Editor's Corner

Hello word lovers and English enthusiasts! My buddy Jane G. sent me a quick video the other day about affixes. I didn’t know what they were, or at least I didn’t think I did, but I think we all know about some affixes. An affix is (from Merriam-Webster):

affix (noun): one or more sounds or letters occurring as a bound form attached to the beginning or end of a word, base, or phrase or inserted within a word or base and serving to produce a derivative word or an inflectional form.

Okay, but what does that really mean? Simply, it is something we add to a word to make other words. The different types of affixes are named after what you’re adding (a letter, a few letters) and where you are adding them to the word. Let’s start today with one that we’re taught in school: prefixes.

A prefix is an affix attached to the beginning of a word, base, or phrase. In the world of affixes, just remember that “pre” means before. Here are some common prefixes in English, what they mean, and some examples:

*I decided to provide the etymology for prevent because I thought, “Prevent means to keep something from happening, but how does that equal pre + vent? Wouldn’t that mean ‘before the fan,’ or ‘before the wind’?” Nope. From the Online Etymology Dictionary, it’s closer to “come before”:

prevent: "act in anticipation of” from pre– “before” + vene “to come”

Next time, suffixes!

Kara Church | Technical Editor, Advisory | Knowledge Enablement

Pronouns: she/her | Call via Teams | jackhenry.com

Editor’s Corner Archives: https://episystechpubs.com/

Recently, I was listening to a Facebook reel about affixes—more about those another day. I skipped onto this bit of information about monosyllabic words made up from multiple words. The grammarian’s name is Jess Zafarris, and she talked about the history of the following words: yes, nay, lest, doff, and don.

Our sweet little word yes is from the Old English words gea, which meant “yea, so” and si “be it”(from the verb wesan, “to be”). I’m glad they made it a bit shorter by cramming the “yea, so be it” all together! I can just imagine them changing it because a dragon flies in, and as Sir Gerald asks Sir Richard if he needs help, he responds, “Yea, so…” and the dragon’s fire burns Sir Richard to a crisp.

Then there’s nay, meaning no. If you ever visit Greece, remember this, “nay” means yes! Be careful before you make any deals with someone who keeps answering your questions, “nay, nay, nay.” Nay, in English, is from the Old Norse nei, which is a compound of ne “not” + ei “ever.” I thought “never” might be from the same roots, but it is not.

Moving on, our next word is lest. I don’t know if I’ve ever used the word “lest,” except for maybe while performing in a Shakespearean play. But who knows, maybe you use it all the time. For this one, I’m going to share a screen from the video, because I don’t know how to say or type these letters:

I can just hear, “Judge not, lest ye be judged.” I guess the bible still plays with some Old English.

And finally, we have doff and don, two words having to do with not wearing or wearing particular articles of clothing. While doff and don are from Middle English and have faded out a bit, they saw a resurgence in 19th Century literature. Writers in the 1800s wanted to use language that evoked medieval times, so these two words had a comeback. The word doffen meant “do,” and so you get doff (“do” + “off”) and don (“do” + “on”). More specifically today, we talk about someone “doffing their hat” and then donning some kind of attire, for example, “If you go to the ball, make sure you don your coattails and other finery.”

I’m off to don my suit of armor, to help Sir Gerald with the next dragon!

Kara Church | Technical Editor, Advisory | Knowledge Enablement

Pronouns: she/her | Call via Teams | jackhenry.com

Editor’s Corner Archives: https://episystechpubs.com/

Hello, my friends. I knew some of you couldn’t deal with just two selections of hats. Last Friday, I was here editing a busy queue, but it was very quiet “out there.” A few folks who were in their offices kept me quite entertained that afternoon.

• Teresa B. reminded me of (Kentucky) derby hats, which can be quite elaborate.
• Lyrae (that’s pronounced like the pre-Euro Italian lira, not lie-ra, or ly-ray) sent me a few hats on her list of favorites, which I’ll discuss below.
• And a former employee (Craig D.) sent me a song from the past, a classic that made my Friday sing. It has as much drinking as the series Mad Men, but it’s a beauty: Ladies Who Lunch. You’ll find a mention of hats at about 1:10 here.

