What’s in a name?

“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose

By any other name would smell as sweet”

            As said by the world famous Shakespeare in his romantic tragedy Romeo and Juliet. I do know the story but I really have no idea why Juliet said so!! (I don’t know because haven’t read the original book) In case you are wondering how I know this, remember that there is something called Internet :) My intention right now is not to discuss about Shakespeare or literature but to take a look at some names used in our daily lives which sometimes make you think why it is named so?

Disclaimer: This blog is based on actual names. In certain cases, the information of origin of the names may not be true. Any similarity to any article living or dead on the internet is merely coincidental.

            Let me start with some of the common jokes found on the internet. Who doesn’t love biscuits? Sometimes I just keep wondering how some of their names actually have any relation. We know that a milk biscuit is made from milk. Then what about Tiger biscuit? Or Little hearts? Well both those packets do come with a green dot. And who would forget Britannia 50-50? I keep wondering are we supposed to eat 50% first then again the remaining 50%. But it says 50-50 and not 50+50. In that sense 50-50=0. Or maybe it means we are supposed to 0 the packet. Am I thinking too much of mathematics? What to do? I am an engineer. :D Enough of these biscuits. Let’s talk about sweets. Mysore Pak. It’s definitely not made from Mysore but originated in Mysore. Pak meaning sweet and not shortened name for Pakistan. Maybe if there happened to be a train from Mysore to Pakistan we can name it as Mysore-Pak express.

            Too commonly found jokes? OK then. Let’s change the topic. Let’s go back to school. How many of you actually remember the value of nano? Yeah it’s 10^-9. A ruler shows 1 millimeter being 10^-3. Then imagine how small 10^-9 would be. We do have nano cars, iPod nano etc. Imagine their size being true to their names. 

            Most of us watch Hollywood movies. You might have observed that sometimes the American government is referred Uncle Sam. Does anyone know who Sam is? Or whose Uncle he is? Well I found him on Wikipedia. It so happens that the term Uncle Sam is derived from Samuel Wilson, who used to supply rations for the soldiers during war. In short, A man who supplied food? Here’s what I found: Wilson's packages were labelled “E.A – US.” When someone asked what that stood for, a co-worker joked and said “Elbert Anderson (the contractor) and Uncle Sam,” referring to Sam Wilson, though it actually stood for United States. 

            Please don’t laugh if I said that for many years I thought that hot dog was actually made from dog!!! And I didn’t say that I was completely wrong. Hot dogs now may not have dog meat but according to some people (I don’t know which people) the term dog is used as synonym for sausage and it so happens that in early 20^th century dog meat was consumed and used in sausages.

There are some other things which I am not clear of. Maggi Company has a history of over 100 years and their instant noodles being advertised as 2 minute noodles since 1982. It has been over 3 decades and has no one realized that it cannot be done in 2 minutes? Or why haven’t they not yet been able to come with a product to justify it?

            Another thing I don’t understand is why does a demon chase you when you steal idol from a Temple? Hmm I have already written a full article about Temple Run ( http://surabhi18.blogspot.in/2014/06/life-is-like-temple-run.html ) So let’s jump from this topic as we do in the game.

            The other day in college, my friend who was sitting next to me showed a lip balm she was using. It was brown in color and smelt really good. That’s the reasons she showed me- the smell. But something else caught my eye – something that was written on the cover below the brand name (I say brand name because I don’t remember the name and not because they didn’t agree to pay for advertising their product on my blog :P Well my blog is not that famous J ). It was written as Whitening lip balm. What I didn’t understand was why does a whitening lip balm has to come in brown color?

            We all know that water is essential part of our lives. Its chemical formula being H_­2O, what happens if we remove 1 Hydrogen? It becomes OH (If I am right it means I have good memory power if not I have forgotten chemistry). –OH called hydroxyl functional group bound to a saturated carbon gives an organic compound called alcohol. (A huge thanks to Wikipedia). Whether you know the chemical composition of alcohol or not but you definitely know the physical effects of alcohol. When two or more alcohols are mixed you may or may not get another alcohol or some organic compound (I told you before I have forgotten chemistry). But if you mix two or more alcoholic drinks, you get a cocktail. And it’s definitely not a cock’s tail. Have you ever wondered after drinking a cocktail, where did the word cocktail originate? Oops! I think I am asking the wrong question here. Let me change it. Have you ever wondered before drinking a cocktail, where did the word cocktail originate? Honestly I got this thought after watching the Bollywood movie. According to Oxford English Dictionary, the first recorded use of the word cocktail as a beverage was possibly for non-alcoholic drinks and later used for alcoholic drinks. But I still don’t understand what a cock’s tail has got to do with alcohol.

            As tail means the end of something, I conclude this blog after cocktail (I meant the word “cocktail”, not the drink). In case you are wondering what made me write this article, I would like to tell you a common joke found on the internet about internet.

Wikipedia: I know everything.

Google: I have everything.

Facebook: I know everybody.

Internet: Without me you are nothing.

Electricity: Awaaz niche.

            You know why I am saying this joke? There was no power at home on a weekend afternoon. Thanks to BESCOM. Now you know what made me to think about something other than internet. Not to forget that it was because of internet I got the answers. Thank you internet. :)