Conundrum

Liz from Suttons Bay, Michigan, asked about the word conundrum. Currently, a conundrum is a puzzling question or a problem, but it has a colorful history.

In the late 16^th and early 17^th centuries, it was an insulting or abusive term meaning a ninny or a tiresome pedant. Soon thereafter, it came to mean a whim or conceit.

By the 18^th century, it meant a pun – word play based on a similarity of sound. The meaning may have developed at Oxford University as an in-joke -- a humorous parody of Latin. Mock Latin was the height of humor in those days.

Before settling on a puzzling question or enigma, it referred to a riddle involving a play on words.

Conundrum has been a very popular term in book titles, including

·      Conundrum, by Jan Morris

·      ConUNdrum: The Limits of the United Nations and the Search for Alternatives, edited by Brett Schaefer

·      Conundrum: The Challenge of Execution in Middle-Market Companies, by Lawrence Kendzior

·      The Conundrum: How Scientific Innovation, Increased Efficiency, and Good Intentions Can Make Our Energy and Climate Problems Worse, by David Owen

·      Conundrum: Cadbury’s Crème Egg Mystery, by Don Shaw

·      The Conundrum of Masculinity: Hegemony, Homosociality, Homophobia and Heteronormativity, by Chris Haywood et al

·      Cracking the China Conundrum: Why Conventional Economic Wisdom is Wrong, by Yukon Huang.

And that’s just for starters!

Word Parts Dictionary, Nook edition

Word Parts Dictionary, Kindle edition

Words to the Wise, Kindle Edition 

Listen to Mike’s program in real time every Tuesday morning, 9:10 - 10:00 a.m. EST, by going to wtcmradio.com and clicking on Listen Now. You’ll also find about two year’s worth of podcasts there under The Ron Jolly Show.

Visit The Senior Corner, a web site containing information for senior citizens.