Cheers to the three of you for reminding me of the “Have Fun” part of the Jack Henry mantra! I’m using definitions from AI because the responses are more detailed than Merriam-Webster.

trilby

A trilby is a narrow‑brimmed hat with a pinched, teardrop‑shaped crown and a brim that angles down in the front and up in the back. It’s often described as a “stingy‑brim” style because the brim is typically shorter than that of a fedora.

touring cap

A touring cap is a type of flat cap—a close‑fitting, short‑brimmed hat—known for its sleek, streamlined shape and slightly curved, sewn‑down peak. It’s often associated with Irish and British heritage wear and is popular as both a casual and dress‑casual accessory.

• Slim, fitted body: More fitted than vintage or fuller newsboy caps, giving it a modern, low‑profile silhouette.
• Sewn‑down brim: The brim is usually stitched down, creating a clean, polished look and a subtle curve.
• Materials: Commonly made from tweed, wool, linen, or patchwork fabrics, often handcrafted in Ireland.

porkpie

The porkpie hat is characterized by a flat, circular crown often featuring a telescopic or dented crease around the top edge, and a short, narrow brim that typically curves upward. Traditionally, porkpie hats are made from felt, though straw versions exist for warmer weather, and common colors include black, gray, and brown.

The porkpie hat first appeared in Western fashion during the 1860s, initially as a women’s accessory with a small brim designed to sit toward the front of the head to accommodate elaborate hairstyles. Early versions were made from straw or velvet and featured a narrow brim curling toward the flat crown. By the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the style transitioned into men’s fashion, often larger and adorned with ribbons at the back.

[KC] The porkpie hat has a long history. It is often associated with the Depression, jazz musicians, and movie stars from the beginning of movies and on. In the TV show Breaking Bad, drug-maker Walter White wore a black porkpie hat when he identified as “Eisenberg,” his alter ego.

newsboy

The first flat caps were only worn by male members of the working class. It should come as no surprise that many of the style names for this cap are related to professions. The most infamous flat cap style — the newsboy cap — gets its name from the group it was most popular with: newsboys.

Newsboy caps tend to have excess fabric around the head (crown) and a small, short brim at the front. The extra fabric may hang over the bill, but you could also choose to flatten it at the sides of the crown.

[KC – If you watched
Peaky Blinders, you’re probably familiar with the newsboy cap, but how about that prickly Peaky Blinders haircut?]

And now for the derby hats that are dramatic works of art!

That is by no means all of the hats available in the world, but it’s a start. I hope you’ve learned a few new types!

Kara Church | Technical Editor, Advisory | Knowledge Enablement

Pronouns: she/her | Call via Teams | jackhenry.com

Editor’s Corner Archives: https://episystechpubs.com/

Hello, folks! I have some more hats for you today, from the Merriam-Webster hats quiz!

toque blanche

Toque can be traced back to the Old Spanish toca meaning “headdress.”

tam o’shanter

The tam o’shanter is named for the titular character of a work by 18th century Scottish poet Robert Burns. [KC – I have a small tam almost exactly like this, but the ball on top of mine is yellow. I’m not Scottish, but apparently my grandma thought it was so cute she dressed me in an outfit of this plaid when I was little. I don’t remember
if my brother got a matching kilt…]

kufi

Kufi is thought to originate from kaffiyeh, the Arab headdress.

sou’wester

Often worn at sea during stormy weather, the sou’wester is waterproof and its brim is longer in the back to protect the wearer’s neck.

Panama hat

Despite their name, these hats originated in Ecuador and were exported to Panama. They became associated with that country during the construction of the Panama Canal.

bicorne

Bicornes (originating from the Latin for “two-horned”) were typically worn front-to-back, but Napoleon wore his with the tips pointing towards his shoulders. [KC – That Napoleon sure was a trend-setter!]

pith helmet

Pith is a type of spongy plant tissue used to make early versions of this hat.

shako

A shako is “a stiff military hat with a high crown and plume.” While the ostentatious cap has fallen out of favor with modern armies, many marching bands still sport shakos today.

chullo

The chullo is a traditional Peruvian knitted cap with earflaps whose style has been adopted in other parts of the world.

bycoket

Typically now associated with Robin Hood, the bycoket was a stylish bit of headwear around the 15th century.

