Did you know the word “merry” is related to the words “bra” and “pretzel”? Well now you do. A quick rundown of each of these words:

Although these days its pretty localised to the holiday season, “merry” used to be a fairly general word meaning “happy” or “pleasant”. It comes from a Proto-Germanic word which meant “brief”, but also “slow”, and “leisurely”. That final meaning probably took over, and gradually evolved to the meaning we have today.

”Brief” is from the Latin “brevis”, meaning “short” or “brief”. Embrace

”Embrace” comes from an unattested Latin word *imbracchiāre, which literally meant “to take into your arms”.

”Brace” has many meanings today, mostly related to supporting something, but its oldest meaning is as a piece of armour that protects the arm. The word simply comes from the Old French for “arm”.

”bra” actually comes from the same source as “brace”. It is of course short for brassiere, which is from a French word that means “child’s vest”, “lifejacket”, and (now localised to Quebec), “bra”. This is from an Old French word that referred to the padding used inside armour that covered the arms and armpits.

And “pretzel” is borrowed unchanged from the dialectal form of the German “Brezel”. Brezel and pretzel both come from a Latin word which referred to a pastry with a twisted shape reminiscent of folded arms (now called a bracciatello in parts of Italy). Those last 4 words all derive from the Latin word for “arm”, which comes from an Ancient Greek word for the upper arm. This can be further traced to the Ancient Greek word for “short”, linking these 4 words with the related Latin and Germanic words for “short/brief”, and connecting all 6 words as unlikely cousins.

The post Unexpected doublets: how “merry”, “bra”, and “pretzel” are related appeared first on Starkey Comics.

Discover Näutil, the versatile street artist who draws inspiration from nature, the sea, and the spirit of freedom.

Growing up near the coast among blockhaus structures, Näutil began his journey in street art at the age of 14. He has since dedicated his life to creating art that moves people both poetically and geographically, leaving a lasting impact on the world around him.

More LEGO!: Repairing the World with LEGO: Jan Vormann’s Dispatchwork Project

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Näutil’s Early Adventures in Graffiti:

Born and raised in a coastal area with numerous blockhaus structures, Näutil found these massive, untouched walls to be the perfect canvas for his creative expressions. Alongside friends, he began to create graffiti on these blockhaus walls, taking pride in their work and always striving for more innovation and beauty. This was the beginning of a journey that would lead him to grow as an artist and explore new avenues of creativity.

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Street Art as a Life-Changing Experience:

As Näutil delved deeper into the world of street art, he began to realize that he could make a significant impact on people’s lives through his creations. He discovered that his art had the power to move people, both emotionally and physically, by inspiring them to visit and explore the spaces he transformed. This realization has fueled Näutil’s passion for creating meaningful and poetic art that touches the hearts and minds of those who encounter it.

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Poetry in Motion:

One of Näutil’s favorite anecdotes perfectly encapsulates the magic of his art: while painting a seven-meter-high elephant on a blockhaus, a child inside the structure called out to his father, “Wait dad, I’m inside the elephant, I’m coming!” This heartwarming moment illustrates the power of Näutil’s art to spark the imagination and create a sense of wonder, allowing people of all ages to reconnect with the simple things that bring joy and fulfillment to their lives.

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Näutil’s unique approach to street art has transformed the once-bare blockhaus walls into vibrant, poetic, and engaging landscapes. His work serves as a testament to the transformative power of art, as it continues to inspire, challenge, and captivate those who come across it. Be sure to follow Näutil’s journey as he keeps on creating stunning pieces that touch the souls of people around the world: Näutil’s Website.

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What do you think about this art by Näutil?

In December 2024, the Iwayagawachi Dam in Japan turned into a giant canvas for an amazing piece of reverse graffiti featuring Godzilla.

This project, called the “Godzilla in Saga Dam Art Project Powered by Kärcher,” marked two special anniversaries: the dam’s 50th birthday and Godzilla’s 70th birthday.

