Balderdash & Piffle
So, here’s a British TV show that America is unlikely to steal adapt: Balderdash & Piffle. (I love that name)
It’s a show about people updating the Oxford English dictionary. Viewers are given a wordhunt in which they are supposed to research the etymology of words and phrases to see if they can find an earlier usage than the one listed in the OED. And people do! So, basically this is a reality show about the dictionary that asks the public to be word detectives. I love it.
Here’s an example of one that is still unsolved:
Does duh brain belong in the dictionary? If you can provide enough compelling evidence for this playground taunt the OED might be convinced to create a new entry. The oldest duh brain they’ve found so far is from 1997, lurking within the pages of J-17 magazine. Do your school books, letters, or diaries prove it was around before that?
I’ve never heard of “duh brain,” but some of the solved wordhunts include common phrases and words such as “bananas” referring to being crazy and “sick puppy” referring to a person who behaves unusually.
–Marcia