Tip (Game)

Where does the word tip come from?

Song: R & B by Dj Doc Rok
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542 Responses to Tip (Game)

  1. MtnDood says:

    Best 1min and 50 sec of my life!! What’s with the umbrella? :shock:

  2. leonard says:

    gratuity….random lesson….what is Arnold favorite cheese?

  3. matalexwolf says:

    like the sound of # 3 however, i think it is # 2

  4. vwolf says:

    и кстати где ты отвечаешь на наши вопросы :?:

  5. vwolf says:

    привет уменья не то что с английским плохо да и еше и с русским может поможешь :razz:

  6. okay4now says:

    Marina;
    You are a real cutie, no doubt! Your trip to the fridge proves (again) that you are hot forwords & hot backwards as well… What else to say to someone who likes good tea & good cheese…

  7. starlost1957 says:

    :mrgreen: :shock: :???: :cool: :idea: :oops: :!: :?: :arrow: Use a Chalk Board as a diagram chart as visual samples.

  8. vasdrugleonard says:

    Moi Dorogai
    It was originated in the old English pubs. It stands for To insure prompt service.

  9. prospero811 says:

    testing

  10. livewire- says:

    I was trying to find out what going on with the Mexican Newspaper
    but some how I came here instead… :mrgreen:

  11. spelcheck says:

    In australia a TIP is where you take your rubbish.

  12. bobsully says:

    You are really too HotforWords!!! I’t nice to have someone so lovely make me a little smarter. Love having the ratings stars back!!!

    I am merely guessing that it is #1, but I dare not cheat.

  13. roadrunrnch says:

    Teach, word suggestions; OERO
    SNICKERS
    ABAZABA
    MOON PIE
    COKA COLA
    7UP, DR PEPPER
    ETC,

  14. galloffdaniel says:

    what about the word Multimedia. This is a very common word, where does it comes from?

    thanks

  15. mikei14975 says:

    Marina can I request the word ‘Peeping Tom’? I want to know where it came from and if it has anything to do with a guy named Tom. Please and thank u- Mikei14975

  16. mistress9nine says:

    Oooo I have a word request: forwards. As is HotForwards. Why did you choose that name? Its silly! :razz:

  17. wyo550 says:

    As you were making your tea, I had to wonder if you were wearing any panties.

    Oh yea, the lesson: TIPS #3
    To Insert Panties Service
    What am I thinking? Now that you’re an almost-famous type in HollyWould, maybe you only tip rock stars onstage with your panties.
    Takes me back to the days on Sunset Strip when the rock stars used to throw ME…well, that’s another lesson:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nqDwACgCNI

  18. capman911 says:

    I found another program to download Marinas or any ones videos. It’s from Real Player. It’s a free download. Most of you already probably know about it but some may knot. This is a link telling you about the program.

    http://i.realone.com/product/help/rp11/en/Content/Recording_Download-Record_Web.htm

  19. Warren says:

    Hello Marina,
    Here’s a “word”? that I found reading today.
    “misunderestimated”
    Is there a word for this word?
    Does this mean “overestimated”?
    Thanks, Marina

  20. hutchiee says:

    I’ve always assumed it was to insure prompt service but I don’t think the spelling and grammar around the use of insure is correct (ensure?). I’m going with #2.

    For a word suggestion, has you done the for unlawful carnal knowledge word?

  21. Hi Marina, I would like to know where did the words table because in italian was tabola and castellano tabla

  22. Hola marina soy de argentina, mejor dicho de puerto madryn chubut patagonia. Mi duda es la siguiente. La palabra en ingles “table” de donde probiene??? ya que en italiano es la tabola en español tabla y en ingles table. son muy parecidas entre si. Espero que sepas castellano jajaja bueno besos grandes y sos una diosa… directamente ya vas a pasar como un amor platonico.

  23. dafiina says:

    Hi Marina, I would like to know where did the words ‘Cellar’ and ‘Basement’ originate from, and do they have the same meaning, I did not want to register on your website but I had to somehow to be able to request a word, now I challenge you to tell me the meaning of the word ‘dafiina’. All the best ! :wink:

  24. nickbnn says:

    Hi Marina!

    I like emotions that I feeling when looking at you. I like your emotions too when you are teching us :)

    So I just want to know the origin of the word – EMOTIONS

    Kiss you
    Nick

  25. modelloverguy11 says:

    I’m guessing #3. btw, can you tell us what the origin of the word, “reptile”. I heard it’s from a middle-eastern word “reptil”, which was from the old french word, “reptile”, which was from the latin words, “reptile” (long e) and “reptilis”, which means “creeping”. But I don’t believe this as the Komodo Dragon can grow more than 4 ft, and when it walks, it’s not exactly called crawling.
    your student,
    Gabriel

  26. astaroth267 says:

    It would have to be word origin #2, the other 2 use bad grammar, the context that your using the word ‘insure’ should be ‘ensure’ which would make it T.E.P or T.E.P.S

  27. biagini2 says:

    My favorite tip is “Don’t use Drugs” I guess #3? Oh, nice legs!

  28. jacksonchoo says:

    Dear teacher Marina, I often come across the word ‘cum’. e.g. i am working as a janitor cum office clerk. and i shoot my cum all over her belly. please help me my beautiful ans sexy teacher. thank you very much.

  29. redneck0691 says:

    i’ll have to go with Number 3.
    Can you please tell me where “Pretty Ugly” came from. these two words are exact opposite but we use them together all the time.
    I love you and love your lessons, keep them coming! :grin:

  30. axium2277 says:

    i’ll go with #3 :cool:

  31. Hi,

    I would like to know where the word “Masturbation” came from, its a kl word and would love to hear you say that in a sentance lol

    Great site btw
    x

  32. tiger13cd says:

    i would guess #2 or #3 but i just want to watch you get some more tea, or could you make me a cup…

  33. eulogic says:

    I’m going to go with origin number two :!:

  34. m1stun says:

    can you do the word Love??
    –meron

  35. excited4etymology says:

    Hellloo Marina!!!!! I am back. I have neer really left persay, just VERY tied up with oboigations. I’ll be sure to catch up on all of your video segments and buy your books, dvds, etc…

    gotta jet…

    p.s. have you read “who moved my ceese?”\\also, for the record you look amazing today.

  36. aristoteles says:

    what, i love different kind of cheeses but didn´t get any

  37. dvdpage says:

    I’m guessing number one. I’ve heard it’s “to insure promptness”
    from friends.
    Marina, I like the human side of the show today. You sure
    are a cutie pie! I’m gonna look out for that tea.
    Thanks again and +5 for you.

    • captainjack says:

      Welcome back Dvdpage. Missed ya. :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
      Kinda missed the favor of her old videos that where less scripted. I guess thats why people where attracted to “Real World” show. It was a bit harder to predict what was going to happen. And YouTube is filled with unscripted videos. Think about what makes a great movie. You laugh, You cry, You fear, You get mad, You get happy. You experience all the emotions in an hour and half. That makes a good movie. Do you agree?

      • dvdpage says:

        Thanks,
        I’ve been busy but wouldn’t miss out for long.
        Marina keeps it real and I do agree with you.

        I was lively in the latest “tips answer” today so
        I’ll catch up to you later. Its 12:30 and I’ve got
        a 6:00 wakie later on.

  38. stonedrose18 says:

    I’m also wondering where the phrase “What’s up?” came from.

  39. stonedrose18 says:

    I’m thinking it’s option two.

    -stonedrose18

  40. green rubber band says:

    I’m going to take a wild guess and say #2.

  41. lowlvlflt says:

    Privet Marina,
    To Insure Prompt Service would be the answer here… and also..

    I’m wondering what the origin of the term “Cloud 9″ comes from? As in, someone that is lost in their own world, not paying attention, or extremely happy. But the origin?? I know if anyone can find it, you can!!
    Scott

  42. cink says:

    Hello Marina, I’m from (Paraná – Entre Ríos – Argentina)my name is lucas you wanted to say that I am happy to see you and you’re very nice

    I leave you a hug

    By Lucas

  43. nwsailor says:

    to insure prompt service is the answer.

    I think you should go over the origin of the word threshold.

  44. BoArgMir says:

    :?: Marina,

    Maybe I should have posted this here and not in the Bistro Answer. Just wondering if you gave credit to the wrong person on Bistro request. You said BOGAMIR requested it. Did you mean me, BOARGMIR?? I did not request Bistro. Just thought I’d let you know that someone else may want the credit for that word. :smile:

    BOARGMIR

  45. augie says:

    :lol: forgive me :lol: had to watch this 5x yes 5x and still all i see is you in that yummie yellow sexy dress :lol: pls wear a cheerleader or french maid outfit that would be AWSOME thanxs for making my day sooo much better :smile:

  46. sidssster says:

    hey marina im a fairly new subscriber to you and i’ve always wanted to know where does the word epi come from or mean?

    for example:

    EPIlogue
    EPIcenter
    EPIlepsy
    EPIsode
    EPIc
    EPIdermis

    see what i mean? i would very much like the origin and the meaning of that
    thanks!

