Don't bogart the eponyms...

English as a Second Language What do you want to talk about?
1

Hello everyone,

As you probably already know, eponyms are words (or names) derived from people’s names. Now, if you are not cognizant of the meaning of the eponym “bogart”, I think I will let you find that out by yourselves. :slight_smile:

Here is a short list (with pictures too!) of interesting eponyms:

Sisyphean

Derived from Sisyphus, the king of Corinth who, in Greek mythology, was condemned to ceaselessly roll a boulder up a hill in Hades only to watch it tumble back down when he reached the top.

leotard

A snugly fitting, stretchable one-piece garment with or without sleeves that covers the torso, worn especially by dancers, gymnasts, acrobats, and those engaging in exercise workouts. Named after its inventor, Jules Léotard.

boycott

Named after Charles Boycott, a 19th century English army captain who, after retiring from the army, worked as a land agent in Ireland and was ostracized from this country after refusing to lower rents.

nicotine

From the French ambassador to Portugal, Jean Nicot, who promoted the use of tobacco for medicinal purposes.

shrapnel

Named after Henry Shrapnel, a British Army officer who invented the anti-personnel weapon in the 19th century.

bloomers

Named after feminist Amelia Jenks Bloomer who strongly advocated the use of bloomers.

cardigan

Named after James Thomas Brudenell, seventh earl of Cardigan. He spent a fortune to have his military regiment the best dressed.

guillotine

From Joseph Ignace Guillotin (1738–1814), a French physician, who advocated execution by guillotine as being “more humane” than hanging. While he did not invent the guillotine, and in fact opposed the death penalty, his name became an eponym for it. The actual inventor of the prototype was Antoine Louis.

morphine

From Morpheus, the god of dreams in Greek mythology. He was one of the sons of Hypnos (Somnus), the god of sleep. Morpheus sent human shapes of all kinds to the dreamer, while his brothers Phobetor and Phantasus sent the forms of animals and inanimate objects.

draconian

From Draco, Gk. statesman who laid down a code of laws for Athens 621 B.C. that mandated death as punishment for minor crimes. Draco is the Latin word for dragon.

Some more: articles.chicagotribune.com/2012 … mes-jionni

2

Beautiful, and Sandwich the avid gambler, Duke?

Hooligans and Vandals.

Cam bridge and Ox ford.

Have fun!

3

Right, them too. Wikipedia to the rescue: :slight_smile:

sandwich
It was named after John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich, an 18th-century English aristocrat, although he was neither the inventor nor sustainer of the food. It is said that he ordered his valet to bring him meat tucked between two pieces of bread, and because Montagu also happened to be the Fourth Earl of Sandwich, others began to order “The same as Sandwich!” It is said that Lord Sandwich was fond of this form of food because it allowed him to continue playing cards, particularly cribbage, while eating without getting his cards greasy from eating meat with his bare hands.

hooligan
There are several theories regarding the origin of the word “hooliganism”. The Compact Oxford English Dictionary states that the word may have originated from the surname of a fictional rowdy Irish family in a music hall song of the 1890s. Clarence Rook, in his 1899 book, Hooligan Nights, claimed that the word came from Patrick Hoolihan (or Hooligan), an Irish bouncer and thief who lived in London. There have also been references made to a 19th-century rural Irish family with the surname Houlihan who were known for their wild lifestyle.

vandal
The Vandals were an East Germanic tribe that entered the late Roman Empire during the 5th century, perhaps best known for their sack of Rome in 455. Although they were not notably more destructive than other invaders of ancient times, Renaissance and Early Modern writers who idealized Rome tended to blame the Vandals for its destruction. This led to the coinage of “vandalism”, meaning senseless destruction, particularly the defacing of artworks that were completed with great effort.

4

Lovely, it’s so pleasing to be with knowledgeable people among ostentatious camels. Rare though

I feel lucky to know you, my dear Cristina.

Apart from Alicja the Nana, Kati the Lady, Monica the Selak? and Claudia the Genius. And of course, Beees the Duchess.

Have fun’.

5

How about Oscar and Nobel?

Thanks.

6

Oh, I would love to watch a beautiful tall girl in the silk bloomer swinging in the breeze, it could be a poem.

Have fun!

7

Dear Mr Kyaw,

I’m really not that knowledgeable – I just like to learn… uh… stuff… uh… sometimes! :slight_smile:

Oscar and Nobel are eponyms?! Darn, this is getting complicated! :stuck_out_tongue:

8

Dear Christina,

Technically, they are not. But it’s good to be spicy sometimes, ain’t it?

Laters.

9

Hello Christina,

I think that Mr.Kyaw asked you about those prizes which received their names of Oscar and Nobel.