As I mentioned the other day, there are so many more types of hats! I know I’d hate to have to wear a hat every day, but I sure love watching old movies or going into antique stores and looking at the hats of yore. I guess if I lived in England, I would probably have the opportunity to wear a fancy hat now and then. Many years ago when we visited York during racing season, everyone wore hats to go see the horses!

Kara Church | Technical Editor, Advisory | Knowledge Enablement

Pronouns: she/her | Call via Teams | jackhenry.com

Editor’s Corner Archives: https://episystechpubs.com/

Good morning, all!

Today’s topic is hats. This is by no means all of the types of hats in the world. I don’t think of myself as a hat person, but I don’t think any of my hats are on this list. One is a hat from somewhere my mom went—it looks like I would be wearing it while dancing on the street and trying to entertain people for some spare change. Then there are baseball hats (the one I have says WOOF, from the Humane Society), I have an Australian hat from my dad that’s sort of a Raider’s of the Lost Ark hat, and a lifeguard’s hat, for those sunny days when you need neck protection. You know, an ugly straw hat with a high top and a huge brim. Oh yeah, and my hiking hat, which tells you nothing about how it looks. Let’s just say it’s practical.

For more official hat types and names, I have these from a Merriam-Webster quiz that I took. Here is the first half of them, for our tribute to chapeaux!

fedora

The fedora was named for a hit 1882 play Fédora, whose title character is a Russian princess.

sombrero

Sombrero can be traced back to the Spanish sombra, meaning “shade.” [KC – Now this is a tall center, wide-brimmed hat. It would be much cooler if lifeguards wore these, and the neck protection is even better!]

bowler

The bowler hat gets its name from the Bowler family of English hatmakers who first designed it.

fez

The fez is named for the Moroccan city of Fez

beret

Closely associated with artists and military special forces, berets are thought to have originated among shepherds of the Pyrenees mountains. [KC – Ugh. I went through a beret phase in high school. I think I had about five colors and wore them in the Seattle rain on the walk to school. The wool would get so stinky when it was wet! At
least I didn’t wear my leg warmers to school.]

mortarboard

The square top of this graduation cap is said to resemble the tool a mason might use to hold mortar.

deerstalker

Though it is closely associated with Sherlock Holmes, his creator Arthur Conan Doyle never mentioned the detective wearing a deerstalker.

cloche

Cloche is the French word for “bell,” which the hat typically resembles. [KC – I’d call that a “bucket hat.” And that, my friends, is why I am not in fashion!]

bearskin cap

The 18 inch tall bearskin “caps” worn by the British royal guard are made from the fur of Canadian black bears.

straw boater

In the early 1900s, May 15th was Straw Hat Day, when well-to-do men were expected to switch from felt hats to straw. On September 15th (Felt Day), they were to switch back, or risk hoodlums plucking the hat from their heads and smashing them.

Kara Church | Technical Editor, Advisory | Knowledge Enablement

Pronouns: she/her | Call via Teams | jackhenry.com

Editor’s Corner Archives: https://episystechpubs.com/

Hello! Today I have some additional Scottish words for you, and I sent the list to our in-house expert, Mr. Stephen Gilmour. I removed some of the words he told me he didn’t recognize and others that were uncommon. I’m highlighting the ones he said are better than their American English counterparts.

Each word is defined, used in a sentence, and “translated” into English. This list was from Visit Scotland, but I can’t find the original link. That link is still nice, so I’ll leave it with you for travel planning. Cheers!

braw – excellent or pleasant

In a sentence: “It’s a braw day for a dauner.”

In English: “It’s a lovely day for a walk.”

dook – to dip in liquid, especially in water

In a sentence: “Dook yer haun in the watter an see if it’s cauld.”

In English: “Dunk your hand in the water and see if it’s cold.”

dreich – dreary, dull or gloomy

In a sentence: “It’s awfy dreich oot there the day.”

In English: “It’s awfully dreary outside today.”

glaikit – stupid, foolish or thoughtless

As well Glaikit

In a sentence: “Dinnae be so glaikit – dae something!”