    -SID

  47. tabowers215 says:

    I have a word, rather a phrase, I would like to know the origin of: ” THE WHOLE NINE YARDS”
    Which is used to describe using every thing availible, going the distance, giving everything you have. I have heard that this comes from WWII, that fighter planes had the .50 calibre ammo laid out before being s-folded into the ammo trays in the wings. The capicity of these trays were 27 feet of belted ammo, or NINE YARDS. So if you came back empty, you gave the enemy all you had, or THE WHOLE NINE YARDS!
    This is a good story and sounds very feasible, but is it true. I know Marina can find the truth! :grin:

  48. tabowers215 says:

    I will go with # 2.

  49. roadrunrnch says:

    Teach, PRODUCT PLACEMENT!!! CAACHING!!!! I think someone like …….Victoria Secret,,,needs to supply You with all Your outfits , And so and so, Your back drop furnishings, Make up?? shoes?? what ever You need. Hell ,,You need an Agent , Baby.

  50. techlobyte says:

    number two
    acronyms are are usually wit, not words
    I’d like to request the origins of where 5X5 came from :eek:

  51. weroofem says:

    Hey I have another one…lol. How about “roof”? Now that would be interesting.
    **Weroofem**

  52. scottd says:

    “disambiguation”, i find alot of people dont understand this word.

  53. weroofem says:

    Hey beautiful…I was wondering where the word “Dad” or Daddy originated from…since I happen to be one!
    Sweet dreams!
    **Weroofem**

  54. mutarum says:

    Homework Assignment : TIps

    I have chosen Option Number : 3

    and I request the word

    “Success”

    Thanks,

    Suleiman

  55. tomprice494 says:

    Grapefruit

    Marina, why is this very sexy citrus fruit called a grapefruit? They do not look or taste like grapes. Grapes grow on a vine, grapefruit on a tree. What gives with the weird name? Please investigate!

    Love you Marina!

  56. runawayscott says:

    Number two, no doubt. Lots of comments on this one, wonder why.

  57. metalgod says:

    can you tell us the origin of the word muse or maiden? :D

  58. craigs_70345 says:

    This week I met a modern day vagabond. He is traveling the country aimlessly and documenting his travels with a video camera. He has a website, aimlessmovie.com. A most interesting character, to be sure. Can you tell me were the word vagabond comes from. Is it from the Latin vagari “to wander”

  59. peartisgod says:

    :wink: can you do the orgin of the word summer for the first day of summer june 21 or whatever the date is and for my graduation from grammar school i might be 14 but i know a hot girl when i see one

  60. paedi says:

    no one of the 3 answers is correct!
    The word originates from the 16th century verb tip, which meant “to give unexpectedly”, and was derived from the German word tippen, meaning “to tap.”

  61. capman911 says:

    Hey Tiger wouldn’t you like to take the place of her mouse she is feeding cheese to. :mrgreen:

  62. annuddermale says:

    i’m thinkin’ yellow is now my favorite color (or is that colour)…

    i’m going with #3 – #1 tripped too quickly off the tip of your tongue and as for #2, i can’t imagine anyone tipping a servant…

    well, not gratuitous tipping, anyway…

    oh, wait…maybe tipping a servant was a game they played, like goin’ cow-tippin’…

    snipe!… :cool:

  63. petushok says:

    how about new word “cucumber”?

  64. BillyB says:

    Establish the rules first on the tip. Could also be used @ the dutch lesson.

    • buzzword says:

      3rd rock, that was a funny show.

      • BillyB says:

        With all the bad puns & some good ones that fly around here, I can’t believe nobody wanted to rename the Video. “Marina cuts the Cheese”, “Hotforwords favorite teas” or “Almost Embareassed” :oops:

      • captainjack says:

        Oh My Gawd Mr. B. We must have been sleeping on the switch on that one. Your right she did cut the cheese and then never apologized about it. In fact I heard the knife hit the counter when she cut the cheese. It must have been bad because did you see her put the cheese into an air tight plastic bag? Oh then she sits right in front of the camera and eats the cheese right in front of us. She didn’t even offer any cheese for us. She gave some to that rat. She didn’t even offer any to our pet hamster Tig.
        Well that was my feeble attempt to poke fun at Marina cuts the Cheese joke. :roll:

  65. errin says:

    I’m trying to play the ‘guess the cheese’ game. It looked like a big wedge of Jarlsberg that got sliced into, but the lack of holes within the cheese would denote otherwise. I am going to go out on a limb and guess that the cheese in this video lesson was Edam. I may never know if I’m right. Anybody else out there have any guesses? :???:

  66. capman911 says:

    It would be nice if someone could figure out a way for a site like this one would automatically reload itself instead of hitting F5. :?:

  67. capman911 says:

    Marina,
    Do you ever drink what we call Russian tea. We drink it around Christmas time. :?:

    Mike

  68. sniperskaya says:

    Marina, while we’re tossing around ideas for costumes I don’t suppose you would ever consider body paint? I’ve seen some incredible bodypaint jobs at FantasyFest in Key West…

  69. nearlynot says:

    It is #2. I was wondering where the expression “Loaded for bear” originated.

  70. derdeutschelanus says:

    Hi Marina :lol: I think option #1 is the correct answer to the meaning of the word tip.
    It was a great pleasure to see you standing in your kitchen.!!!! :eek:

  71. mr.catchmeifyoucan says:

    Zdravstvuj HOTFORWORDS, you’re word skills are good but I, Mr.CatchMeIfYouCan, am here to challenge you!!! (Cue ominous organ music)

    Three words for you…JABBERWOCKY…HONKY-TONK…SUCCUBUS…

    Good luck HOTFORWORDS…and do svidaniya!

  72. txfrx07 says:

    i like to know where the word fajita comes from

  73. oorthodox says:

    Number 1 is the choice! :D

    I’d like to know, where does the word CANON (as weapon) come from. :)

  74. nicksb says:

    where does the word gay come from

  75. toshkabg says:

    sry the BB codes aren’t working… so my word is

    Chocolate

  76. toshkabg says:

    Ok i want this word please [color=red][b]chocolate[/b][/color]

  77. galloffdaniel says:

    Let’s see this word: Hacker

    I am not one of them, ok?

  78. galloffdaniel says:

    Option No.1

  79. senator says:

    Number 1, Marina, this is the hottest hot for words yet. A chance to see your legs and your kitchen, but especially your incredible edible legs … ah.

  80. nguyen.qui says:

    Can you find the origins of the phrase “on cloud nine”?

  81. zackbennett says:

    Hello Marina!

    I’ve been working in a mine for 2 years, a really big hole in the earth. Recently I discovered your lessons, and I was wondering, Why is it called a Mine? Im sure there must be some history to it.
    Thanks!

  82. shaun dunne says:

    Umm I would say 2 since 1 and 3 are very similar, it’s unlikely that they are right. I also have two words that would be interesting to use in the show. I already know their meanings but they come from the same period in time and are two commonly used phrases, they are:

    1: Eavesdrop
    –and–
    2: The phrase: A square meal

    Great video as always

    – Shaun

  83. filipokiller says:

    [: zdravstvuj marina:]

    i think maybe you should od word “robot” , cos i guess you know it is not of american origin, but of a czech autor karol capek, it is actually a abreviation. i think that might be interesting…

    filip from slovakia(former czechoslovakia)

  84. joefrombradford says:

    I think its number 2…

    And if i am wrong i will be willing to wear the Dunces Cap :lol:

    Which brings me to my request, where did the Dunce cap originate?

  85. vdrlng says:

    Hi Marina,
    I have something different for you -
    I would like to have your take on the phrase “Russian Roulette”. We all know the game but does it have it’s origin in fact?

  86. chris_@ says:

    i think is the number 3 ….. :roll:
    :grin:

  87. mexikaner_luigui says:

    Hi marina!! I wanna request a word… well actually more than one, but about the same topic: well, in my language (spanish) the name of the days has a relation with a planet or satellite: Lunes(monday)= Luna(moon), Martes(tuesday)=Marte(Mars), etc…so my question is: what is the origin of the name of the days of the week in english?
    I’ll be waiting for an answer dear and trusty teacher :razz: and im sorry if a made a mistake with my english :neutral: , greetings from México!!

  88. dukelebowski says:

    I think none of these origins are correct… :roll:
    Like laconickid said 2 of those origins are backronyms. And i think that for the other choice that the origin is germanic :wink:

    We’ll see in the next video from my dreamy teacher! :mrgreen:

  89. laconickid201 says:

    I’ll go with origin No. 2. Apparently the other origins are examples of backronyms.So by the process of elimination, I choose No.2. Unless, of course none of these choices is correct. :???:

  90. To insure prompness is the correct answer. Once waiters saw the opportunity to make extra money, they purposly gave slow service to those who didn’t prepay, making the non-tipping customer wait. Eventually, when even the advance tip did not bring good service, because everyone was paying, the customers started giving it for service after the meal.

    The third answer is interesting, because it is almost the same as the first, but I don’t believe that a single box at the door would have incented the staff to be more prompt.

  91. kaibanator says:

    you got me stumped again marina, well done!!

