Editor's Corner

Today I have 17 Scary Sayings for ‘Ghost’ From Across the United States, Part II for you. Enjoy!

Duppy

In Alabama and Louisiana, you might say “duppy” when referring to a ghost. According to the Dictionary of American Regional English (DARE), the word comes from Bube, a Bantu language of West Africa. The OED’s earliest citation in English is from British historian Edward Long’s 1774 book The History of Jamaica (“Those of deceased friends are duppies”), while DARE’s is from a 1919 issue of the Journal of American Folklore: “ … the ghost-story, the tale based on a belief about ‘hants’ or ‘bugies’ or ‘duppies.’”

Hide-Behind

This term—which has variants like high-behind and nigh-behind—refers to a ghost or imaginary creature that always hides behind some object. Henry Tryon’s 1939 book Fearsome Critters describes the hide-behind as a 6-foot-tall “highly dangerous animal” with “grizzly-like claws.” Conveniently enough, it’s “never known to attack an inebriate.” According to Vance Randolph’s 1951 We Always Lie to Strangers: Tall Tales from the Ozarks, the monster is “a lizard as big as a bull” that “lies in wait for human beings on the trails at night.”

Catawampus

A word for an imaginary monster or hobgoblin in the South and South Midland states, catawampus also means “fierce, unsparing, destructive,” according to the OED, and originated as a humorous formation, the first part of which might have been influenced by catamount, a puma or cougar.

Swogon

This Maine term for a spirit might come from Swamp Swogon as quoted in Holman Day’s Up in Maine: “For even in these days P.I.’s shake / At the great Swamp Swogon of Brassua Lake./ When it blitters and glabbers the long night through,/ And shrieks for the souls of the shivering crew.” Another Maine word, swogun (also spelled swagin, swagan, and other variations) refers to bean soup.

Akua

In Hawaii, an akua is a god, spirit, or supernatural being. The OED has atua, which it says is a Polynesian word with the same meaning.

Stepney

This expression is used among Gullah speakers on the Georgia and South Carolina coasts. It could mean hunger or hard times, and may also be personified as a malevolent spirit. Where the word comes from isn’t clear.

Plat-eye

Careful of plat-eyes if you’re roaming around in South Carolina at night. These hobgoblins or malevolent spirits are said to rise out of graves. The phrase platt-eye prowl refers to the time of night they’re said to roam.

Go-Devil

Another South Carolina expression, a go-devil is an evil spirit or someone made up to look like one. The term also refers to various machines and devices in agriculture, forestry, the oil industry, and logging.

Hag (or Hag Spirit)

While commonly known as a witch, in the Southeast the term hag or hag spirit might also refer to the evil spirit of a dead person. Said spirit is supposed to cause nightmares by “riding” the luckless dreamer. Hag-ridden, according to the OED, means afflicted by nightmares or oppressed in the mind.

Rawhead and Bloodybones

In addition to being an excellent name for a death metal band, rawhead and bloodybones is a South and South Midland expression for a specter or hobgoblin. It’s an old term: DARE’s earliest citation in American English is from 1637, while in British English it’s 1566, according to the OED, whose definitions for both words border on terrifying: rawhead refers to something that is “typically imagined as having a head in the form of a skull, or one whose flesh has been stripped of its skin,” while bloodybones is sometimes described as a bogeyman “said to lurk in ponds waiting to drown children.”

On that note, I hope you have a happy Halloween, free from duppies, hide-behinds, rawheads, and hags—be nice and don’t frighten the kids!

Kara Church | Technical Editor, Advisory | Knowledge Enablement

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

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

As some of us prepare for Halloween and Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), I wanted to find something new and exciting to share with you. I saw an article about why we say “Boo” to scare people, but it was a little on the gentle side. I wanted something scarier or at least something potentially scary—something to bring about the feeling of cold, creepy goosebumps moving up your back.