In English: “Don’t be so thoughtless – do something!”

haver – to talk foolishly or to babble

In a sentence: “Awa – yer havering!”

In English: “Get away – you’re talking nonsense!”

Keek – a hasty look or a stolen glance

In a sentence: “Goan take a keek oot the windae.”

In English: “Go and have a quick look out of the window.”

sleekit – sly or cunning

Sleekit

In a sentence: “Wee, sleekit, cow’rin, tim’rous beastie.”

In English: “Small, sly, cowering, fearful animal.”

Weesht – to call for silence or to be quiet

In a sentence: “Wheesht!”

In English: “Be quiet!”

And now for the top-rated terms from Mr. Gilmour, and his reasoning.

oxter – an armpit

In a sentence: “Him there, wae the jaikit tucked in his oxter.”

In English: “That man over there, with the jacket tucked in his armpit.”

[Stephen: Oxter refers to a specific part of the body, not just a pit next to another part of the body. You wouldn’t call ears “head-hearers”
so why call an oxter an “arm-pit”?]

piece – a sandwich

In a sentence: “Canny believe that – av forgoat ma piece.”

In English: “I can’t believe it – I’ve forgotten my sandwich.”

[Stephen: Sandwich was a guy’s name; piece is much better. “What do you want on your piece? Turkey and avocado
piece, please!”]

shoogle – to shake or to wobble

In a sentence: “Jist gie it a wee shoogle and it’ll come loose.”

In English: “Just give it a small shake and it’ll come loose.”

[Stephen: Shoogle is neither shake nor wobble. It’s more like “grip and wiggle forcefully.”]

On that note, remind me to never ask you to shoogle our TV! Thank you for your expertise, Mr. G!

Kara Church | Technical Editor, Advisory | Knowledge Enablement

Pronouns: she/her | Call via Teams | jackhenry.com

Editor’s Corner Archives: https://episystechpubs.com/

The other day I heard from a retired Jack Henrian who sent me a list of terms he found in a book he’s reading. He said they were Scottish terms, though when I looked them up, a variety of English-speaking nations claimed to be the main users. Here are the ones I could find a definition for. Some of the results are AI, others are from Scotsmagazine and the Scottish National Dictionary.

dob him in
Knock or strike; to report, inform against, or turn over someone to an authority, especially the police. A noun or pronoun can be used between "dob" and "in." (Australia, New Zealand)

blowing a hoolie
A Scottish and Irish idiom meaning it is extremely windy, gale-force, or storming outside. Orkney Scots word hoolan (a strong gale).

chap the door
"Chapping the door" (or "chap-door-run") refers to an (often Scottish) term for a childhood prank where someone knocks on or bangs on a door and runs away before it is opened. It is also commonly known as "Ding Dong Ditch" or "Knock Knock Ginger".

biddable
Biddable is considered a word of Scottish origin, to describe someone obedient, docile, or easily managed. It dates back to the late 18th century and is frequently used to describe children or animals that readily follow orders or requests.

took a scunner
To develop a strong, sudden, or unreasonable dislike, aversion, or disgust towards someone or something.

shoogly

Wobbly, shaky, or unsteady. Often used to describe unstable furniture, it is best known from the idiom "yer jaiket’s on a shoogly peg" (your jacket is on a shaky hook), which means your position or job is precarious.

Totally scuppered him!
Means that someone or something completely defeated, ruined, or put an end to a person’s plans.

bin off/bin him
An informal, mostly British phrase meaning to discard, reject, abandon, or end a relationship with someone.

skint
Skint is slang for having no cash left. Quite commonly used in the UK and Australia.

[KC – This reminded me of “skinflint” meaning stingy or miserly. Skinflint is derived from 17th-century slang implying that someone is so stingy
they would “skin a flint” (peel skin off a rock).]

Gossiping and wittering on
"Wittering on" is an informal British English phrase referring to the act of talking, chattering, or babbling at length about unimportant or boring topics.

It’s not like we’re skiving!
Skiving (primarily British, Australian, and NZ slang) refers to the act of avoiding work, school, or responsibilities, often by faking illness, leaving early, or not showing up without permission. (Described as “playing hooky” in American English.)

