF HORRIPILATION USED IN A SENTENCE
As the truck set off on the haunted hayride route, the riders experienced some horripilation in anticipation of the scares ahead.
FUN FACT ABOUT HORRIPILATION
The nervous system response that causes goosebumps is the same response that makes a cat puff up its tail or a porcupine puff out its quills when they are scared. Learn more fun facts .