Last year, I went through watching a month of “scary” movies. I can’t say they were very frightening; they were just kind of disgusting. The year before that, my husband and I watched a month of the classics: Carrie, the Exorcist, etc. There are some new movies out there, but they didn’t inspire me. Then I found this: 17 Scary Sayings for ‘Ghost’ From Across the United States. I thought that sounded very promising.

I’m going to divide it into two sections, so you can enjoy it to the fullest. From Mental Floss:

On Halloween, the spirits of the dead are supposed to walk the earth with the living. Whether or not you believe that, or in ghosts in general, you might want to know what you’re getting into if you hear a South Carolina native mention a plat-eye or a Maine resident warn you about swogons. Familiarize yourself with these spooky regional slang terms for the spectral from the Dictionary of American Regional English (DARE).

Skookum

Referring to a ghost, demon, or spirit, skookum is chiefly a Northwest term and comes from a language of the Chinook Native American peoples of the Pacific Northwest. In the Northwest and Alaska, skookum as an adjective means strong, powerful, or good, while a skookum house is a jail and a skookum chuck is a turbulent channel of water.

Skookum Doll

Tommyknocker

More than just a Stephen King novel, tommyknocker has been used in the West since at least the early 20th century to mean a ghost that lives in a mine. It also refers to the knocking noises that said ghost is supposed to make. This ghost sense comes from the English dialect word tommyknocker, meaning a “hammer used to break ore.”

Perfect mines for tommyknockers

Haunt

In the South and South Midland states, a haunt or hant is a ghost or spirit. The earliest definitions of haunt weren’t ghostly at all: According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the word originated in the 13th century to mean “to practice habitually” or “to frequent a place.” Around 1576, it gained the figurative meaning of memories, cares, feelings, thoughts, etc. that distract one frequently. In 1597, the term wandered into the supernatural. From Richard III: “Some haunted by the ghosts they have deposed.” Almost 300 years later, it finally came to refer to a spirit or ghost.

Hot Hant and Hot Steam

You might run into a hot hant or a hot steam in the Lower Mississippi Valley and southern Alabama. In Ben Burman’s 1938 book, Blow for a Landing, hot hants are hot because “they’ve gone to hell.” In To Kill a Mockingbird, a hot steam is described as “somebody who can’t get to heaven, just wallows around on lonesome roads an’ if you walk through him, when you die you’ll be one too.”

Bugaboo

This ghostly South and South Midland expression might also refer to an imaginary monster or the devil. In use since at least 1710, the OED says the word might come from the now obscure meaning of bug, an imaginary evil spirit (the insect meaning came later), and might also be influenced by boo. It can also be seen as boogerboo and bugabo.

Booger

Careful if someone from the South or South Midland states tells you that you have a booger—they could mean something more frightening than a piece of snot. The word originated in the 1750s to mean a despicable man, according to the OED, and came to mean a menacing supernatural creature in the 1820s (and dried nasal mucus in 1891).

Those are the terms for Part 1! Next time, I’ll give you the rest of the list so you can walk into haunted houses across the nation, fully prepared!

Kara Church | Technical Editor, Advisory | Knowledge Enablement

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

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

As more giant spiders and skeletons start filling local yards, Halloween is speeding toward us! I thought that now might be a good time to cover a couple of bony idioms we use. In fact, just the other day I was talking to my parents and asked them if they had “a bone to pick” with me. Then we all stopped talking and asked each other, “Where does that phrase come from?” Yep, that’s how conversations go in my family.

So I’m here with a little research about the phrase “a bone to pick,” and another idiom “(having a) skeleton in (one’s) closet.”

A Bone to Pick

When you have a bone to pick with someone, it means there’s something you need to discuss, and it might be unpleasant or involve an argument. For example, if your child consistently leaves a mess in the kitchen after you ask them to clean up after themself, you might start that conversation with “I have a bone to pick with you.”

