People Who Became Nouns: The Music Video
by Maria PopovaBoycott, Maverick, Guillotine, Shrapnel, Cardigan, Sandwich, Silhouette, Zeppelin, Leotard, Lamborghini.
Finding your name in the dictionary as a noun is a sure-fire litmus test for having made a impact on culture and history. Just look at OED-approved fine folks like Charles Boycott, Samuel Maverick, Joseph-Ignace Guillotine, Henry Shrapnel, and Lord Cardigan. But there are unsuspected downsides to being reduced to a noun — just ask suffragette and women’s rights pioneer Amelia Bloomer, now equated with a baggy pair of women’s underpants.
Now, thanks to NPR‘s Robert Krulwich and Adam Cole, there’s a delightful music video about them.
Semi-relatedly, this reminded me of a lovely illustrated children’s book called If You Were a Noun.
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