Corduroy The word corduroy has been used in the English language since 1780. While some origin stories like to suggest that the word derives from ‘corde du roy’ meaning ‘king’s cord’, the actual etymology of the word is much less interesting. Corduroy is most likely a combination of the words cord (twisted string or rope) and duroy (a coarse woollen fabric). Denim While jeans didn’t become popular until the nineteenth century, people have been wearing denim since the seventeenth century or earlier. The word comes from the French ‘serge de Nîmes’ – serge cloth from the town of Nîmes. The word was corrupted in English to &l...
January 25th marks Burns Night, an event celebrates the life and work of the famous Scottish poet Robert Burns. It has been celebrated on the poet’s birthday every year since the eighteenth century. Even if you haven’t heard of Robert Burns, you may be familiar with his poem Auld Lang Syne which is often sung at New Year’s and translates to ‘old long since’ (i.e. ‘long long ago) – why not click here to read more about the poet and his life? You can also read about how a typical Burns Night celebration might go here. This week we’re going to take a look at two very important components of a Burns Night celebration: food and drink. Or mor...
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