Truth.
It built our loyalties. It fueled revolutions. It shaped law, journalism, art—and everything we trust (or don’t).

In this special Foundations episode of Lexiconned, we explore the complex roots of one of humanity’s most powerful—and most contested—words.

From ancient oaths to Enlightenment science to today’s digital battlegrounds, truth has been worshiped, weaponized, and worn thin.

Where did it come from? How has it evolved?
And what does it still demand from us today?

Sources

• Oxford English Dictionary – Entries for truth, troth, trēowþ
• Online Etymology Dictionary – Proto-Germanic and Proto-Indo-European roots (treuwaz, deru-)
• The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle – Oaths and early law
• Magna Carta (1215) – Foundational texts and historical translations
• Novum Organum by Francis Bacon (1620) – Foundations of modern scientific truth
• Principia Mathematica by Isaac Newton (1687) – Scientific objectivity
• 1984 by George Orwell (1949) – Political manipulation of truth
• King Lear by William Shakespeare – Truth in tragedy
• Emily Dickinson, “Tell all the truth but tell it slant” (published 1890)
• Comparative linguistics resources for aletheia (Greek), Wahrheit (German), shinjitsu (Japanese), and vérité (French)

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What does justice really mean? In this powerful long-form episode, TJ breaks down the word that lives at the heart of courtrooms, protests, and moral debates around the world. From Hammurabi to hip-hop, Supreme Court rulings to superhero stories, we trace justice’s tangled roots through language, law, and culture—and ask whether it can ever truly live up to its name.

Links to Supreme Court Cases Referenced:
Dred Scott v. Sandford
Korematsu v. the United States
Buck v. Bell

Sources

• Oxford English Dictionary – "justice," "just"
• Online Etymology Dictionary
• The Code of Hammurabi, translation archives
• Plato’s Republic and Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics
• Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., “Letter from Birmingham Jail”
• U.S. Supreme Court rulings: Dobbs v. Jackson, Students for Fair Admissions
• United Nations: Universal Declaration of Human Rights
• Orlando Patterson, Freedom and Slavery and Social Death
• Legal linguistics and comparative law journals
• Translations and cultural references from Arabic, Hebrew, Sanskrit, Zulu, Mandarin

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For the month of May we are kicking off a series, I’m calling foundations. This is the first episode in that mini-series.

Freedom is one of the most powerful—and most misunderstood—words in the English language. In this extended deep-dive, TJ traces the word from its ancient Proto-Indo-European roots to its modern cultural clashes. Along the way, we examine what freedom meant to medieval peasants, Civil War soldiers, civil rights activists, post-9/11 veterans, and protestors across the globe. This isn’t just about politics—it’s about language, identity, and the stories we tell when we say we’re free.

This episode is dedicated to all those who have stood up, spoken out, and sacrificed for freedom.

Sources

• Oxford English Dictionary, "freedom," "free"
• Online Etymology Dictionary
• Declaration of Independence, U.S. Archives
• The Emancipation Proclamation, 1863
• Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., "I Have a Dream," 1963
• FDR's Four Freedoms Speech, 1941
• Arabic chant translations from the Arab Spring
• Scholarly work: Orlando Patterson, Freedom in the Making of Western Culture
• John Lewis interviews and writings
• Jon Meacham, The Soul of America
• Various translations from native speakers & linguistic databases

Music Credit Courtesy of Alegend from https://pixabay.com/users/jeremusic70-25199461/

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How Horse Racing Shaped the Way We Speak
Dark horse. Down to the wire. Photo finish.
These aren’t just racing terms—they’re the language of life, competition, and culture.

In this special Lexiconned bonus episode, TJ heads to the track—linguistically speaking—to explore 12 iconic phrases that began at the races but ended up everywhere else.

From political campaigns to product launches, these metaphors shape how we think about odds, momentum, and last-minute victories.

And with the Kentucky Derby as our backdrop, this is one episode that truly goes the distance.

