Digest

This podcast delves into the etymological origins of various Winter Olympics terms and related concepts. It begins by introducing the 2026 Milan Cortino Games and the diverse linguistic roots of words like slalom, luge, and toboggan. The discussion traces "Olympic" back to Mount Olympos and Olympia in Greece, and "athlete" to a Greek term for prize-winners. Many skiing terms, including "ski" and "slalom," are revealed to have Norwegian and Old Norse origins. The invention of bobsleigh in St. Moritz, Switzerland, is recounted as a way to entertain wealthy winter guests. The origins of "skeleton," "luge," and "hockey" are explored, linking them to sled appearances, French dialect, and shepherd's crooks, respectively. The podcast also covers "skate," "toboggan" (from indigenous North American languages), "parka" (from Russian), and the evolution of "snowboarding" from "snurfing." Finally, the development and renaming of the Celsius temperature scale from "Centigrade" are detailed, along with the persistence of the older term and variations in style guide formatting for temperature. A listener's childhood mispronunciation of "pickle" as "piqua" is shared as a humorous anecdote.

Outlines

00:00:02

Origins of Winter Olympics Terminology

This podcast explores the etymological roots of Winter Olympics terms, including the 2026 Milan Cortino Games, and delves into the origins of words like "Olympic," "athlete," "ski," "slalom," "bobsleigh," "skeleton," "luge," "hockey," "skate," "toboggan," "parka," and "snowboarding." It also details the history and renaming of the Celsius temperature scale.

00:08:29

The Celsius Scale and Lingering Terminology

This section details the development of the Celsius temperature scale by Anders Celsius, its initial inversion, and the eventual official renaming from "Centigrade" to honor him. It also discusses the persistence of "Centigrade" and variations in style guide formatting for temperature readings.

00:12:14

Listener Story: "Piqua" for Pickle

A listener shares a personal anecdote about a childhood mispronunciation of "pickle" as "piqua," which became an enduring family inside joke.

Keywords

Q&A

• Where does the word "Olympic" come from?

  The word "Olympic" originates from Greece, named after Mount Olympos, the supposed home of the Greek gods, and Olympia, the site of the first ancient Olympic Games held in 776 BCE in honor of Zeus.

• What is the origin of the word "ski"?

  The word "ski" entered English from Norwegian in 1755. It originally comes from the Old Norse word "skeeth," meaning a long snowshoe or a stick of wood.

• How did the sport of Bobsleigh originate?

  Bobsleigh originated in the Swiss spa town of St. Moritz in the 1800s. A hotel owner encouraged wealthy guests to stay in winter, and they adapted delivery sleds for racing down streets, eventually leading to the organized sport.

• Why was the Celsius temperature scale renamed from Centigrade?

  The scale was officially renamed "Celsius" in 1948 to honor Anders Celsius. This also resolved confusion, as "Centigrade" in French and Spanish could mean a unit of angular measurement, and it aligned with other temperature scales named after people.

• What is the origin of the word "toboggan"?

  "Toboggan" has a different origin from European sledding terms. It comes from the Algonquin language family, making it a rare indigenous North American word in international winter sports vocabulary.

Show Notes