Fridays

9:30 - 11:00 am

Online

6/4, 6/11, 6/18 & 6/25

Four Sessions 

This course is offered online via the easy-to-use Zoom program.

Without even realizing it, we all speak in code—by frequently using idioms. Where do they all come from? For starters, why does “in a pickle” mean to be in a quandary or in a difficult position? Even though many idioms don’t make much sense literally, they are very useful to convey our thoughts and feelings. You will meet captivating people and sometimes go to unexpected places as we explore the stories behind common idioms. This course features many visuals to bring the stories to life.

Stewart Edelstein is the author of four books, including Dubious Doublets and The COVID-19 Zeitgeist: Fifty Essays. He has taught three very popular OLLI courses on etymology, has created word games for Merriam-Webster, and been a guest wordsmith for A Word A Day. He is a graduate of Oberlin College and Cornell Law School.

Next