Great Giraffe
Hispaniola's Great Divergence
Craig Palsson | Fitzwilliam | 24th July 2022
Why is Haiti the poorest country in the Western hemisphere? Comparison with Haiti's neighbour, the Dominican Republic, suggests that the causes go back to the closing of the Haitian economy to foreigners after independence in 1804, and soil exhaustion on small family farms created by land redistribution. These encouraged political instability, which deterred tourism and investment (3,020 words)
The Giraffe, A Supposedly Composite Creature
Victor Mair | Language Log | 24th July 2022
The English word "giraffe" comes from the Arabic zarāfah, meaning "fast walker", which derives in turn from the ancient Persian zurnāpā, a portmanteau of "flute" and "leg". Until the late 16th century the giraffe was known in England as the "camelopard", echoing its ancient Greek name, kamēlopárdalis, and the middle-Persian equivalent, šotorgâvpalang, or “camel-ox-leopard” (2,066 words)
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