    The more I hear the origins, the more I have a feeling that tip is not an acronym. Therefore, I will guess origin number 2 :)

    I think with origin #2, that you would give a small amount of money to someone who he or she believed to be inferior, seems to make more sense.

    Because when someone tips. It is usually to someone who has a public servant role. (ie, a waiter, or doorman, or maid, or bartender). So I believe that for that reason, a public servant would be considered as socially inferior, as they would be catering to your needs :) of course i could be wrong :wink:

    hope that made sense :grin:

    • pagedoll says:

      Dude! Iron Maiden rocked so hard! first time i’ve seen them, i’ll be going back next time around! do you know if JP is coming to the states? hope so :smile:

  92. ggariepy says:

    Marina,
    Would it be untoward for me to ask you for the origins of the word “untoward?” :mrgreen:

    –Geoff

  93. dukelebowski says:

    I have a fench word request :grin:
    I’m from Belgium (french part) and newly discovered this website and i liked to know the origin(s) of my favourite word in french.

    This word is “azimut or azimuth”.

    Thx teacher! :wink:

  94. prospero811 says:

    I have a word request.

    The morning radio show I listen to was talking about the word “pompon” – one of the guys is a stickler on grammar and spelling issues, and when someone said “pompom” for the thing’s cheerleaders use, it was pointed out that the correct word is “pompon.”

    So, is pompom also correct? Or is pompon the only correct spelling? And what is the origin? What does pompon have to do with hand-held things with tassels?

    And, obviously, it’s very important that you dress the part if/when you do a video.

    Anyone concur in this request? Cheerleader Marina?

    • Marina says:

      Great suggestion prospero811! Any excuse to dress up in a cheerleader outfit :-) It looks like it comes from the French word.. and the English misheard it. Now.. I can’t seem to figure out where pompon came from.. hmm…

      • prospero811 says:

        I gather from the comments on that video that it’s some lady calling in to thank Putin for something. I am not sure what you’re getting at though. :?:

    • aLx says:

      well, it says “Orig. incertaine” everywhere, anyway. so I guess she’s good to go dressing up as a cheerleader and not giving the word origin. but maybe there’s a few theories. could be interesting. (the theories.)

    • aLx says:

      translation of the conversation: click “more info” without hesitation. it’s no sensation but a fun situation

    • captainjack says:

      Prospero, Marina, Anyone, Who decides what is correct spelling of a word?

      • aLx says:

        those decisions are just arbitrary decisions.
        spelling ain’t that important anyway.

      • Bob says:

        I recently saw an article about reading comprehension and misspelling. It seems that as long as the first and last letter of each word is correct and all the other letters are present in the correct number, the brain can work out the correct spelling.
        I can’t find the example I had at the moment but I’;; try to find it and post it later on.

      • prospero811 says:

        Everybody, through custom. Dictionaries tend to provide expert opinion on correct spelling.

        I disagree with aLx that those decisions are “just arbitrary.” “Arbitrary” means “subject to individual will or judgment without restriction; contingent solely upon one’s discretion.” The determination of correct spelling is a collective decision, and when the OED and Webster decide on a “correct” spelling it’s not based on a determination of the collective practice, reviewing databases and files of language, and by consulting reference works. A dictionary is descriptive, not prescriptive, meaning it is a demonstration of how the word is actually used. That’s subject to the lexicographer’s judgment, but an exercise in reasoned judgment is not arbitrary, particularly where multiple sources agree.

        Spelling has degrees of importance depending on the type of communication involved. In on-line message boards, texts, emails, and other informal settings, spelling is of little to no importance to most people because what matters is whether intended meaning is conveyed. However, in textbooks, scientific papers, and other strictly formal writings, spelling means a great deal for obvious reasons. In casual reading, novels, short stories, etc., I also would argue that spelling is very important, because one wants to enjoy reading what is written and not have to decipher someone’s mess.

        When I type a text message on my phone, for example, I get 160 characters. Each character is, therefore, precious, and to fit the most information into 160 characters, shorthand, phonetic spellings, skipped letters, etc., are normal and appropriate. Who cares? On the other hand, if I’m writing a resume and want someone to take me seriously for a job, I should use accepted spelling.

      • prospero811 says:

        Err…. I mean… it is based on a determination of collective practice…. oops… I clicked “submit comment” too quickly….ugh.

      • Bob says:

        fi yuo cna raed tihs, yuo hvae a sgtrane mnid too. Cna yuo raed tihs? Olny 55 plepoe out of 100 can.

        i cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno’t mtaetr in waht oerdr the ltteres in a wrod are, the olny iproamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it whotuit a pboerlm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Azanmig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt!

        Translation into orthodox spelling for the other 45 people. :smile:
        If you can read this, you have a strange mind too. Can you read this? Only 55 people out of 100 can.

        I couldn’t believe that I could actually understand what I was reading.
        The phenomenal power of the human mind, according to research at Cambridge University, it doesn’t matter in what order the letters in a word are, the only important thing is that the first and last letter be in the right place. The rest can be a total mess and you can still read it without a problem. This is because the human mind does not read every letter by itself, but the word as a whole. Amazing huh?
        Yeah and I always thought spelling was important!

      • headwaves says:

        Hey Bob!

        That’s amazing!

        I could read it so easily – you really do learn something new every day!

      • buzzword says:

        prospero, oh great grammar hammer, what is the formal system by which everyone by custom determines correct spelling that you mention? how is it organized? i mean has everyone been meeting and voting without telling me? this could explain why i disagree with you so often. arbitrary also means casual, which i think is an appropriate description of the way word spellings change. yours truly, the mean grammar jammer.

      • captainjack says:

        WOW!! I OPENED UP A CAN OF WORMS ON THIS ONE.
        :shock: :shock:

        Hey Bob, That was interesting. I read that just fine. I don’t understand how I did that. I guess its like Morse code. You just learn the sound of the word and not the individual dits and das. Im horrible at spelling. I spell check every word I type.

        So Bob how did you type that? Using a special website?

      • prospero811 says:

        With all do respect, buzz, I checked several dictionaries and none of them say that “arbitrary” means “casual.” For example:

        ar·bi·trar·y Pronunciation Key – Show Spelled Pronunciation[ahr-bi-trer-ee] Pronunciation Key – Show IPA Pronunciation adjective, noun, plural -trar·ies.
        -adjective
        1. subject to individual will or judgment without restriction; contingent solely upon one’s discretion: an arbitrary decision.
        2. decided by a judge or arbiter rather than by a law or statute.
        3. having unlimited power; uncontrolled or unrestricted by law; despotic; tyrannical: an arbitrary government.
        4. capricious; unreasonable; unsupported: an arbitrary demand for payment.
        5. Mathematics. undetermined; not assigned a specific value: an arbitrary constant.

        The first definition of the word above appears to be most applicable to a decision to do something or another.

        Note – I did not state or imply that it was a “formal” system. I said that lexicographers do not act arbitrarily. They don’t. They study how words are used in common usage, and review databases of language, reference works, etc., to determine how words are used in real life. The dictionaries, like the Oxford English Dictionary, then print those definitions as “descriptive” of the spelling “as used,” not “prescriptive” of how a word “should” be spelled. This isn’t one guy just capriciously assigning meanings left and right. If you go to the Oxford English Dictionary’s website and/or Ask Oxford or look in the preface material or appendix material to any good hardcover dictionary, they will explain how they come up with spellings and definitions – they don’t make them up out of thin air, or with caprice – they aren’t “unsupported or unreasonable” and they certainly aren’t subject individual will or judgment without restriction.

        There are no spelling police. There is no official body of English spelling. But, if it’s between some guy posting on a message board, and the reasoned, researched decision of the lexicographers at the Oxford English Dictionary or Merriam-Webster, then I’ll go with their spelling as more indicative the way the word is spelled now.

        Yes, spellings can change, and that does happen. But, it doesn’t happen every time somebody spells something wrong. I’m sure you agree with that, I suspect. If someone says “dog” is spelled “gargantuanadon” it’s fair to say they are wrong. Sure, someday people may opt to spell “dog” with the letters “gargantuanadon” but right now that’s wrong. And, that’s not arbitrary.

      • aLx says:

        bob,

        cambridge university never did this study. you may be interested in this, though.

      • aLx says:

        p11,

        now, what would be an “expert opinion on correct spelling”? what in the world is that? you may have an opinion on spelling, but an “expert opinion”?
        no, it is completely arbitrary. we had a spelling reform a while ago over here. so … a group of people came together, they decided that this-and-this has to be written so-and-so now. the old speliings are not correct anymore.
        plus, you can’t be serious about dictionaries not being prescriptive. I mean, come on now. for real.