Bye:
Kati

10

Dear Kyaw,
May I ask which of us is

?
I’m supposed to have other 27 Monicas before me in this Forum, so I don’t know: is it me? or is it all of us together, because in this case, we’d have to divide Selak’s whole luck in 28 little luck pieces that won’t last longer than tomorrow.
I’d like to be the only one, what do you say?
Hopefully yes,
Monica

11

How many MonicaS do I speak to here? I mean the one who dared challenge me to cross the swords ( Rapiers, to be exact. ). Is it you?

Lvvja.

[i]Oops, be careful Honey, not there, not there. Oh, dear.

That was so close…
[/i]

12

My lady, I mean to express why they call Oscar and Nobel awards.

Kind regards.

I have A very distinct split mind. So I always write between the lines in two meanings. So readers can interpret in two meanings as they like. So they never can say I’m right or wrong. So I can slip through and waltz away when they’re trying to find the culprit of the fight.

A cunning Burmese Junglie? That’s what I learnt when I was a so called dip lo (w) mat.

Thank you for your everlasting kind supports. You’re an adorable Lady.

13

Dear Mr. Kyaw and Christina,

Oscar and Nobel together means for me the prizes. Of course I know that the eponym of Nobel prize was Alfred Nobel physicist but the other is interesting that we say very frequently only ‘Oscar’ without the word of prize. I don’t know who was he? I hope I was not a joy killer that I wanted to remind you, dear Christina, of this coincidence. If I am right please to explain us the ‘why’.

We are looking forward to your photos and explanation about these eponyms.

Kati

14

oscars.org/awards/academyawa … oscar.html

15

Good idea to show us the history and facts about Oscar statuette!
Also, interesting the origin of its name. I have never seen that the man is holding a sword, but he is.
I enjoyed reading the article.

16

Hello Bez,

It is very surprising! I recommand to everybody to read the link. I try to find its eponym.

So idea of the prize and the statuette was born in the head of MGM art director in 1927, the set decorator of MGM designed , George Stanley was its sculptor.An academy librarian remarked that it resembled her Uncle Oscar.The Academy didn’t adopt the nickname officially until 1939, but it was widely known enough by 1934 that Hollywood columnist used it in a piece referring to Katharine Hepburn’s first Best Actress win.

If I count well Oscar statuette and prize has 5 eponyms:
1.MGM director in 1927
2.set decorator in MGM who designed
3. George Stanly who made the statuette
4. a librarian who saw the statuette similar to herUncle Oscar
5. a columnist who called this prize OSCAR

Who is the true eponym? I cast my vote for the librarian.

How did become the statuette from the gold-plated statuette solid bronz-to 24-karat gold one?

Academy librarian (and eventual executive director) Margaret Herrick remarked that it resembled her Uncle Oscar.

17

Yesss, it’s me!

I’m happy and, as a reward, I won’t scare you anymore. But… I liked seeing you that scared!
By the way, Why did you tell me to be careful? YOU should be! My job in this sport is to be aggressive, isn’t it? So, look out!
Monica

18

Hello Monica,

I send you a picture about Audrey Hepburn with the Oscar statuette.

19

I have to excuse myself that I wrote about Alfred Nobel that he was a physicist. I knew that he invented the dynamite and I thought this is work of a physicist .
Wikipedia:
Alfred Bernhard Nobel (21 October 1833 – 10 December 1896) was a Swedish chemist, engineer, innovator, and armaments manufacturer. He was the inventor of dynamite.

On 27 November 1895, at the Swedish-Norwegian Club in Paris, Nobel signed his last will and testament and set aside the bulk of his estate to establish the Nobel Prizes, to be awarded annually without distinction of nationality.

Hungarian Nobel-prized persons:

Name ….Field.…Date
Fülöp Lénárd C …Ph… 1905
Róbert Bárány …M… 1914
Richard Zsigmondy Ch… …1925
Albert Szent-Györgyi M… …1937
György Hevesy …Ch… 1943
György Békésy …M… 1961
Jenő Wigner …Ph… 1963
Dénes Gábor …Ph… 1971
Elie Wiesel, …P …1986
John Polanyi, …Ch… 1986
György Oláh …Ch… 1994
Harsányi János …E… 1994
Imre Kertész … L…………2002
Ferenc Herskó………Ch………2004 (shared)

Ph=physics/M=Medicine/Ch= chemistry E=Economics/L= Literature/P=Peace

20

Dear Kati,

You are no killjoy. Yes, I realised that Mr Kyaw was asking about the Nobel Prize and the Academy Awards of Merit (better known as the Oscars), but I simply wasn’t sure if they are eponyms or not. I guess they are. At least, the Nobel is – since it is uncertain how the Oscars got their nickname.

“eponym” does not refer to someone who named something – so I think that the only possible eponym there could be that mysterious uncle Oscar.

eponym: thefreedictionary.com/eponym

  1. A word or name derived from the name of a person.
  2. A person whose name is or is thought to be the source of the name of something.