In this engaging class, learners will explore the fascinating origins of common idioms and phrases, revealing the hidden history behind them.  Our language is peppered with phrases whose origins often go unnoticed, but each one carries a piece of history. This class peels back the layers of these expressions, revealing their roots and the events that gave rise to them. Engaging discussions will spark imagination as learners hypothesize about the meanings of these idioms before the true origins are unveiled.

Amidst wars, language evolved with expressions like "deadline," denoting a time limit, and "over the top," originating from trench warfare, symbolizing excess or extravagance. These idioms reflect the intensity and innovation born from conflicts throughout history.

The medieval era, spanning roughly from the 5th to the 15th century, was a time of knights, castles, and feudalism. It gave us enduring idioms like "throw down the gauntlet," originating from medieval knightly challenges, and "let the cat out of the bag," stemming from deceptive medieval markets where buyers would unknowingly buy a cat in a bag instead of a piglet.

The Viking Age, from the late 8th to the mid-11th century, marked an era of Norse exploration, raiding, and trading. It contributed to the English language with terms like "berserk" (frenzied behavior) and "Bluetooth" (named after the Viking king Harald Bluetooth, known for uniting warring factions).

From the Age of Discovery and beyond, the seas were a realm of adventure and danger, birthing colorful phrases. Expressions like "slacker" (from the slackened ropes of idle sailors), "pipe down" (to silence the crew via a whistle signal), and "poop deck" (a deck at the ship's rear) originated from the vibrant world of maritime exploration.

In the realm of US presidents, intriguing idioms emerged. "Lame duck" describes a leader nearing the end of their term, "throw your hat in the ring" refers to entering a competition, and "loose cannon" depicts unpredictable behavior, reflecting the dynamics of political power and influence.

In the realm of sports, phrases like "to win hands down" originated, reflecting easy victories, while "beat a dead horse" arose from a metaphor for fruitless effort. These idioms echo the competitive spirit and resilience inherent in sporting endeavors across history.

To end each session, learners will participate in a Kahoot competition that serves as both a spirited review and a measure of what they have learned. This interactive approach ensures that students not only gain insight into historical contexts but also appreciate the evolution of language as a reflection of our collective past. 

Summer 2024 Tentative Schedule:

Week of June 10: Them's Fightin' Words
Week of June 17: Beware of the High Seas!
Week of June 24: Presidents & Politics

Class Summaries:
Greeks, Romans, and Vikings - Oh My!
In America, we use a secret slang everyday that tells us about our past.  Ever wonder where the word "Bluetooth" comes from?  And what about its symbol?   Why do we say our "ears are burning" if someone's talking about us, and why is October the 10th month, even though its name means "8th"? The answers to all these questions can be traced to the Vikings, Romans, and Greeks of the ancient world.

Them's Fightin' Words! 
From the American Revolution to WWII, wars have spurred thousands of expressions we use every day.  How did the term "yankee" come about?  Why do we have "deadlines?"  Why are movies "blockbusters?"  How do any of these terms relate to America's military history?  The answers are in this fascinating class.  The intriguing origins of unusual military words and expressions will be learned here. 

Beware of the High Seas!
In America, we use a secret slang everyday that tells us about our past.  Ever wonder why we say we're "tying up loose ends" when we are taking care of business? Or why do we say "pipe down" when someone needs to be quiet?  And why do we "turn a blind eye" to something bad that is happening? The answers to all these questions can be traced to sailors and their experiences on the high seas.  The intriguing origins of unusual words and expressions show the powerful impact that sailing and the high seas had on American.

Presidents & Politics
Presidents and their politics have provided us with tons of odd phrases like "bully pulpit," "stonewalling," and "lame ducks" -- all of which had practical origins and morphed to mean what they do today.  For example, why are some politicians "lame ducks?"  The phrase originated from one of our oldest forms of transportation - ships.  Sailors would call a damaged ship that could barely sail a "lame duck" as it resembled an injured duck tilted over in the water. How did that term come to mean an outgoing politician?  You'll find out here!

Ridin' Shotgun
In this class we look at how forms of transportation from horses to trains to cars, and guns our ancestors protected themselves with while traveling, influenced the common words and phrases we say every day.  When we want to ride in the front seat, why do we yell "shotgun?", why do lucky people ride the "gravy train?"  Why are "highways" high, what do "turnpikes" turn, and why is a wild person "hell on wheels?"  Words and phrases worked their way into our language from the ways our ancestors traveled around.  Forms of transportation - horses, trains, and cars - all real engines of vocabulary driving tons of words and phrases into our language.  Thousands of years ago, people mostly traveled by foot or horseback.  But about 100 years ago, the internal combustion engine revved up its motors and drove into our lives and language. 

Let's Talk Turkey!
Americans have always loved to eat and expressions relating to food -- from "bring home the bacon" to "wake up and smell the coffee" -- pepper our everyday speech. But where did they all come from?  For example, who put the "dog" in "hot dog?"  Ever wonder why people "egg you on?" Or why do you "talk turkey" about quitting a bad habit "cold turkey?" And what does it really mean when we say "there's more than one way to skin a cat?" The answers reveal the hidden history behind America's food and its secret slang. 

Going Medieval!
In the United States, we use a secret slang everyday that tells us about our past.  Ever wonder why we use the word "beef" for the meat of a cow yet we call chicken meat "chicken"?  Why the inconsistencies?  Why do we say something is "the apple of our eye" when referring to something much loved or cherished.  And why do we say "It’s Raining Cats and Dogs" when we mean it's raining heavily?  The answers to all these questions can be traced to the Medieval period.  The intriguing origins of unusual words and expressions influenced by the Middle Ages will be learned here.

Straight From the Horse's Mouth
Historical origins of expressions derived from the animals - for centuries, almost everybody spent their days on farms and spent their days tending animals.  It's only natural that farm animals "nose" their way into words and phrases we still say everyday like "hold your horses," "for the birds" and "get your goat".

Take Me Out To The Ballgame!
Words that started in one of America's pastimes have ended up in our everyday use.  We've been playing baseball for so long, it's no wonder it has worked its way into our language.  For example, sports - including baseball - have fans.  But why are they called "fans'' in the first place?  "Fan" comes from the Latin word "fanum" which means a sanctuary or temple.  If you spent a lot of time at the "fanum", they had a word to describe you.  Someone who was extremely devout was called a "fanatic."  Overtime, "fanatic" was shortened to "fan".  Today, those who are devoted to loving the game are called fans.

All About The South 
A large majority of southern phrases and terms have international origins.  How did the terms "redneck" and "hillbilly" come about?  What is a "trailblazer?"  Why do some people "bark up the wrong tree?"   The intriguing origins of unusual southern words and expressions will be learned here.  

Going Out West!
The majority of these terms and phrases can be traced back to the fearless Americans who ventured westward after the Louisiana Purchase.  Before they reached their destinations, they had to traverse the mighty Mississippi River.  In doing so, they made new discoveries that there were no words for so they took words from their native tongues transforming the American language.  For example, the phrases "barge in" and "letting off steam" originate from early Americans literally commandeering the Mississippi River.  Today "barge in" and "letting off steam" have evolved into less literal meanings.