As far as where the phrase comes from, I found this on The Idioms:

“A bone to pick” is an old idiom that dates back hundreds of years into the past. This proverb has been in use since the 1500s. It was derived from dogs and how they chewed meat off bones. The meaning is also taken from canines and how they oftentimes fight over who gets to gnaw on a bone as a snack. During the late Middle Ages, dogs were primarily owned by hunters, soldiers, and people who could afford to keep them around. They were probably the first people to coin this phrase. This saying has also evolved over time to its modern use.

Skeletons in the Closet

When referring to having a “skeleton in the closet,” most people are referring to a secret—a personal issue or something they’ve done that is really embarrassing or damaging—and it’s in the closet because they’re hiding it. If you know someone with an actual skeleton in their closet, that’s a different situation, and I’d contact the police about that. Here’s an example of the idiom in use: “Betsy’s brother Brandon knew that Betsy had skeletons in her closet from a former marriage. And he knew if her current husband Travis found out, he would never forgive her.” To find out where the phrase comes from, here is part of an article: “Skeletons in the Closet”: Where the Creepy Phrase Comes From

The expression “skeletons in the closet” can be traced back to the 19th century. While the exact origin is somewhat murky, it appears to have first emerged in British literature. One of the earliest recorded uses was in 1816, when British author Thomas De Quincey wrote about “the skeleton in the cupboard” in his essay “On Murder Considered as One of the Fine Arts.” In this context, De Quincey was discussing the hidden sins and darker aspects of human nature, suggesting that everyone has secrets they would prefer to keep hidden.

The imagery of a skeleton is particularly powerful; it evokes the idea of something frightening and taboo. The closet, on the other hand, is a place where we store things away from plain sight—making it a fitting metaphor for secrets we don’t want to reveal. Combined, these elements create a vivid picture of the hidden aspects of our lives that we often conceal from friends, family, and society.

The Evolution of the Idiom

The phrase caught on in popular culture during the Victorian era, a time when societal norms placed a heavy emphasis on propriety and reputation. Victorians often believed that maintaining a polished exterior was essential, which meant that any blemish on one’s character was to be hidden away—much like a skeleton tucked away in a closet. The idiom became a way to describe the dissonance between one’s public persona and private reality.

Interestingly, the phrase has undergone several transformations over the years. While it originally carried a somewhat morbid connotation, it has evolved into a more generalized expression of keeping secrets. Today, it can refer to anything from a past relationship to a family scandal or even minor embarrassments. The versatility of the phrase has allowed it to remain relevant over the centuries, making it a staple in conversations, literature, and media.

Kara Church | Technical Editor, Advisory | Knowledge Enablement

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

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

In previous Editor’s Corners, I’ve written here and there about military jargon that’s made its way into our everyday language. I thought it would be fun to look for more, though there’s quite a bit of colorful language I have to avoid. Today I’m just going to give you a selection from a page I found. I tried to leave out most of the really naughty or grim ones, but you can see them at the link here: Military Terms, Slang, and Jargon

A

Alpha Charlie — Military alphabet used to represent a** chewing. Defines getting verbally reprimanded.

B

Bang-bang — An Army term describing a pistol or rifle.

Big Voice — Term used to describe the loudspeaker on a military base. The Big Voice warns of everything from incoming attacks to scheduled ordnance disposal.

Bird — Helicopter.

Burn Bag — A bag used to hold shredded documents, designed to be burned. May also refer to a useless person.

C

Chest Candy — Ribbons and medals worn on a uniform. Can be insulting or applauding.

Crumb Catcher — Military slang describing the mouth.

F

Fart Sack — Refers to a sleeping bag or an airman’s flight suit. [KC – Sorry, I had to include this. When we were kids, my dad always used this term for our sleeping bags and we thought it was hilarious. “OK kids, we’re going camping so everyone needs to bring their fart sack!”]

Fashion Show — A Naval punishment where a sailor is required to dress in each of his uniforms over a period of several hours.

Flight Suit Insert — Air Force slang for a pilot.

Five-Sided Puzzle Palace — The Pentagon.

