I use a number of sources, of course (which can be found on our website www.alliterative.net, in the show notes for each video) but basically I start by looking for interesting words with interesting etymologies, and then follow the rabbit holes of any connected facts, ideas, people, words, etc. that I think are interesting. I try to focus each video around a theme, but that theme often doesn't emerge until I've done quite a lot of the research already.
Oof, zwarte piet is indeed a whole controversy over here... I used to think it was a harmless tradition, since the American Santa Claus has elves/dwarves (which can also be seen as discrimination), but over the recent years I have changed my mind now and I do think the whole zwarte piet thing is racist now. :-/
Yeah, I can see how it's tricky. It's easy to look at it from outside and be shocked, but that's in part coming from a North American perspective where things like blackface have an unambiguously racist and unacceptable origin. Still, the European context these days isn't exactly free of racial tensions, and the past unfortunately plays in to that as well. I feared this video would be about ruining Christmas...
I think it's something that can be salvaged though. Here are some good examples of non-racist costumes for Zwarte Piet www.vn.nl/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2016/10/week-waarin-zwarte-piet-640x488.jpg media.nu.nl/m/h03xm7sad70f_wd1280.jpg/naast-zwarte-piet-gekleurde-pieten-in-sinterklaasjournaal.jpg www.klasse.be/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/zwar s-media-cache-tepiet_roetpiet01.jpg and this person went for a straight up clown look. lookak0.pinimg.com/originals/44/ad/a9/44ada91261ff90678d04e9578083d3f4.jpg boardgamegeek.com/camo/0d865701e680fdf6886b6338daf51b50ef69dacc/687474703a2f2f7777772e6e72632e6e6c2f77702d636f6e74656e742f75706c6f6164732f323031342f31302f414e502d32373633353335302e6a7067. It didn't start racist, it became racist when the Netherlands became a colonial power. The "traditional" look of Zwarte Piet was actually as a chimney sweep: which has no possibility of causing offense. Similarly with the alien colors and wacky patterns, or the clown makeup. The blackface, and slave earrings are the issues: but those aren't actually integral parts of the character.
I had relatively just watched a video where a dress historian was making some gingerbread cookies, common in her country and I was wondering where the word have come from, specially since it has nothing to do with bread. : )
No, not with the tools we have now. But I did try to think about the first English word (which is equally impossible, but fun to consider) th-cam.com/video/F5QxjzaL1Wc/w-d-xo.html
How do you conduct your research for these videos? They are incredibly complex and exceptionally interesting.
I use a number of sources, of course (which can be found on our website www.alliterative.net, in the show notes for each video) but basically I start by looking for interesting words with interesting etymologies, and then follow the rabbit holes of any connected facts, ideas, people, words, etc. that I think are interesting. I try to focus each video around a theme, but that theme often doesn't emerge until I've done quite a lot of the research already.
Great work man. Please keep it up. I watch these with my dad, we love them all. :)
Thank you!
Great video, well researched, ballenced, thorough and interesting. Must ive taken alot of time to put together!
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks! It does take a fair amount of time.
Fascinating as always! Thanks for this neat stocking stuffer. 😉
it also crosses over with Odin's Wild Hunt on Solstice Night from Norse traditions
How so?
always fun and timely
Thanks!
Oof, zwarte piet is indeed a whole controversy over here... I used to think it was a harmless tradition, since the American Santa Claus has elves/dwarves (which can also be seen as discrimination), but over the recent years I have changed my mind now and I do think the whole zwarte piet thing is racist now. :-/
Yeah, I can see how it's tricky. It's easy to look at it from outside and be shocked, but that's in part coming from a North American perspective where things like blackface have an unambiguously racist and unacceptable origin. Still, the European context these days isn't exactly free of racial tensions, and the past unfortunately plays in to that as well. I feared this video would be about ruining Christmas...
I think it's something that can be salvaged though.
Here are some good examples of non-racist costumes for Zwarte Piet
www.vn.nl/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2016/10/week-waarin-zwarte-piet-640x488.jpg
media.nu.nl/m/h03xm7sad70f_wd1280.jpg/naast-zwarte-piet-gekleurde-pieten-in-sinterklaasjournaal.jpg
www.klasse.be/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/zwar
s-media-cache-tepiet_roetpiet01.jpg
and this person went for a straight up clown look. lookak0.pinimg.com/originals/44/ad/a9/44ada91261ff90678d04e9578083d3f4.jpg
boardgamegeek.com/camo/0d865701e680fdf6886b6338daf51b50ef69dacc/687474703a2f2f7777772e6e72632e6e6c2f77702d636f6e74656e742f75706c6f6164732f323031342f31302f414e502d32373633353335302e6a7067.
It didn't start racist, it became racist when the Netherlands became a colonial power. The "traditional" look of Zwarte Piet was actually as a chimney sweep: which has no possibility of causing offense. Similarly with the alien colors and wacky patterns, or the clown makeup. The blackface, and slave earrings are the issues: but those aren't actually integral parts of the character.
I had relatively just watched a video where a dress historian was making some gingerbread cookies, common in her country and I was wondering where the word have come from, specially since it has nothing to do with bread. : )
In other words, nothing to do just another pointless excuse to get more gifts!!
can you trace back first human word?
No, not with the tools we have now. But I did try to think about the first English word (which is equally impossible, but fun to consider) th-cam.com/video/F5QxjzaL1Wc/w-d-xo.html