      • buzzword says:

        okeydokey, all those obsessive compulsive short sighted doinks at oxford and the over educated under sexed merriam-webster stooges rely on the collective whims of who can count them all individuals and the unquantifiable cultural wtf force of acceptance to identify word and definition. the whole kit and caboodle system is based on casual word usage. you can rely on the relative value of oxford or merriam-webster or you could recognize the responsiveness of urban dictionary and wikipedia they all rely on the same haphazard public discourse to get their wordage. which is arbitrary or marked by whim or caprice rather than reason. i know this isn’t an eloquent argument but i couldn’t do any gooder.

        arbitrary
        Part of Speech: adjective
        Definition: Determined or marked by whim or caprice rather than reason.
        Synonyms: capricious, whimsical

        casual
        Part of Speech: adjective
        Synonyms: accidental, adventitious, aloof, carefree, chance, contingent, cursory, debonair, desultory, dishabille, disorganized, easygoing, fortuitous, free and easy, haphazard, homey, idle, impromptu, incidental, indifferent, indiscriminate, informal, insouciant, lackadaisical, loose, natural, nonchalant, occasional, offhand, perfunctory, precarious, random, relaxed, stray, superficial, uncertain, unexpected, unimportant, unpremeditated, unstructured, unstudied

        dictionary.com, no direct spelled out confirmed separated by just a comma relationship between casual and arbitrary. but i’ll hazard to guess that my usage would pass the public, “do ya dig?” test. but based on the merriam-webster-oxford holy trinity your right, but i’ll just visit urban dictionary and change all that. i like you prospero your fun, you bring out the words in me.

      • buzzword says:

        prospero, by the way… word out dawg.

      • prospero811 says:

        Err… the Oxford English Dictionary, which has been in the lexicography business for several hundred years, would be an “expert opinion on correct spelling.” Merriam-Webster, too, has been in the biz for quite a while – I’d say they have more expertise than the average message-board poster.

        And, no, aLx, it is not “completely arbitrary” – at least not under any definition of arbitrary in any dictionary on the planet. And, yes, a dictionary like Merriam Webster or the OED is certainly better than any individual “man on the street” as far as understanding what a word commonly means and how it is spelled.

        Dictionaries are not prescriptive, because they can and do change over time. When an additional or alternative spelling for a word arises in common usage, the OED will adopt it.

        I really am not sure what is so hard to understand about this. It is certainly false that any spelling mistake is not a mistake at all, but an equally acceptable alternate spelling, if that’s what you’re arguing.

        Is it acceptable in common practice to spell the word “cat” using the letters “beeblebrox?” If your answer to that is “yes” then we’ll just have to agree to disagree. However, if you wrote something using the letters “beeblebrox” as the spelling for “cat” then I think it’s fair to say that you’re just wrong. That is not the English spelling for “cat.”

        What if two people have a difference of opinion as to how to spell a word. Let’s say that one person says the word “cat” is spelled “cat” and the other guy says it’s spelled “beeblebrox” How do we determine who is correct as to what common English spelling is? We could take a poll of every single person who speaks English and see if there is a substantial majority that agrees on the spelling. That might be somewhat inefficient. We could have the bright idea to go out and consult English language works, and databases and linguists, etc. and see how the word is spelled in real life. That, again, would take quite a bit of time, and we might not want to do all that research.

        Hey! Here’s an idea! There is a profession out there that actually specializes in researching how words are used in the English language, including spelling, meaning, etc. Yes, that’s right – lexicographers do that kind of stuff for a living, and have been for hundreds of years. They’ve actually done serious research on how words are spelled, what they mean, and even what words might not have existed in the past but now are used commonly in the language. If we look the word up in a dictionary prepared by such a person, we are likely to get a good understanding of what the correct spelling of a word is.

        As an aside, aLx, I see you on these boards and very often you correct other people on various issues of linguistics and grammar. You even pointed out my misuse of a word on a previous video. If everything goes, as you continually point out, on what basis you correct anybody on anything?

      • aLx says:

        I don’t think I’ve ever said something like, please use correct spelling, or it’s “you’re”, not “your” or whatever.

        we discussed the grammar thing already, dude.

        if you’re saying that there is an “expert” opinion on “correct” spelling, and you accept that opinion, you simply accept the fact that there is an instance telling you — and other people — how to spell. that is prescriptive. that is what dictionaries do. they tell you to spell “cat” “cat”, not “cadt” or “catt”. as much as you’d like them to, they’re not 100% descriptive. same goes for your textbook grammars.

        I welcome the fact that you read douglas adams’ works. your “cat / beeblebrox” example doesn’t have anything to do with the spelling issue, though.

      • buzzword says:

        the experts are the individuals using their language, the collective behavior of every, “man on the street” and, “message board poster” not the lexicographers. the majority of words used throughout one’s life are never referenced from a dictionary because words are primarily defined during a conversation or observing conversation. i don’t need no damn dictionary to tell me what to say or what you should hear. the expert’s dictionary, the whole thing, is all in my head.

      • captainjack says:

        Oh did I say a can of worms? :shock: I meant a hornets nest. :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

        Oh this site is so fun! hehehehe

      • pennsyltucky9 says:

        Well, Captain Jack, make sure the bilge pump in your email inbox is running at peak because there’ll probably be some overflow from all this!

      • prospero811 says:

        buzz and aLx – is it possible to spell a word wrong?

        Yes or no.

      • prospero811 says:

        Buzz – on the definition of “arbitrary” – how would you propose to determine whether the word passes the “do ya dig” test?

      • prospero811 says:

        aLx – you have corrected grammar, word usage and word meanings – and all of that we discussed before as somehow subject to this same “anything goes” and “nothing is wrong” philosophy you seem to have.

        I recall contemplating, after our last debate on this issue, busting your balls about correcting someone. I’ll try to track down where it was. I decided not to, because I figured it was a cheap shot, and I figured we actually didn’t disagree much.

        However, now you appear purposefully obtuse – maybe it’s to be contrary, which I can respect. You obviously on some level agree with me. You are saying that “beeblebrox” and “cat” is not a relevant example. The only reason it’s not a relevant example is if you accept that “beeblebrox” is an incorrect spelling of “cat.” If someone tries to use “beeblebrox” for “cat,” they are what? Wrong? Why? Because nobody in their right mind thinks that’s correct English spelling.

        I am willing to bet that when you were putting together a resume, or writing a paper for school, you have used a dictionary to get the meaning or spelling of a word. Why? Because it’s a pretty good source for a pretty good opinion of what is proper/common English. If multiple dictionaries agree, you might even conclude that it’s pretty strong evidence that the word is (not should be, but is) spelled the way it’s spelled in the dictionary.

        If you were having an argument about how to spell the word “cat” how would you prove to them that “beeblebrox” is NOT the correct spelling? Or “kkkaaaatttt?” Would you just ask you’re friends in the area, and say “what’s the current prevailing English spelling of the word cat?” Or, would you pull out a dictionary? Why? Isn’t it because the lexicographers have experience and expertise in the area, and have actually done the research to determine what is the common English spelling(s) of the word?

      • prospero811 says:

        buzz – you can’t possibly have misunderstood my posts as much as you pretend. Do you realize that I said EXACTLY that the spelling of the word is determined by the collective will of the people that use the language? You do realize that that is what I said, right?

        The issue is “how do we determine what the collective will of the users of the language is?”

        Buzz – you and I can both have an opinion what that collective usage is – but neither one of us has, most likely, researched the available data on how a word is in general spelled. My point was that there are people out there whose profession is to analyze the English language and add new words to dictionaries, and determine how people are defining and spelling words in common usage. That’s what lexicographers do. So, yes, a dictionary – the product of extensive research and study – is a better source for common/proper current English usage than your or any single individual’s opinion or any small group of people’s opinion.

      • captainjack says:

        I don’t know how to spell a single word. I just put these little shapes in agreed order of the masses.
        Hey does anyone stare at a word you know is spelled correctly than after a few minutes you start to doubt that it is spelled correctly? Then you begin to wonder if thats really a word or not? Then you think why am I doing this? Then you run to your fridge and grab your favorite beverage and forget that this even happened.

      • Bob says:

        No Jack, that was a copy and paste from an email I received from a friend, but you can find a utility to scramble your message on this site.

      • buzzword says:

        you are referring to an infrequent situation within the context of everyday word usage. i agree with you that under distinct circumstances this, “common/proper/current English” must be used in a very accurate manner to receive an expected positive social evaluation, and that the merriam-webster or oxford dictionaries are recognized by the authorities active in said situation are useful canons of reference to achieve the desired response. outside of this context which is like the majority of the time, the usual source of word meaning is amid the casual discourse of the man on the street. i mean when you go on an interview or a business meeting you change your clothes, change your identity to fit social expectations, so to you dress up your language, so its a situational response. a dictionary’s usefulness is situational and thus not the universal authority that you are suggesting.

      • buzzword says:

        oh, further prosopero… spelling a word wrong depends on the judgment of the individuals involved in the communication. again you are assuming the authority of the written word, whereas the spoken word is of primary interest to linguists. and the “do ya dig” test is merely a reference to the process of establishing mutual understanding which occurs during casual discourse that determines the meaning of words in the context of the immediate situation without need of the holy dictionary.

      • prospero811 says:

        Which, buzz, is precisely what I said.

        You and aLx, however, translate this situational, relative usefulness of a dictionary into “it’s all arbitrary” and “anything goes,” as if there is no right and wrong. There is, and the OED, among others, are fine sources to settle issues regarding spelling and meaning. Remember, the argument started with the question of whether spelling was arbitrary. It isn’t. It’s not carved in stone, ordained by holy writ, or codified into law – but it also is not arbitrary, capricious, irrational and without reason.