Football Bat — An individual or way of doing things that is particularly odd.

Fruit Salad — Slang for a service member’s display of medals and ribbons on a dress uniform.

G

Grid Squares — A nonexistent item recruits typically are told to go find.

Gun — Term for a mortar or artillery piece. Must never be used within the military to describe a pistol or rifle.

H

Hat Up — To change one’s location. Refers to the need to wear a hat for the intended destination.

Hit the Silk — Ejecting from an aircraft and utilizing a parachute.

I

Ink Stick — Marine Corps term for a pen.

J

Jawa — Term for an Army soldier who is stationed in a desert area, named after the desert-dwelling aliens of "Star Wars."

Joe — Army term for a soldier. Shortened from G.I. Joe.

M

Meat Identifier — A dish or sauce that identifies what type of meat is being served. For example, cranberry sauce indicates turkey while applesauce indicates pork chops.

Moonbeam — Marine term for flashlight.

Moving Like Pond Water — Moving so slowly that a unique term is required to describe it.

O

Oxygen Thief — A biting piece of slang for someone who’s useless or talks too much.

P

Pad Eye Remover — A nonexistent item used by sailors to trick new service members into a fruitless search. Pad-eyes are used to secure airplanes with chains.

Puddle Pirate — Member of the Coast Guard. So called due to a fallacious belief that the Coast Guard never operates in deep water.

S

Salad Bar — Service ribbons found on a military uniform.

Scrambled Eggs — The embellishments found on some officer’s caps.

Snake Eater — Member of the U.S. Army Special Forces.

Snivel Gear — Any equipment meant for use in cold weather.

Soap chips — A psychological operations (PSYOPS) tactic where fake letters from an enemy’s home country are written and placed on bodies and battle wreckage. They include sentimental content, hint at the infidelity of loved ones back home and are designed to demoralize combatants.

Soup Sandwich — An individual, object, situation or mission that has gone horribly wrong. The thrust of the term’s meaning derives from the fact that it is incredibly difficult, some would say impossible, to make a sandwich out of soup.

U

Uncle Sam’s Canoe Club — A U.S. Navy term for the U.S. Coast Guard.

Kara Church | Technical Editor, Advisory | Knowledge Enablement

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

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

It’s been a while since I introduced you to a new rhetorical device. Today’s term is antanaclasis. Merriam-Webster defines it as: “The repetition of a word within a phrase or sentence in which the second occurrence utilizes a different and sometimes contrary meaning from the first.” From a site called LitCharts, I found this additional information:

• Antanaclasis derives from the Greek word, "antanáklasis," which literally translates to "reflection."
• Antanaclasis, with its focus on multiple meanings of the same word or phrase, is a form of pun.

Writers use antanaclasis for a variety of reasons:

• To spark an ironic play on words or make a joke.
• To make a slogan, catchphrase, or line more memorable.
• To create a rhythm through repetition that sticks in the listener’s head, much like in a song’s chorus.
• To use the pithiness and wit of antanaclasis to convince others of an argument, especially as a concluding line (as in Ben Franklin’s "We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately).
• To contrast and emphasize the two different meanings of the repeated word in a way that can emphasize either comedy or tragedy.

This sounds a lot like anadiplosis which we discussed some weeks ago. I like this better because it mentions puns. Sometimes literature gets a little stuffy. Here are some examples from antanaclasis from the website mentioned above.

Okay, none of the puns are hilarious, but some are clever. If you’d like to see more examples and explanations, they’re available at LitCharts.

And antanaclasis’s brother, anteater. Look at that fancy fur!

Kara Church | Technical Editor, Advisory | Knowledge Enablement

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

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

I’m getting ready for a visit to the doctor and my monthly eyeball injection, so I thought I’d be gentle with myself and share something from Mental Floss. The following words are from an article called: Words for People Who Hate Certain Things.

