The term "fan" to mean avid supporter only came into popular use in the 19th century. Before that, words like "kranks," "habitués" and "lions" were used. There were even equivalents of today's fandoms that focus on a specific performer (like Swifties and Cumberbitches) in the form of Lisztians, who loved the composer Franz Liszt. Atlas Obscura spoke with Daniel Cavicchi, an American Studies scholar, about the history of fans and the words we've used to describe them. “How you name yourself says a lot about what you think of yourself and your very intense passions,” Cavicchi says. “But at the same time, another name or variation on the name, or another use of your name, maybe in a derogatory sense, may say something about what the culture thinks about you.”
TIL of the word Hypocorism. It describes the use of pet names for people. Sometimes derived from their actual names, such as Tobes from Toby, and sometimes not. I learned this from Geek Girl show. I don’t recall it from the books, but it may be in them.
I accidentally created the word "uncestors" from a typo. It now means all of the people in the past who aren't your ancestors. Go forth and talk about your uncestors from this day forth!
(from Neo-Latin de fenestrā) 1. The act of throwing someone or something out of a window. 2. A swift dismissal or expulsion (as from a political party or office).
The term was coined around the time of an incident in Prague Castle in the year 1618.
President Joe Biden and Donald Trump don't want to use their opponents' names, instead favoring nicknames and circumlocutions like"the former guy" and "Sleepy Joe." For @TheConversationUS, Roger J. Kreuz takes a look at Biden's rhetorical tactic — the Voldemort effect, or a cardinal principle of advertising: never mention your competitor by name. He also examines Trump's approach of othering via mispronouncing names and tapping into xenophobia.