      • buzzword says:

        i will not accept that the oed is the authority on spelling and meaning for the same reasons i will not accept that the christian bible is the authority on ethics and appropriate behavior.

      • buzzword says:

        prospero, that statement i just made seems a little out of left field. i’ll explain what i mean. not everyone recognizes the authority of either the oed or the christian bible. even though both are frequently used in particular situations to discern what is and is not appropriate. both are used by a majority of the population as well. their are obvious differences, i admit. but you cannot ignore the right of an individual or group to interpret their own symbols and meanings regardless of the relative authority of institution or majority. you may say that an exchange may ignore your established guidelines the words do however serve the purpose of those communicating and thus are consistent within their interpretation and are correct. just as that right is accorded to you to hold whatever interpretations best serve your needs.

      • prospero811 says:

        buzz, the key in your post above is that you acknowledged that there is, in fact, a “common/proper English,” and that the OED is a recognized authority on it. Naturally, if a bunch of other sources agree with the OED, then that’s even stronger support.

        If you have thought that what I’m saying is that everyone must always use correct English and spelling, then you’ve failed to read what I’ve posted time and time again. When people are writing on message boards, sending informal emails, and sending text pages, and similar communications, then spelling does not mean much as long as both the sender and receiver of the message understand what’s being said. That, however, does not make dictionaries and word meanings “arbitrary” and it does not mean that “anything goes” when it comes to proper English.

        It just means that proper English is not always necessary. Heck, sometimes proper English isn’t even preferable (like when writing an informal email, you don’t want to sound like you’re writing an English composition essay).

        However, I do appreciate you acknowledging that there does exist something called “common, proper, current English.” Those were your words from the post above. If someone is using English that is not common, not proper and not current English, then they are…….. drum roll please….. using IMPROPER and UNCOMMON English, and if someone is using English that is not current, then it is either outdated, or hasn’t yet entered the language.

        Bingo. So, in summary, yes it is perfectly fine and dandy to spell things in a text page (by way of example), like “Hi Jane! want 2 go 2 Wings game 2night? Will b kewl!” There is nothing morally wrong with that. However, that doesn’t mean the words are spelled right.

      • prospero811 says:

        buzz, regarding your Bible analogy. To carry it to its logical conclusion, to analogize to what you are saying about spelling and English in general, you would argue that not only is the Bible not the definitive guide for ethics, but that there is no such thing as Biblical ethics at all (just like you said, up until your post of 5/30 at 12:42pm above, that there is no such thing as correct current English spelling).

        In your analogy, Christianity is to the Bible as English is the OED. If a person were to ask, “what do Christianity say about X?” I could either make it up out of my own head and say that my personal opinion is as good as anybody’s on what Christianity says about X. That, of course, let’s me say that Christian says that Xenu brought Thetans to the Earth in spaceships and dumped them into volcanoes. However, it would not be unreasonable to say that since the Bible contains no mention of Xenu, that Christianity, in fact, does not say anything about Xenu.

        Similarly, if one asks “how do you spell the word ‘cool’ in English?” You are certainly free to say that it’s spelled “keewl.” However, if someone looked in the OED, and verified in Websters and Random House and dictionary.com and yourdictionary.com, etc., that the word was spelled “cool” then it’s not unreasonable for someone to conclude that the person who spells it “cool” is right.

        That allows someone who is unfamiliar with Christianity to learn about Christianity by reading the Bible, and someone who is unfamiliar with English to look up the spelling of a word rather than going to the man-on-the street and then being told six different ways to spell “cool.”

        Does that mean that people are “bad” or “stupid” for using non-standard spellings? Does it mean they’ve violated the law, and that some spelling police are going to come arrest them? Of course not, not anymore than saying that Christians believe in Xenu is a crime or “bad.” It’s just that in the case of Christianity, Xenu not current, proper, common, or correct Christianity, and in the case of English “keewl” is not current, proper, common, or correct English.

        Uncle?

      • captainjack says:

        This is very interesting. I never knew such a small question would generate this many comments. :???: Im glad my sister isn’t on this blog. She would be putting her 2 cents in for sure. I probably leave the site because she would be continuing to spell & grammar check me all the time.

        So my next question is why does my sister get so annoyed when I miss spell a word? :roll:

    • senator says:

      I’m down with that request.

  95. prospero811 says:

    I am always suspicious of “acronym” etymologies for common words. They are almost always wrong because they are made up after the fact to explain the letters not vice versa,

    So, I would say it has to be number two on that basis.

    However, my actual guess is that it’s a trick question and that none of the three is exactly right. Just a hunch…

    • Marina says:

      prospero811, don’t second guess yourself :-)

    • captainjack says:

      You know Prospero, Im starting to rethink my choice. :neutral: Im not comfortable with #3 story of a box next to the door. My first guess was going to be #1. Then I remembered the TIPS story on cruise ships. So I wanted to pick #3. But I think #2 might be right but something is wrong with its logic. You mentioned

      I am always suspicious of “acronym” etymologies for common words.

      I just threw everything I heard out the window. When taking a test if any part of the answer is false then the whole answer is false. So I would have to check none of the above. Since that is not an option in this game I would just have to …. :shock:
      Sorry, I had to reboot my brain. Hang on.. Its starting up…. just a few more minutes. Almost there… *sips more tea*….
      Ok what was I talking about? I was unable to save my past work file. :sad:

      All I know is I make bank when people TIP me. :mrgreen:

    • Bob says:

      According to the Oxford English Dictionary both “ensure” and “insure” have the meaning of guaranteeing or making sure of something so it appears that the two forms are interchangeable.

      • pagedoll says:

        on the whole candyman thing, i agree. i was lucky enough to see christina 2 times on her back to basics tour. once in a sports arena type venue and the other in a “private” type show with only 2700 seats. i sat within the first ten rows at both and that girl has an amazing voice. after seeing her i went and bought the back to basics cd and her voice sounds flat on cd compared to live. you can also get that show on dvd now. i still gives me goose bumps ever time i watch it! we love christina…can you tell ?:shock:

  96. jgold1 says:

    What is the origin of the phrase “hand you your lunch?” As in “He will hand you your lunch.”

  97. likeanoceanliner says:

    hi marina!! hmm, what does minimalism means?

    sorry for my bad language , im from greece. :) cheers,

    keep driving us crazy!!!

  98. svoboda says:

    Hi Marina,
    I’m not buying into origin #3. I question origin #2, but it sounds plausible. Origin #1 is where I’m putting my money today.
    By the way, I’m an old man and I’ve been through a lot of schooling (well, I’m not THAT old and I haven’t been through THAT much schooling) but if you’re looking for a pet, I’m house broken, never chewed anyones shoes, don’t run after cars or chase cats and rarely ride anybodies leg. (kind of paints a picture, huh?)
    I don’t want to sound too desperate, but then again, it is what it is.
    Feel free to use my icon photo. It’s one of the better photos of me.

  99. bloodnut says:

    My guess is #3.
    could you please check the origin of the word “Cheapskate”?

  100. 1edkihm says:

    Hi Marina, I like to use the word “gooder” for fun and of course many people and English teachers always have a cow and tell me I can’t use the word because it’s not “proper” English but they were never able to tell me why or any reason or rule that makes it wrong or improper to use. I also let them know that the word “do-gooder” is in the Merriam Webster online dictionary. So, can you tell me why using the word “gooder” is improper?

    Thanks,

    Ed Kihm

    • pennsyltucky9 says:

      Okay, Ed. Let’s say that “gooder” is your basic “prop English.”

      If this is so, then “damn good” is even prop-ER English.

      And I guess that means “better” and “best” would be prop-EST English. Jeez, this is already way out of control, Ed.

      Tell you what. When your new dictionary is ready for release, let us know.

      Meantime, show one real-world situation where “gooder” stands alone without (do-) tacked to the front. I’m curious to see what that might be.

      And don’t just try to use it in a sentence like “I played ball asbestos I could.” You can do-gooder than that, Ed :roll: . You found your way here somehow. I have every confidence in you.

    • aLx says:

      I think it’s fine.
      “good” is one of those exceptions to the rule. its comparison is irregular. that’s all. just like the plural of “child” is “children”, not “childs”.
      eliminating irregular forms is one way of language change, happens all the time. it makes things easier.
      maybe the comparison of “good” will change in the next 20 years or so. then they will look at ps9 like, wtf?

      • aLx says:

        err … that’d be pt9. sorry about that.

      • pennsyltucky9 says:

        You’re right to a certain extent, aLx. For eample, had someone told me 20 years ago that the verb “do” would soon see regular usage in the form of “do-able,” I would have immediately suggested “possible” as a replacement and thought it a ridiculous idea. But today, the expression has acquired everyday usage.

      • pennsyltucky9 says:

        Plus, they already look at me like, wtf? So no problem there, hombre.

    • prospero811 says:

      It’s fine in an Orwellian sort of way.