A team of experts from Kärcher used powerful high-pressure cleaning tools to carefully wash away dirt, moss, and algae from the dam’s surface. By doing this, they created a huge picture of Godzilla towering over a city. The team followed a “paint by numbers” method, where climbers hanging from ropes used laser markers to outline the design before cleaning.

The reverse graffiti technique used on the dam demonstrates how it could be applied to underutilized structures or make large-scale art more accessible and sustainable.

More like this: Street artist LPVDA draws with a grinder on a wooden wall blackened by time

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More like this: Tirezilla: 20 ton Godzilla made from 114 tyres called “Gomura” in Shinshiro, Japan

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Want to see more projects like this? Share your favorite examples of creative street art with us!

In Trindade, Brazil, artist Fábio Gomes creates beautiful murals that inspire people all over the world.

He mixes his detailed portraits with real trees, making his art feel alive and connected to nature. Fábio says his experience as a construction worker helped him learn how to get proportions just right, which lets him match his paintings perfectly with the surroundings.

Being a street artist in Brazil isn’t easy, with high costs and little support, but Fabio’s art is now famous worldwide for its beauty and meaning. For more by him follow his Instagram!

More Street Art like this: When Street Art meets Nature (37 photo collection)

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“Although I don’t consider myself a Black activist, I always wanted to portray Black women with their natural beauty in a majestic way. The beauty of Black women always enchanted me, and I work hard to pay a beautiful homage to all Black women,” – Fábio Gomes Trindade

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“Being a construction worker helped me to increase my sense of proportion. I used to show my art to my colleague, and they always said ‘Hey Fabio, go for it. You are a natural-born artist.’” – Fábio Gomes Trindade

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“Being an artist in Brazil is not easy, and it is even harder for street artists. We don’t have support from investors, and it is not cheap to buy materials to perform those artworks. But I’m confident that my art is going please many people around the world.” – Fábio Gomes Trindade

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“I am really happy and surprised about the positive reactions to my artwork. This inspires me to keep doing what I love to do and making a living off it,” – Fábio Gomes Trindade

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More: 8 Inspiring Sculptures Seamlessly Integrated with Nature

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What do you think about street art like this? Would you like to have murals like these where you live?

This eye-catching Nyala Chair is by Jomo Tariku, an Ethiopian industrial designer based in Virginia.

"Inspired by the shy and elusive mountain antelope from the Bale Mountains of East Africa, the hand-carved armrests and legs of this chair echo the Nyala's distinctive soaring horns and sturdy hind legs," Tariku writes. "Staying true to the non-territorial nature of the Nyala, the chair blends with the design pallet of modern living spaces while maintaining its individuality."

The antelope is in danger of going extinct, as its population has declined from 25,000 down to "around a thousand" over the past several decades.

"To heighten awareness of this decline, we will limit lifetime production to 1,000 - One chair to represent each antelope on the Bale Mountain. A portion of sales will be donated to support research or conservation field work in Bale Mountains National Park."

The Nyala Chair, one of which is part LACMA's permanent collection, is carried by the Wexler Gallery.

This Stupid Car Tray is something that will never make it into the MoMA, but which will probably make a lot of peoples' lives easier. And some good design thought has been put into it.

It's a simple tray with legs on one end, allowing you to turn your car's passenger seat into a level surface. A tongue on the back slots between the seat and seatback, preventing it from sliding forward. The legs are hollow, allowing you to slide in taller items or the included cupholders. Rubber pads on the bottom prevent it from marring your seat surface. There's a thoughtful little notch on one side to admit a phone charging cable. A strap can be used to hold things in place.

As pedestrian as this object seems, I like it because it considers how people actually use things, as opposed to how manufacturers think we use things. Plenty of people use the passenger seat as a storage locker. If anything it's strange that no auto manufacturer has picked up on this and designed a similar object.