Grace Tierney
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wordfoolery.bsky.social
Grace Tierney
@wordfoolery.bsky.social
Word history - books, blog, LMFMRadio
Comedyfic - Channillo
Love to read, craft, garden in Ireland
My Books - wordfoolery.wordpress.com/my-books/
Weekly Word Blog - http://www.wordfoolery.wordpress.com/
Newsletter - subscribepage.io/wordfoolerywhispers
7) Curious about festive words and customs worldwide? Check out "Words Christmas Gave Us" - hardback, paperback, Kindle - amzn.to/3XPdS4h
November 27, 2025 at 3:08 PM
This is your annual reminder that if it wasn't for the Vikings, we'd still be talking about coecel (Old English) instead of cake. Thank you, Old Norse. To read about the many other English words we "borrowed" from the Vikings, try "Words the Vikings Gave Us" wordfoolery.wordpress.com/my-books/ 🎂🪓
November 26, 2025 at 10:19 AM
It's that time of year again. If you'd like a signed copy (or a set of four) of my word history books for the history/language buff in your life please get in touch soon as orders close on December 1st to ensure delivery by 25th. All details at wordfoolery.wordpress.com/would-you-li... #giftideas
November 25, 2025 at 9:32 AM
I chatted with Art on the Cozy #Christmas Podcast recently about "Words Christmas Gave Us" amzn.to/3XPdS4h my history of festive words, traditions, and folklore worldwide.
If you love this time of year, give it a listen. 🎄📚💙
cozychristmas.libsyn.com/scurryfunge-...
#Christmasgift print and #Kindle
November 24, 2025 at 4:32 PM
Took a trip to Dublin to visit Marsh's Library today, and to get started on some gift shopping. Found this lovely rose in bud in their small hidden garden. No idea of the variety but spirit-lifting to see in late November. #bloomscrolling
November 21, 2025 at 6:38 PM
Happy Book Birthday to my digital-only mini-book "Modern Words with Old Roots", launched in 2022. Everything from avatar to zarf is in here. This is the one Susie Dent complimented on "Countdown" so it will always have a special spot in my heart!
#Kindle at amzn.eu/d/4JGA1E6 📚💙 #booksky
November 21, 2025 at 8:58 AM
Explore the vibrant tapestry of Christmas through history with "Words Christmas Gave Us". Learn how Vikings, Tudors, and Dickens shaped seasonal traditions!
#History #Christmas #FunFacts #Kindle #etymology paperback hardback📚💙 🎄
wordfoolery.wordpress.com/my-books/
November 20, 2025 at 12:31 PM
2) A century later kindle also had figurative meaning for igniting passions. The name of the reading device was devised by San Francisco designer Michael Cronan with a deliberate nod to the original Norse word.
All my etymology books are available for your Kindle. wordfoolery.wordpress.com/my-books/
November 19, 2025 at 12:52 PM
4) Long John Silver is nearly always depicted as having a wooden leg but in “Treasure Island” by Robert Louis Stevenson he is described as using crutches and no artificial leg is ever mentioned.
Love nautical words and stories? Check out "Words the Sea Gave Us" by Grace Tierney amzn.to/2D3bSi7
November 14, 2025 at 5:28 PM
My newsletter Wordfoolery Whispers is out on Fri 14th Nov. Read about a Mystery Tour, Podcasting, Blog Highlights, Good Books and histories for opsimathy, ramfeezled, pettifogging, crenelate, and drench.