Kara Church | Technical Editor, Advisory | Knowledge Enablement

Pronouns: she/her | Call via Teams | jackhenry.com

Editor’s Corner Archives: https://episystechpubs.com/

Good morning, folks!

It’s St. Patrick’s Day and it’s been awhile since I’ve shared anything from Richard Lederer, San Diego’s original verbivore, author, and speaker of all things English. I thought I’d dig around and find out what kind of articles or puns he’s written and share them with you. This is from his article A Saint Patrick’s Day Gallery of Famous Irish People. If you don’t like puns, you might want to skip this Editor’s Corner. From Richard Lederer:

Legend has it that Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, drove the snakes out of Ireland, although in fact snakes were never there. The story may be referring to Patrick’s expelling the Druidic religion and bringing Christianity to the Emerald Isle. Patrick died on March 17, A.D. 460, and the Catholic Church made that his saint’s day.

Emblems of St. Patrick’s Day include leprechauns, shamrocks and anything green, from clothing to food. Restaurants and bars serve corned beef and cabbage, washed down with green beer. The city of Chicago even adds a temporary dye to the Chicago River to turn it green for a day.

Incorrigible punster that I am (don’t incorrige me!), I have noticed that some words start with something that sounds like a first name and then comes an Irish patronymic O’. So have you heard about these 30 famous Irish men and women?

• The Irish Botanist Phil O’Dendron
• The Irish Heart Surgeon Angie O’ Plasty
• The Irish Theater Owner Nick O’Lodeon
• The Irish Cigarette Manufacturer Nick O’Teen
• The Irish Watchmaker Nick O’Time
• The Irish Marksman Rick O’Shay
• The Irish Barber Hank O’Hare
• The Irish Con Artist Upton O’Goode
• The Irish Musician Vi O’Lynn
• The Irish Puppeteer Mary O’Nette
• The Irish Meteorologist Barry O’Metric
• The Irish Inventor of Halloween Jack O’Lantern
• The Irish Manufacturer of Flooring Lynn O’Leum
• The Irish Printer Mimi O’Graph
• The Irish Playwright Mel O’Drama
• The Irish Poet Ann O’Nymous
• The Irish Gum Specialist Perry O’Dontal
• The Irish Tracer of Ancestors Jeannie O’Logical
• The Irish Singer Carrie O’Key
• The Irish Pasta Chef Ravi O’Lee
• The Irish Sportsman Mark O’Polo
• The Irish Ornithologist Bob O’Link
• The Irish Vegetable Grower Brock O’Lee
• The Irish Entomologist Chris O’Liss
• The Irish Druggist Ben O’Drill
• The Irish Shipper Bill O’Lading
• The Irish Funeral Speaker Yul O’Gee
• The Irish Cancer Researcher Carson O’Genic
• The Irish Poison Manufacturer Cy O’Nide
• And The Irish Designer for Outdoor Living Patty O’Furniture

Kara Church | Technical Editor, Advisory | Technical Publications

Pronouns: she/her | Call via Teams | jackhenry.com

Editor’s Corner Archives: https://episystechpubs.com/

Hello there, folks!

I was just kicking back, relaxing, and reading the JHA Style Guide as I like to do on a hot winter day. As I approached the section on capitalization, I thought it might be a good time for a refresher on the subject. I know we’re taught about the rules pretty early on in life, but as we get older, it becomes a bit of a problem for some. I know Germans and lawyers like to capitalize nouns in the middle of sentences, but we are not (most of us) lawyers or German, so here are some basic rules.

Capitalize the following:

• The first word of a sentence, and the pronoun “I.”
• Proper nouns. Specific names of people, places, or things, for example:
  • Person: Jamilla, Dr. Pearson, Chuck
  • Place: Specific places, like New York, Rome, State Street, Lake Michigan (but not general directions such as north)
  • Thing: Jack Henry & Associates, Microsoft Corporation, Trader Joe’s

Note: bell hooks and e.e. cummings get a pass.