Don't forget to check out the podcast Short Pour

Sources

• Disraeli, Benjamin. The Young Duke (1831) – First use of “dark horse”
• Library of Congress – U.S. Presidential Election Archives
• Oxford English Dictionary – Entries for “neck and neck,” “long shot,” “front-runner,” “post time,” “photo finish,” etc.
• New York Clipper (1850s–1870s) – Early racing journalism
• Chicago Daily Tribune (1890s) – “Down to the wire” in print
• Harper’s Weekly (1858) – “Homestretch” usage in racing
• New York Times Archives (1896) – “Also-ran” in sports coverage
• Louisville Courier-Journal (1925) – Bill Corum coins “Run for the Roses”
• Racing Post (2020) – “Camera Ready: The History of the Photo Finish”
• National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame – Historical records
• Merriam-Webster – First recorded uses of key phrases
• Brooklyn Daily Eagle (1905) – “Off to the races” early figurative use
• Congressional Records (1916) – “In the homestretch” political usage
• Kentucky Horse Racing Commission Archives – “Win, Place, Show” history

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In this episode, TJ dives into the frustrating and humorously ironic history of "red tape." From King Charles V’s attempts at administrative modernization to modern-day governmental battles against paperwork, discover why bureaucracy never seems to die. Prepare yourself for a journey through layers of officialdom and comedic despair—welcome to the tangled world of red tape!

Don't forget to check out the podcast Short Pour

#bureucracysucks

Sources:

• "Red Tape: Its Origins, Uses, and Abuses," Thomas Carlyle, historical writings.
• "The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable," edited by Elizabeth Knowles, Oxford University Press.
• Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, 19th edition, edited by Susie Dent, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd.
• “The True History of Bureaucracy,” by John Merriman, Yale University Press.
• "Origins of English Words and Phrases," by Robert Hendrickson, Facts on File Inc.
• US National Archives, pieces of history article
  https://prologue.blogs.archives.gov/2021/10/21/holding-it-together-from-red-tape-to-grommets/#:~:text=While%20red%20tape%20is%20used,154%20miles%20of%20red%20tape.

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Ever wondered why we divide our time into a seven-day cycle? Why is Sunday the “sun” day, and Wednesday such a spelling nightmare? In this episode of Lexiconned, TJ takes you through the history, mythology, and linguistic evolution of our week’s daily roll call—from celestial bodies to Norse gods, and a bit of Roman imperial influence. Learn how these seven words structure our lives and why we’re still stuck with them after thousands of years.

Sources:

1. Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary
2. Oxford English Dictionary
3. Beard, Mary. SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome
4. Crystal, David. The Stories of English
5. Lindow, John. Norse Mythology: A Guide to Gods, Heroes, Rituals, and Beliefs

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From Augusta’s fairways to your next metaphorical mulligan, the language of golf has reached far beyond the course. In this witty and word-rich episode of Lexiconned, we explore the origins, myths, and double meanings behind 18 iconic golf terms—from par and birdie to duff, shank, and mulligan.

Whether you're a scratch golfer or a vocabulary duffer, this episode tees up the surprising ways golf talk has made its way into everyday speech—and culture at large.

Warning: May cause spontaneous whispering and sudden urges to wear pastel.

#podcast #language #golf #Masters

Sources

• Oxford English Dictionary – Entries for “par,” “bogey,” “mulligan,” “fore,” and more
• Online Etymology Dictionary – Golf term origins, including “hook,” “slice,” “duff,” and “drive”
• The USGA and R&A – Official rules and definitions of golf terms
• “The Historical Dictionary of Golfing Terms” by Peter Davies
• Atlantic City Country Club Archives – Birdie origin story
• The New York Times & Maclean’s Magazine – First printed use of “eagle”
• Samuel Taylor Coleridge – The Rime of the Ancient Mariner (re: albatross)
• BBC Sports History Archives – Bogeyman and Colonel Bogey references
• Golf Digest & Golf.com – Cultural references and Masters history
• The Simpsons, Season 1–34 – Honorary source for “Duff”

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From mythological warrior women to the largest rainforest on Earth to the global e-commerce empire that changed how we shop, the word Amazon has carried power and mystery across millennia. In this episode of Lexiconned, we explore the Greek origins of the word, the colonial rebranding of a mighty river, and how a small online bookstore became an economic titan. Was the Amazon River really named after fierce female warriors? Did ancient Amazons actually exist? And what does Jeff Bezos have to do with all of this? Tune in for an etymological deep dive into one of the world’s most influential words.

Sources:

• Herodotus, Histories
• Francisco de Orellana’s expedition accounts
• Modern linguistic research on Scythian and Persian influences
• Historical analyses of Indigenous Amazonian cultures
• Business histories detailing the founding of Amazon.com

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