Dear Word Detective,
My New Zealand mother has always wondered about the origins and extent of ‘fossick’, and was delighted when I read out your expert summary over the phone. She has long noted the popularity of Kiwi fossickers, so obviosuly the word made a leap across the Tasman Sea at an early date in its history.
‘Stone the crows’ is another of her antipodean favourites.
Martin Davies (Ibiza, Spain)
Leave a comment
Search us!
Search The Word Detective and our family of websites:
This is the easiest way to find a column on a particular word or phrase.
To search for a specific phrase, put it between quotation marks. (note: JavaScript must be turned on in your browser to view results.)
Ask a Question!
Puzzled by Posh?
Confounded by Cattycorner?
Baffled by Balderdash?
Flummoxed by Flabbergast?
Perplexed by Pandemonium?
Nonplussed by... Nonplussed?
Annoyed by Alliteration?
Martin Davies:
November 10th, 2013 at 3:51 pm
Dear Word Detective,
My New Zealand mother has always wondered about the origins and extent of ‘fossick’, and was delighted when I read out your expert summary over the phone. She has long noted the popularity of Kiwi fossickers, so obviosuly the word made a leap across the Tasman Sea at an early date in its history.
‘Stone the crows’ is another of her antipodean favourites.
Martin Davies (Ibiza, Spain)