      • buzzword says:

        “It seems unlikely that Orwell would have approved of many of the uses to which his pseudonym is applied. The loose definition of the term and the often poor correlation between the real life situations people describe as Orwellian and his own dystopian fiction leave the use of the adjective at best inexact and frequently politically inaccurate. In many of his essays and letters Orwell criticised words with formally precise definitions being used badly and the vague slide in meaning for many of these words.” wikidpedia

      • prospero811 says:

        Buzz – good, gooder and goodest are part of the “Newspeak” specifically written about by Orwell in in 1984. Take a look at the appendix. I think something written about by George Orwell in his most famous work could conceivably be properly called “Orwellian,” all respects to Wikipedia.

      • buzzword says:

        oh, i never read that book. lit teacher assigned it back in high school but i was like, “dude… it’s 1986, like i remember almost everything from 1984!” but then i did see the movie, that part your talking about wasn’t in that. but then it wasn’t about 1984 in the u.s. at all, it must have been about the 1984 they had in russia or germany or france maybe. your probably right about this one though, can you break dance?

      • prospero811 says:

        How dare you correct me in the first place, Buzz. The word “Orwellian” means whatever I want it to mean, right?

      • buzzword says:

        sure, your the expert on what you wrote, that’s why i prompted your meaning. i put the definition down in the prospero/buzzword dictionary i keep in my head.

      • prospero811 says:

        Well, good for you on being able to maintain a complete dictionary of meanings for every person you deal with. The rest of us look in the dictionary.

      • buzzword says:

        fo’ shizzle prospero.

      • buzzword says:

        oops, forgot who i was dealing with. i mean, for sure, prospero.

      • prospero811 says:

        What? I have no idea what you mean.

        I see letters but they’re all arbitrarily placed together. Could mean anything…..

        Well, I’ll have to say “have a nice weekend, buzz” – rest assured, if you look those letter combinations up at dictionary.com, you should get my meaning.

        :grin:

    • pennsyltucky9 says:

      Hi 1edkihm,

      Just funnin,’ really so don’t pay me no nevermind. Started a fire, though, didn’t we? :grin:

      Happy trails neighbor.

  101. sniperskaya says:

    Matrina! I’m shocked! Drinking tea not made in samovar and not using podstakanniki? And cheese with no caviar on toast points?!!! Are you sure you’re Russian and not Finnish?? :razz:
    P.S. Try the Oolong tea.
    I’ll go for numbers one and three.
    If you want to get good service, put a stack of $1 bills on the table and when your waiter/waitress comes, tell them “This is your tip. Every time your service is less than satisfactory I will take one dollar from the stack. If you are particularly good, I will add more. How much you end up with at the end of the meal is up to you.”

    • captainjack says:

      Sniperskaya, I heard of people doing the same thing with the tip. I hate having to bust my butt to work for a tip and find out the guests are cheap scape’s. It just makes it worse for the next guest.

      • sniperskaya says:

        Cap’n, I see your point, but I hate getting piss poor service from some moron who thinks that he/she has automatically earned the ight to a 20% gratuity simply because he (or she) did the job they were paid to do and brought our food. I consider a tip a bonus for outstanding service. What really gets my goat (and my Yak) is when the restaurant automatically adds a 20% gratuity to the bill regardless of what kind of service we receive. :evil:

      • captainjack says:

        Yes Im well aware of that restaurants do that. Part of the reason is servers are paid a basic wage. They make most of their wage from tips. So if your in a large party of 6 or more guests they tack on 18-20%. Business save $$$ when their employees are paid in tips. They don’t have to pay taxes on those tips. The real winners in tips is the businesses. The best way to run a business is to run it “Cut Throat” My sister and I used to argue about the need to run a business that way to be successful. She later on leaned that was the best way to make it work in this day and age. Show me a very successful company and I’ll show you a lying, stealing, cheating company. They all are hungry dogs for market share. Being ethical cost money. It can kill a business. 22 years playing the games I know it well.

      • Bob says:

        Some businesses in UK are so unethical that they keep the service charge and fail to distribute it to their employees. Some even compel their employees to hand over any tips they are given in addition to the service charge.

      • captainjack says:

        Ethics. Thats where the whole capitalistic plan fails. If good ethics where practices then capitalism would work. But its human nature to stab the other guy in the back and say its good for business.

  102. foxbow15 says:

    Is there a litle monkey in that kitchen closet or something?? Can’t imagine someone saying oooooooohhhhh over a can of thee :smile:

  103. tayljim says:

    a wild guess #3

    rated 6 as a 5 is not enough

  104. Nick says:

    Origin number 3…to insure prompt service.

  105. capman911 says:

    Just a little extra. Lets not forget to vote for the sevenmilliondollar man today. Jay we will get you there. Keep up the faith and the hard work. :smile:

    Mike

  106. danb says:

    OK I am going to go with # 1 But that was shortened from # 3

  107. superdanilchik says:

    ZDOROVO,dorogaya Marina,ja bez slov kak oby4no…probably even this time i’ll be surprised like last time and none of the three turns out to be completely correct,however as far as i modestly know number 2 is the most probable solutions :wink: s bolshim neterpeniem ozhidayu tvoego reshenia!..oh i forgot.. in Italian word sTIPendio means retribution and wage! itak zna4it,… :grin: oh kak interessno!

  108. raffo says:

    OK, This time I’ll actually go for “d) All of the above”. This one really sounds like it started out with #3, then got shortened to #1 and finally became a word by itself, used as in #2.

    Oh, and while we’re talking about “pubs” and stuff, I’d like to re-request the origin of “Cocktail”. (OK, I know a few theories myself, but I guess it’ll still be a great lesson.) :razz:

  109. highvoltedge says:

    number one to insure promptness

  110. originalsin says:

    hey marina, how u doin?
    I was reading Paulo Coelho’s novel ‘Veronica Decides to Die’ when i came across a question that i thought you would find interesting, and i quote:

    “especially in a hospital, where each and every one is a “lunatic”. She didn’t quite know what the relationship was between mad people and the moon, but it must be a strong one, if they used a word like that to describe the mad.”

    so what do you think? can you help answer my question and find out if there is a relationship between the word ‘lunatic’ and the moon??

    thanks and keep it up, love ur stuff!

  111. dark knight says:

    Hi Marina,
    I am going to go for answer # 2.

  112. eisenherz says:

    Hello Marina

    the last video ( Don’t Stiff Me! ) was really super :mrgreen: !

  113. capman911 says:

    Hi Marina, I will say number 3. Captain Jack gave some good advice futher on down the comment list. :smile: :smile: Oh happy day.

    • capman911 says:

      PS. I just love that yellow skirt. It will go excellent with your yellow Bikini top. :twisted:

    • captainjack says:

      Well Mike you might have to read my other comment. Prospero really put me into a loop and my brain crashed and burned. I doubt everything people teach me now. I have been so stupid in thinking of what I had been taught in school was correct. :???:

      • melikadothechacha says:

        You just need to remediate some
        things, Cap’n! It’s all good science.
        Our gravity based physics (and
        Atari 2600 era technology) got us
        to the moon. Now, they’re examinig
        plasma physics and showing how
        the universe is bound by electrical
        and magnetic force, and this force
        overwhelms gravity and is the
        force which forms galaxies.

        Our Sun’s dynamic behaviour fits
        the model as a node in a galactic
        energy stream which receives
        energy streaming in from the
        galaxy. The proof is that the
        atmospheric temperature of
        the sun is several orders of
        magnitude higher than the
        temp. at the sun’s surface
        the sun is too cold to be
        radiating this heat – has to
        be incoming, Anyway, it’s deep.

        Just because things you know change
        doesn’t make you stupid, sir. :mrgreen:

      • Warren says:

        captainjack,
        I’m amazed at the levels of intelligence that most of the characters
        exhibit here. You’re levels up from me as most are that visit this site.
        I enjoy the “Intro to Philology” that Marina teaches and I always learn some more from the other contributions that are made by subscribers.
        My brain is always running in circles when I visit here.

      • captainjack says:

        chacha , I was thinking of the immortal words of Socrates, who said, “I drank what?”
        About gravity, you say its the weaker of the forces. I have to disagree. Yes elector magnetism can easily over come gravity but I think gravity (or the graviton) visits our universe briefly. This makes gravitons appear weak. But I have no experiments to prove my thinking here. We’ll have to see how the hadron collider experiments work out.
        Once we find out the existence of the graviton I think it might answer many questions only to add a lot more later on.

        Am I stupid, no. I had many I.Q. tests done on me when I was a kid. My latest test show that I’m a bit gifted. I thought of joining Mensa, but could not find a good enough reason to join other than finding a hot date.

      • captainjack says:

        Thats great Warren! Keep your brain in shape. Don’t want it to get to fat. I hear from many old timers say this is very important to keep your mind working on anything like puzzles. I’ve started early. I hope someday I’ll be able to solve the grand theory of everything. Yea Im nuts thinking I can but its fun trying. :wink:

      • buzzword says:

        if your brain is running in circles its because prospero811 uses circular logic. ha!

