Word Origin Quotes

“Debate' (French 'de' = 'undo' + 'bate' = 'the-fight')”
― Douglas F. Jack

“He wonders aloud at the origins of valentining.

'You're right,' Rachel says. 'It is a verb. Can be. And birds valentine each other, make mating calls. And usually mate in mid-February. You see?'

'But why Valentine?' asks Zach. 'Why valentining?'

'There were many Saint Valentines,' offers Tasha. 'I don't know what the link is between their martyrdom and love letters.'

Zach is not very interested in the old tradition or the archaic verb. He is not bothered by the mating calls of passerines or the saints named Valentine and their associated symbols—he is merely fishing. Does Rachel think the tradition silly? If he were to send her a valentine, how strange would that be?”
― Emma Richler, Be My Wolff