The prefix miso in most of these words is Greek for “hate.” I’ll leave the rest to Mental Floss:

Misodoctakleidist (pronounced MEEZ-oh-dok-tah-KLAHYD-ist)

A misodoctakleidist is someone who hates practicing the piano. See also: Someone who probably isn’t very good at playing the piano, despite how many lessons their parents tried to drag them to.

Misocapnist

Don’t like smoking? Well, it kills these people. Misocapnists hate tobacco smoke in any form.

Misoneist

Misoneists hate novelty, trends, or innovation. You can guess how fun they are at social gatherings.

Misopogonist

If someone keeps demanding you shave your facial hair, there’s a good chance they’re a misopogonist—otherwise known as someone who hates beards. (Strangely, we haven’t found the name for someone who hates mustaches.) [KC – Most of these words are Greek, and there’s no such thing as someone who hates moustaches in Greece.]

My nephews Jello (Evangelos) and Mikey (Euripides)…doing their best to grow facial hair. Only their dad is a biological Greek, so they have to try a little harder for the full ‘stache.

Misogelast

Lighten up! Victorian novelist George Meredith coined the term misogelast to describe people who hated laughter, or at the very least, considered it low-class or crude.

Misogamist

Misogynists hate women. Misandrists hate men. And misogamists hate marriage, no matter who’s getting hitched.

Nomomisist

This refers to someone who experiences nomomisia, otherwise known as a hatred or disgust for a particular name.

Misopolemist

Why can’t we all just get along? Misopolemists hate war or strife.

Misologist

Meanwhile, misologists hate arguments, debates, or enlightening discussions.

Misapodysist

Someone who hates undressing in front of others.

Misophonist

Many of us experience some form of misophonia, an extreme intolerance for certain sounds. Nails on a chalkboard is the ultimate example. Or perhaps it’s gum smacking, open-mouthed chewing, crunching on ice, or other sounds regularly heard in public. Ugh.

Kara Church | Technical Editor, Advisory | Knowledge Enablement

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

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

As I mentioned the other day, my friend Jane asked me to cover terms like “on the struggle bus,” which means having a rough time. For balance, she also asked me about terms and synonyms for doing well, feeling good, and living the good life. She mentioned some examples, which I wasn’t familiar with, like “five by five” and “Bravo Zulu.” Today, I have some definitions, and AI provided me with a list of other phrases you might use, depending on where you are and who you’re talking to.

five by five

In pop culture, "five by five" originates from military radio communication during WWII, meaning "loud and clear" or "perfect reception." The term refers to a 1-5 scale for both signal strength and clarity; a "5×5" rating indicates maximum strength and clarity.

Bravo Zulu

A naval signal meaning "well done". The phrase comes from the Allied Naval Signal Book, where the signal flag combination BZ was used to represent this message.

Casual and slang

• Killing it: A very common, energetic phrase for excelling or performing exceptionally well.
• On fire: Describes a period of high achievement and success.
• Nailing it: Means doing something perfectly or successfully.
• Knocking it out of the park/Hitting a home run: Borrowed from baseball, this means exceeding expectations and doing an outstanding job.
• In the zone: Describes a state of deep focus and peak performance.
• Crushing it: The modern, high-energy term for dominating a task or performing extremely well.
• Slaying it: A more modern, informal version of "killing it".

Idioms and expressions

· Everything’s coming up roses: A positive phrase indicating that everything is going well and leading to a good outcome.

· Going swimmingly: Describes a situation that is progressing smoothly and without problems.

· On a roll: Refers to a series of successes, where one good thing happens after another.

· Passing with flying colors: Means to pass a test or complete a task with great success.

Professional and workplace

· On top of your game: Performing at the highest level of your ability.

· Thriving/Flourishing: Used to describe success or strong growth, especially for a business or career.

· In top form: Performing at your very best.

· Achieving peak performance: Performing at the best possible level, a more formal alternative to "on top of your game".