      • captainjack says:

        Oh funny Buzz, I was watching some Youtube videos last night to learn Circular Breathing. Why? I’m thinking of learning to play the Didgeridoo. I need a weird instrument to play on my sailing yacht. :cool:

  114. johnwords2 says:

    I must go with 2 as acrynems were not common till the late 19th and 20th C :smile:

  115. nighteye says:

    I would go with number one, although I don’t think the actual tips were given before the meal. Rather, a tip was promised before the meal, if the service was fast.

  116. greenbush says:

    I don’t know todays GTW, guess the word game answer. P.S. We are playing guess the word, ….then you ask, “if you know the answer…..”, this is illogical. We can play guess the word, and you could say, guess which answer is correct. Or, we can play, if you know the answer, please let me know. P.S.S. No, I’m not in a bad mood today, and yes I know that it is bad etiquette to try to correct our dear teacher. And yes this website is somewhat a mutual admiration society, ….just trying to help. Don’t be too hard on me with your ruler! Five stars for this video, and Five Hundred stars for the lesbian game http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yj-WoOA8zs, the first four seconds, where you show your amazing interaction with the camera lens/us your dear students!

  117. lostinhere says:

    I am going to go with answer #2. Acronyms did not come into use in language until the 1930′s.

  118. Bob says:

    Theory #4.
    It’s a corruption of the Latin “stips” meaning a small amount of money, as in “stipend = stips + pend (from Latin pendere=to pay)”

    Comments, Marina?

  119. jcnick says:

    Hello Marina,

    I’m going to say number 2, to give before a meal would be improper in as much as to give after would give the person being served all the cards in their hands and thus insuring good service in waiting.

    Although, 1 & 3 sound plausible and could be right in themselves, good game! Not sure about teachers pet rodent though, if you’re looking for a good creative manger, hey I am your man Marina, indeed management.

    Your loving student,
    Jcnick.

  120. argarist says:

    I believe the answer is #2.

    Marina, could you please explain the origin of the term “or bust”? As in “Miami or Bust!” or “New York or Bust!” Thanks!

  121. labbatt78 says:

    It’s #3. It would be an insult if you say to either a waitress or waiter “Tip? I got a tip for you, get a real job”. Chances are you may get kicked out of the restauraunt.

  122. Bob says:

    Oh! She’s playing games with us again. Since #1 & #3 are essentially the same and acronyms are a modern phenomenon, and since today it was “Tea for Two” with Arnold I’m taking the hint and going for #2 again.

  123. ohdood says:

    this might be a simple one… “BOO” as in “my boo”… not the expression used to scare someone… i have my own theory on the etymology of this ebonicized slang word… would love to hear Marina’s take on it..

  124. foxbow15 says:

    im fascinated by that umbrella thing :razz: how the hell did it get trough the door lol

    i have no idea wat the answer is, i gues number 2…

  125. roadrunrnch says:

    Teach, Try Trader Joe’s Matcha Latte, Not bad. You need to get a bamboo whisk, For frothing. You can cheat and use a blender. Or just go to Starbucks.

    • Marina says:

      roadrunrnch, that IS Trader Joe’s Matcha Latte! I just blurred it out as I am not sure if I can show brand-names in my videos that have advertising in them.

      • sniperskaya says:

        Marina, nothing wrong with showing brand names as long as you get paid for showing them! Welcome to capitalism! (Remember, the only bad publicity is if they spell your name wrong.)

      • captainjack says:

        I think Trader Joe’s would love have you show off there stuff. The only issue I see is fairness to your advertisers and YouTube policies. But what I would do is let it fly until you get a letter in the mail to cease and desist. Other than that its fair game. Your just reviewing the product you purchased and recommend us to try it out. There are hundreds of vids of people reviewing products.

      • capman911 says:

        It’s good for the product because they don’t have to pay you royalties on the free advertisment. :grin:

      • annuddermale says:

        any company that didn’t want you parading their wares (and where did wares come from, anyway?) would be both stupid and blind…

        which would be the antipathy of your slogan…

        ’cause you already know that intelligence is sexy… :wink:

      • melikadothechacha says:

        check the boiler plate. you may retain
        certain rights under your contract giving
        you license, much as SNL, Letterman
        and other media. You are allowed to
        comment on a product – it’s America!

        Be responsible by not endorsing a
        clients competion – liable issues if
        comments prove to be impediment
        to client and cause real loss.

        When in doubt, play it safe.
        ciao

  126. koalabear says:

    Does anyone around here speak Russian? :wink:

    What does Marina’s identical twin sister say at the end of this FuelTV video? :smile:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zz_WOLTFy4I

  127. gawdess559 says:

    Numero 3 for sure

  128. roadrunrnch says:

    youboob (youtube) Think you are very race-y, 18 over to see you? What a bunch of dolts. of all the crap that is on youboob and they flag you, Maybe you need to kiss your sister and then the pc assholes will leave you alone.

  129. stokesjrj1 says:

    well first dvd movie sh aint no virgin

  130. bpthepimp says:

    Word Request……Foreclosure…… Considering the numerous plebeians plagued by this misfortune recently, I think it might be worth exploring???

  131. mistress9nine says:

    Its #4, sorry I count belive either ones you provided and googled it and found out that tip originally meant “to give unexpectedly” in old slang english and its actually a “backronym”. But if its not htan #2

  132. stokesjrj1 says:

    Gotta watch a dvd on this computer and monitor for the first time

  133. rovingfishnamedbob says:

    Word Request: “Moot”
    As in: “It’s a moot point.”
    Thanks!

  134. pagedoll says:

    answer? who the heck could even think after watching that lesson :neutral:

  135. roadrunrnch says:

    new game boys; what is the black umbrella for?? Back drop or hiding a messy kitchen? Hey, no puppy, sleeping or He got hold of Her pumps. Or maybe too many carpet mines.???

    • captainjack says:

      This is simple. The umbrella is for photography. It has a flash strobe in it for defused lighting of subject being photographed. I think she uses it to do her videos in the evenings or on over cast days.

      Marina kitchen is clean. You don’t see dishes piled up in the sink do you now?

      Yea where is the mutt? Oh there she is… She has Tig in the corner of the dinning room. OH she is licking Tig’s nose! Tig doesn’t know what to think now. Hey Kobe! Don’t lick Tig. You don’t know where that hamster has been… :shock: :shock:

      • roadrunrnch says:

        maybe…. captain Obvious but what is it for? now. any? But I thought She was going to scream when She kicked it. Or it was a cut, ie splice, edit .

      • raffo says:

        Are you sure? Usually, those umbrellas are white, in order to let light even through… ;)
        At first, I even thought, it was added afterwards, but I dropped that theory the moment, she came back to the camera and dodged it.

      • melikadothechacha says:

        The inside is reflectorized finish. the white ones spill too much light ambiently, so the outside is black to provide precise light control.
        could be a strobe or halogen set up .

      • captainjack says:

        If you look at some older videos Marina has done you can see the inside of the umbrella in the background.

      • tiger-the-vicious says:

        Uh ? :shock: Eh ? :shock: Uh ?
        Yes but I know where Kobe has been and don’t care

        What was the song now
        ‘There were 3 in the bed and the little one said roll over’
        So Kobe rolled over and then fell out,
        Tig alone with Marina too scared to do ‘out

        I can assure you that when I called to visit and was molested by Kobe and not Marina, the place was in a right state. She only tidied up to make the video.

    • Bob says:

      That’s the kitchen in the old flat so this video was made a while ago, probably before the puppy arrived.

  136. melikadothechacha says:

    That was totally whack!!
    Wickety whack, babe! :smile:

    Arnold is cute. He sounds
    just like a little … bird!? :roll:

    I also like cheese with my tea(se).. :cool:
    Let’s do lunch :!:

    Right! …to the conundrum-du-jour :mrgreen:

    #1 and #3 : both are acronyms
    “to insure prompt service” (and
    are paid in advance). Odd :roll:
    #1 is for meals, #3 at the bar.

    A tip is a gratuity for services
    rendered. Post facto (factum?)

    #2 is a tricky one… Marina
    did some quick takes through
    this part. One might think she
    was trying to carefully qualify
    her words (so as to deceive?) :twisted:

    She rattled off #1 lickety split,
    stutter-stepped through #2,
    and kind of restated #1 as #3

    Perplexing – Hm’kay?

    I would find it unlikely that
    #3 is correct, unless #1
    is also correct (acronyms)

    #2 fails to actually give a
    word origin for Tip.

    I conclude the correct
    answer is Number One
    spank me if i got it wrong
    that yellow mini with the
    PLEATS kept distracting
    my focus..

  137. swedehunter says:

    Hello dear teacher

    Tough question. i would have guess it had something to do with “tip of an iceberg” like the little extra on the top… but since that wasn´t an option, I go for #3 since we also have the word tips in our language…

    Just wonder where they got the word “tip-ex” from, is it when you tip your ex-girlfriend?

    from your dear student / Swedehunter

  138. I have a request…
    Where did the phrase, Mind your P’s and Q’s come from?

  139. thomandy says:

    Hi there my new teacher! :cool:

    Wordrequest:
    Random :wink:

  140. utjuniper says:

    hey i would like to know about the word TARE as in the weight of a contaner i always wondered why we use it and not another word and i think t.i.p.s. is the correct origin

  141. roachmeistercom says:

    I am becoming a lazy and slothful student indeed! I not only am not researching the words anymore, but I find myself wanting to know the answer right away rather than on the next video!