• Titles and headings: Capitalize the first word, last word, and all major words (nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, pronouns, subordinating conjunctions) in a title, and also capitalize prepositions that are five letters or longer. Do not capitalize prepositions of four or fewer letters in a title, unless:
  • The preposition is part of a verb phrase ("back up," check out," "hand out," etc.)
  • The preposition is the first or last word in the title
  • Use this site for help: Title Case Converter (don’t forget to select Chicago if you are writing for most of the groups at JH)

• Family names: Capitalize the relationship when used as a name (e.g., “Check with Mom."), but not when preceded by a possessive (e.g., "My mom like apples.").
• Days, months, holidays: Capitalize specific days, months, and holidays. Seasons are not generally capitalized.
• Titles before names:
  • Capitalize professional titles when they immediately precede a name:
    • President Lincoln
    • Dr. Abby Crabapple
    • Captain Dory
  • Do not capitalize job titles when just mentioning them as a person’s position or after their name
    • Abraham Lincoln, the president of the United States
    • Abby Crabapple, is a primary care physician at Sharp.
    • Dory remains the captain, despite capsizing the ship.
• Languages and nationalities: English, Cambodian, French; Canadian, Algerian, Egyptian.

Of course, you will find exceptions, but this information should get you off to a good start. If you aren’t sure about something, you can check the JH Style Guide, or ask one of us editors!

Kara Church | Technical Editor, Advisory | Knowledge Enablement

Pronouns: she/her | Call via Teams | jackhenry.com

Editor’s Corner Archives: https://episystechpubs.com/

As spring approaches and flower buds start appearing, I have a few eponyms for you. Yes, we’ve gone over some eponyms in the past, but this is a new (partial) list based on an article from Merriam-Webster, called: 10 Unpleasant People Whose Names Became Words.

Burke

Definition: to murder by suffocation or strangulation in order to obtain a body to be sold for dissection.

If you’re like me, you’ve seen more than one movie that has talked about selling bodies. In many cases, the idea was to steal the already dead bodies and sell them for science. In the case of Mr. Burke, he decided it was too lucrative to wait for the bodies to be dead. He and a friend would lure in folks that probably wouldn’t be missed, get them drunk, smother or strangle them, and then sell them to the local anatomy school.

Sixteen bodies later, the men were caught and Burke was condemned to hang. As he was being hanged, the crowd shouted, “Burke him.” It came to mean death by suffocation or strangling, and later just meant “cover-up.”

In a grisly twist—and as part of his punishment—Burke himself was dissected after his execution. His skeleton hangs in the Anatomical Museum of the Edinburgh Medical School; his skin was supposedly turned into wallets, calling-card cases, and a pocketbook.

Ponzi Scheme

Definition: an investment swindle in which early investors are paid with sums obtained from later ones to create the illusion of profitability. [KC – Compare to “pyramid scheme.”]

Charles Ponzi was an Italian (Carlo Pietro Giovanni Guglielmo Tebaldo Ponzi) who came to the U.S. in the early 1900s. His first attempts at business were unsuccessful, but eventually he devised a plan that was initially profitable. Ponzi convinced people to send him money via mail and promised they would make up to 50 percent profit on their investment. He paid off the first investors with money he got from the next investors, paid those investors with the newer investments, and so on. It wasn’t long before authorities discovered him and convicted him of mail fraud.

Bowdlerize

Definition: to expurgate (as a book) by omitting or modifying parts considered vulgar.

I never thought of Shakespeare as vulgar, but I guess if you were particularly sensitive, you might see him that way. In the 1800s, a man named Thomas Bowlder thought that Shakespeare was a little “much” for young people and “delicates,” so he decided to publish his own version of pieces written by The Bard. He rewrote, omitted, cut, chopped, and censored Shakespeare.

Bowdler was finally able to come up with an edition of Shakespeare that he felt comfortable reading with his family, and managed to forever enshrine his name with censorship to boot. Within 11 years of his death in 1825, the word bowdlerize was being used to refer to expurgating books or other texts.

See the link at the very top of this email if you’d like to read the full list.

Kara Church | Technical Editor, Advisory | Knowledge Enablement

Pronouns: she/her | Call via Teams | jackhenry.com

Editor’s Corner Archives: https://episystechpubs.com/