Short and direct

• Top-notch: Excellent, of the highest quality.
• Stellar: Outstanding or remarkable.
• Killing it: A high-energy way of saying someone is doing extremely well.
• Nailed it! A simple exclamation of success.

Let’s hope that when you “nail it,” you do better than the folks on the cake baking show!

Kara Church | Technical Editor, Advisory | Knowledge Enablement

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

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

Several months ago, I received an email from my buddy Jane about a term I hadn’t heard: struggle bus. Here is a brief definition that I cobbled together:

When someone is "on the struggle bus," they are metaphorically riding a vehicle filled with struggles they cannot easily escape, in a situation or state of mind that is frustrating, difficult, or unfulfilling.

Jane mentioned a few more idioms for “having a hard time:”

<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Train wreck: A situation that is a total and spectacular disaster.

<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Car crash: An extremely messy, chaotic, or disastrous situation.

<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Hot mess: A disorganized, chaotic, and often spectacular failure.

She asked for even more words and idioms for having a hard time or describing disastrous situations. Well, I am happy to say that the Merriam-Webster thesaurushas just what you ordered, Jane! I edited it a bit, but the whole list is here if you want it.

apocalypse

We begin our list with a disaster of Biblical proportions. The wordapocalypseoriginally comes from the Greek apokálypsis, meaning “revelation.” Today, the word apocalypse is often used generally (and ominously) to refer to a doomsday-level scenario.

bloodbath

The word bloodbath is often used to describe violent slaughters or massacres. The word creates the mental image of a carnage so intense that someone could take a bath in the spilled blood. Figuratively, though, bloodbath is used to describe disastrous events or severe instances of bad fortune.

cataclysm

Cataclysm is a word so disastrous that it rocks the entire Earth to its core. The word cataclysm means “a violent upheaval” and is used in geography to refer to violent events that manage to alter the surface of Earth.

fiasco

The word fiasco means “a complete and ignominious failure.”

calamity

Get the tissues ready, because our next word is calamity. Calamity is a synonym of disaster, but it indicates that a horrific event specifically caused misery and lots of tears—so, like a dentist appointment?

catastrophe

Catastrophe is a synonym that can highlight the destruction and loss brought about by a tremendous event.

pandemonium

Things have gone to hell in a hand basket thanks to our next word: pandemonium. Pandemonium refers to a wild state of disorder, noise, and chaos. This disastrous word actually comes from Pandaemonium, the name that John Milton used for the capital of hell in Paradise Lost.

debacle

The word debacle is one of several that implies a failure was caused by failure or incompetence, especially ones that result from disorganization.

blunder

The word blunder is a synonym of the word mistake and is often used to describe an error resulting from severe incompetence or stupidity.

epic fail

LOL! The slang term epic fail is used to describe particularly humiliating mistakes. Our disastrous list of words has been bad so far, but epic fail might just be the worst of the bunch. Why? Because this is the phrase to use when that embarrassing mistake has been broadcast on social media! (And once that happens, only an especially clever cat meme can save you.)

meltdown

With our next word, our disaster has gone nuclear. Meltdown is a word used to refer to severe nuclear reactor accidents. It’s figuratively used to describe sudden situations that quickly spiral out of control.

dog’s breakfast

This list has really gone to the dogs. The slang term dog’s breakfast, mainly used in Canada and the UK, describes a confused, disorderly mess.

turmoil

Turmoil is another word to convey that you’re in the midst of great confusion or disorder. Fittingly, we are not actually sure where this verb-turned-noun originates from.

dumpster fire

The slang term dumpster fire means something is so disastrously bad it is beyond all hope of saving. Often, the dumpster fire is result of terribly bad decisions or extraordinary levels of incompetence.

SNAFU and FUBAR

It might be time for reinforcements. SNAFU and FUBAR are two abbreviations that can be traced back to military jargon and have some…colorful meanings. SNAFU stands for “situation normal: all f–ed up” and FUBAR stands for “f–ed up beyond all reason.”