    Without looking it up…. :oops:

    So ashamed…..

  142. gio.forever says:

    I cannot rate the video again :mad: the stars don’t appear. Well, I have an idea but didn’t realize if it’s on your website…Whatever, all the new students wanna know who have been teacher’s pet until current videos, so why not to make a list of the teacher’s pet names ordered by date and by video. Today I was watching the teacher’s pet name and thought something about it. hmmm , I think it would be interesting
    By the way, I’m going for the number 2 origin
    With love your dear student Gio, many kisses for you my dear profesora Marinita muuak :smile:

    • captainjack says:

      Gio,
      Video ratings have been removed from this site because they where bogging down the servers. If you want just wait for the video to finish and click on the video screen. It will take you to YouTube and you can rate her video there. Enjoy and thanks for rating her video Gio. :grin:

      • gio.forever says:

        but she says: Please whrite it in the coments below, so she refers to youtube watchers ??? and rate my video muuuuuak–> also to youtube watchers ??? and what about we the hotforword’s home watchersss :cry:
        That’s discriminative :razz:
        Oh I see man, so Our server’s falling down hmmm…well maybe we must buy more RAM memory or Hard drive ??? what is it about ??? May be a hosting trouble ???

      • captainjack says:

        Marina makes videos to upload on the YouTube servers. Then she links them to this site so she doesn’t have to pay for server space on HFW site.

        Yes its a server problem. Computer RAM is not the problem nor is the hard drive. Its how the internet works. When you link to other sites you get a performance hit on the speed at which the web pages load. The advantage of linking is sometimes save bandwidth but mostly it saves space on her server that she might have had to pay for.

        So its simple Gio, Just go to Her YouTube Channel and rate her video if you so wish to. I personally don’t rate her videos anymore. I choose to comment on this site. Others choose to comment on YouTube. Take your pick.

        Hope that helps. :wink:

      • gio.forever says:

        It helps …amigo, but, there comes a day when HFW channel server also will fall down because it works same way like this or not ???
        Well, however is good give rating to her videos and I wonder why you already don’t wanna rate them :?: cause is fun

      • captainjack says:

        Gio,

        HFW channel is hosted on YouTubes servers. Most of the youtube servers are well networked so that does not become a problem on their end.

        I don’t rate her videos because I borer me to tears. I don’t care to visit YouTube unless I’m doing research on something. :grin:

      • captainjack says:

        oops spelling and grammar errors.” I don’t rate her videos because it bores me to tears.”

      • capman911 says:

        The president of the school board here in Fayetteville told the teachers as long as the students were not in spelling class then spelling correctlly did not count. :?: A real dumb a** I think. We had to spell everything correctly in every class I took. But that was when Moby Dick was a minnow. :grin:

      • captainjack says:

        And people wonder why the eduction system sucks.

  143. cubfan1971 says:

    Hello my teacher,

    I would like to request the word “Apocalypse”. Also, I think the answer to the latest lesson is #3.

    Cubfan1971

  144. harveycasual says:

    Well Marina my Darling Teacher,

    I investigated this word up here in Canada and the consensus is a bit different. People in these parts say that the word TIP came from romantic stories back when the Frenchmen were first here. You see…
    when they tried to kiss their fair maidens in CANOES often times they leaned a little too hard one way or the other, the Canoe would TIP.

    Your trusty fan in The Great White North eh!
    :arrow: :lol:

  145. captainjack says:

    Oh damn I forgot to post my vote in the game. Ok being in the cruise industry I make a lot coin in tips. A friend of mine that used to work as an airline steward years ago told me the origin of TIP. Well first off it was called TIPS (To Insure Prompt Service). He said back in the day of longs ship voyages, passengers would pay a little extra to the stewards when they boarded ships to insure they received prompt service on the cruise. This was always paid before services where rendered. Not after the fact. Which in this day and age I see tips paid for whether service was good or not. You would think if I laid down a $100 dollar bill to my waiter or waitress before I ordered my meal that I would get the best service ever. I get the worst service ever when I do that. I guess people hate being bought.

    Ok so Im guessing number 3.

  146. I wanna request the word LOVE or LUST for the next lession!

  147. captainjack says:

    Hey Girl, What a nice change up on the video. Love it when I see you wander around the HFW pad. (Hey guys, didn’t I comment months ago about we would enjoy watching Marnia doing just little things around the penthouse and be entertained for hours? I yet still don’t understand why this is so? :shock: )

    So I see Marina, you like to drink a bit of tea. You have any other favorite flavors? This is what I have. I bought mine at Shanghai Merchant in Nanaimo, B.C. Canada.
    Rooibos Very Berry – Dried various Berries
    Rooibos Strawberry Cream – Dried Strawberries
    Rooibos African Queen – Kind of fruity taste
    Last Emperors Treasure – Green tea with flowers
    Hazelnut Mate
    Morocco Mint
    Lychee – Black tea
    and Zen – Green tea
    I keep them in tin cans in my treasure chest. Yes, teas are a treasure and should be stored as such. There is much history in USA trading pelts for tea. Tea was highly valued.

    For those of you that couldn’t get a good look of the tea can here is a photo for you:
    Matcha Latte

    So how many of you guys drink tea? Come on guys and fess up! :neutral:

    __(\__~~¶¶~~~

  148. blakeumz says:

    Marina
    can you do the word tease?

  149. mosescali says:

    ok, i bet she will pull the same thing again, it’s all three! but if I had to choose one its number 2

    and i’d like to request the word kamikazie

  150. caktonias says:

    That is an incredibly sexy skirt you have on there.. Thank you for the intro as it was very entertaining to watch.

    Anyway, having two options that sound very similar leads me to believe that it’s either 1 or 3 which is exactly why I am guessing that the correct option is #2 and that the others came after the fact.

  151. hotfor-hotforwords- says:

    Hello my jaw-droppingly gorgeous blue-eyed blonde teacher, I have several words for you to investigate if you so choose.
    They are:

    Overkill
    Peckerwood
    Glean
    Hangi (as in Maori oven)
    Citizen
    Aspersion

    Thank you for taking the time to do this, I think your videos are very informative and educational… as well as hot!

    Take care my dear teacher. x :lol:

  152. pennsyltucky9 says:

    You gotta find a better place to keep that umbrella, girl. Don’t you know it’s bad luck to open an umbrella in the house? These things should be taught in public school.

  153. roadrunrnch says:

    teach , Very nice, A little personality , very cute. caso y te’ yum….? insight..ful , un grande casina. cozy. as for the tip thing, Tipping is the way to keep the staff from spitting in your food. but really, I like the format of this video. Lets us see you as a …..real person.

  154. lcl4 says:

    The correct answer is number 1. :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

  155. Warren says:

    Well after that cold shower I might be able to think a bit clearer.
    #1 or #3
    So…#3 (7 in a row so far)

    Thanks, Marina

  156. geronimo says:

    I think it is number 3 just beacause I heard that theory years ago, and as everyone knows, everything I heard years ago are true. :shock:

  157. aLx says:

    cheese dipped in tea? what?

  158. augie says:

    #3 sweetheart and i wanna give u a huge tip !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  159. aa says:

    Hi Marina,

    For the last 5 videos, the stars have not appeared so that I can rate your video. Please advise.

    AA

  160. justintaylor101 says:

    Its got to be #2 :shock:

  161. I will guess Number (#) Two (2)

  162. errin says:

    LOL at your Arnold impersonation, Marina. I see now that it is you that makes all the animals twitter that way.

    As a fan of tea, cheese, small rodents, and your entire body appearing in a video lesson, this may be my favorite lesson yet… if I didn’t suck so much at these games. At least I had a nice inspiring break from my current recording endeavors.

    The only tip I can add is to keep taking care of yourself with plenty of tea if you ever feel your voice is exhausted from all the narrating you do in your videos. A brand of tea called Throat Coat is excellent if your voice is worn out. Also, tea with lemon and honey are very good. Besides hot tea, room temperature water is good for the vocal chords. All these tips are tools of the trade for many professional singers as well as those that do voiceover work. The voice is an instrument whether singing or talking, and you have a very lovely voice, so take good care of it. From the looks of the video, you are taking quite good care of yourself in all departments. Kudos!

    Peace, Errin : )

  163. jdlopez912 says:

    hey marina, can you please do the word surgery. i recently had elbow surgery and was just wondering where the word came from.

    Thanks,
    jdlopez912

  164. quagmier8 says:

    Here is a tip.
    Always look both ways before crossing the street!

  165. pennsyltucky9 says:

    Cheater! :wink:

  166. jimmy24651 says:

    I got an invitation to a party the other day, and it got me to wondering what the origin of the term “R.S.V.P.”

    Im guessing origin #3, although they all sound legit…

    Oh, by the way….here’s your apple…. =o)

  167. 2hotforwordsfanclub says:

    Easy
    Number 2

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Not your typical philologist! Putting the LOL in PhiLOLogy :-)