Subscribe at subscribepage.io/wordfoolerywhispers & remember to confirm email. #etymology
November 12, 2025 at 2:11 PM
Love Christmas histories, traditions, and quirky words?
#Kindle #FunFacts #etymology
#Christmas paperback hardback 🎄📚💙 #booksky
wordfoolery.wordpress.com/my-books/
November 6, 2025 at 4:19 PM
5) His first device led to the creation of the laser microphone which is credited with the discovery of Bin Laden’s hiding place in 2011.
If you enjoy reading about the people whose names entered the dictionary check out "How To Get Your Name in the Dictionary" amzn.to/2ygxZMH
November 3, 2025 at 2:08 PM
Hi, I'm Grace & I write books about the history behind unusual English words - nautical, vikings, eponyms, and Christmas words. I also made the crochet wreath and the pumpkin (from old IKEA cushion covers). You can find more about my etymology/history books at wordfoolery.wordpress.com/my-books/ 🦇🎃
October 31, 2025 at 4:58 PM
Happy #Halloween from Wordfoolery, and Batty!
Here's a couple of spooky word histories to get your evening off to a properly eldritch and macabre start...
wordfoolery.wordpress.com/2019/10/28/e...
wordfoolery.wordpress.com/2019/02/04/m...
#etymology 👻🎃
October 31, 2025 at 2:52 PM
Tune in today at 2pm on LMFM Radio where I'll be looking at the history of some spooky words - mummy, jettatura, occult, and oblivion. Our mystery word is collieshangie. Listen live at www.lmfm.ie and I'll share podlink later.
#etymology #Halloween 👻🎃📚
October 31, 2025 at 11:01 AM
Words the Vikings Gave Us - 300 words from ships, food, farming, romance, myths, daily life, politics - akimbo, kiss, ombudsman, bluetooth, frisbee, thing, and yule.
Ideal for word & history lovers.
#Kindle #FunFacts #etymology #vikings #Kobo paperback
wordfoolery.wordpress.com/my-books/
October 30, 2025 at 12:50 PM
Happy Book Birthday to "Words Christmas Gave Us" which launched on this day last year. We managed the merry part of Merry Christmas pretty well at the event in Academy Books! Still available in ebook, paperback, and hardback - wordfoolery.wordpress.com/my-books/ and the National Library of Ireland.
October 24, 2025 at 9:37 AM
Day 4 of #IrishBookWeekChallenge: Share an Irish book you read recently. #IrishBookWeek

Love female #history? Irish #history? The lives of ten remarkable women overshadowed by famous Irish husbands
October 21, 2025 at 3:47 PM
Wordfoolery Whispers is my monthly newsletter packed with #etymology facts, history visits, writer life, and bookish chat. If you like unusual words, history or books it could be for you.
subscribepage.io/wordfoolerywhispers and remember the confirmation email.
October 20, 2025 at 3:21 PM
Happy Friday, all. This week I'm #bloomscrolling with my Michaelmas daisies. Random buy recently and couldn't decide where to plant them so took my MIL's example and put them in a pot at the kitchen step where I enjoy them daily. So cheerful. #purple #gardening
October 17, 2025 at 3:40 PM
Wordfoolery Whispers is out on Fri 17th Oct. Read about How to Start a Story, a Mammoth Craft Project, Blog Highlights, Good Books and histories for quockerwodger, gargalesthesia, obloquy, aliferous, exulansis, and bampot. Subscribe at subscribepage.io/wordfoolerywhispers & confirm email. #etymology
October 15, 2025 at 9:47 AM
Took a wander in my garden. Spots of colour despite the falling leaves. Verbena bonariensis patch looking well. #bloomscrolling
October 10, 2025 at 4:42 PM
“light-hearted look at Viking influence on the English language…a good jumping-off point for discovering more about both the Vikings and about English.” Popular History Books review
#Kindle #FunFacts #etymology #Viking paperback
wordfoolery.wordpress.com/my-books/ #booksky
October 9, 2025 at 11:57 AM
5)Tux, a cute little penguin, is the Linux mascot because Torvalds was once bitten by a penguin at a zoo in Australia.

amzn.to/3kuDbUr (ebook/paperback)
October 3, 2025 at 2:33 PM
I'll be celebrating the oddities of the English language on LMFM radio at 2p.m. where our words will be feisty, renegade, insidious, and monger. This time our mystery word is raffle-coppin. You can listen online at www.lmfm.ie and I'll share the podcast link later. #etymology
September 26, 2025 at 8:36 AM