Next time, the other half of my response to Jane: words and idioms for things going well! Until then, some cute capybaras to cheer you up!

Kara Church | Technical Editor, Advisory | Knowledge Enablement

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

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

During vacation, my husband and I made our way back to the hotel on a cold and rainy night, and settled in for some fantastic YouTube nature videos. There is one fellow who is a hilarious narrator, Ze Frank. I’m not sure if he’s kid friendly, but he’s funny and you will learn a lot if you watch him. Anyway, the topic of bees came up. Not just Ze’s bees, but I mentioned to my spouse (Ray) that my manager’s husband is becoming a bee keeper, and my brother is talking about raising bees.

Then I heard the word “apiary.” I sent it to work so I would remember it for Editor’s Corner. The definition from AI:

apiary

Simply put, an apiary is a place where beehives are kept. The word comes from the Latin words for bee, apis, and place of, arium. Apiarium/apiary means “place of bees.” If you keep bees and have more than one hive at the same site — rooftop, garden, field, orchard — you have an apiary.

I found this photo online and stopped there. What an interesting hobby!

Then I thought about how similar the word apiary is to aviary (where birds are kept). Looking up similar terms, I found this list of places different animals are kept. (It’s a long and inconsistent list, but it’s here if you’d like to see it: https://www.absp.org.uk/words/placesanimals.shtml) Here are a few of the ones that I found interesting.

Enjoy your day!

Kara Church | Technical Editor, Advisory

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

Editing Requests

NOTICE: This electronic mail message and any files transmitted with it are intended
exclusively for the individual or entity to which it is addressed. The message,
together with any attachment, may contain confidential and/or privileged information.
Any unauthorized review, use, printing, saving, copying, disclosure or distribution
is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please
immediately advise the sender by reply email and delete all copies.

Good morning, all. Today we’re going to talk about calendars! Nothing too fancy, but it seems that some of us are slightly confused about the difference between a calendar year, a fiscal year, a regular year, and a physical year.

Here are some definitions for you, from a financial context.

Physical year: This is not a common term in financial contexts. There are occasions where the term might be used, but what you are hearing at meetings and presentations at Jack Henry is fiscal, not physical.

Regular year: This is an alternate way of referring to the “calendar year.” Again, here at work you will likely hear calendar year, so throw “regular year” in the garbage.

Calendar year: This is the 12-month period beginning on January 1 and ending on December 31.

Fiscal year: (From the Grammarist) This is “a consecutive 12-month period used by organizations for accounting purposes, budgeting, and financial reporting. It does not necessarily align with the calendar year, which runs from January 1 to December 31. For example, the U.S. federal government operates on a fiscal year that runs from October 1 to September 30.” [KC – As most of you are aware, the Jack Henry fiscal year runs from July 1 to June 30.]

From our eager AI friends, here are some of the major differences between the calendar year and the fiscal year:

Start and End Dates:

· Calendar Year: Always starts on January 1 and ends on December 31.

· Fiscal Year: Can start and end on any date, as long as it lasts for 12 consecutive months.

Purpose:

· Calendar Year: Primarily used for personal and corporate tax reporting, aligning with the IRS requirements for most individuals and businesses.

· Fiscal Year: Used by businesses to better match their financial reporting with their operational cycles, allowing for more accurate financial analysis and planning.

Flexibility:

• Calendar Year: Fixed and unchangeable, making it straightforward for financial comparisons across different entities.
• Fiscal Year: Offers flexibility, allowing businesses to select a reporting period that aligns with their specific financial activities, which can be beneficial for seasonal businesses.

Additional Examples:

• Companies Using Calendar Year: Many large corporations, such as Amazon® and Google™, use the calendar year for their financial reporting.

· Companies Using Fiscal Year: Walmart® and Target have fiscal years that do not coincide with the calendar year, often ending in January to capture post-holiday sales.

I hope that clears things up a little!

Kara Church | Technical Editor, Advisory | Knowledge Enablement

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

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