I’m convinced you could spend the rest of your life watching YouTube videos and barely scratch the surface of fascinating educational content (not that I would recommend spending your life that way). The video featured in today’s post is one such hidden gem, on the mysterious origin of several common English words.

For example:

• In Middle English, “girl” referred to a child of either gender, while “gay girl” meant a female child and “knave girl” meant a boy. But no one knows where either “boy” or “girl” came from.

• The word “ass”, referring to both a donkey and a part of our anatomy came from two entirely different routes. Regarding the latter use, the British word “arse” predates the more modern “ass” by about a thousand years.

• Another word in this category that’s near and dear to my heart: “puzzle”. Apparently, no one has managed to solve the puzzle of the origin of “puzzle”. (Sorry)

Check out the video below for a fascinating walk through several such common English words of unknown origin.

I don’t know about you, but I couldn’t hit the Subscribe button fast enough on the RobWords YouTube channel.