Comments on: Conundrum http://www.word-detective.com/2007/12/conundrum/ Semper Ubi Sub Ubi Wed, 20 Mar 2013 19:32:55 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Hannah http://www.word-detective.com/2007/12/conundrum/comment-page-1/#comment-55723 Hannah Sun, 10 Feb 2013 00:35:27 +0000 http://word-detective.com/wordpress/?p=135#comment-55723 If you think of "the answer to a puzzle that is a pun," as two sharp minds meeting at a point of intellectual valor, then "the meeting point of two ridges" has a very symbolic connection to the former definition! Ridges do not generally "meet," and when they do it is at quite a sharp angle; thus, two sharp minds coming together could be seen as the meeting of two ridges. When this happens in a comical manner, such as puns, it makes sense that one would need an equally comical way of describing it- hence, conundrum. Viola! If you think of “the answer to a puzzle that is a pun,” as two sharp minds meeting at a point of intellectual valor, then “the meeting point of two ridges” has a very symbolic connection to the former definition!
Ridges do not generally “meet,” and when they do it is at quite a sharp angle; thus, two sharp minds coming together could be seen as the meeting of two ridges. When this happens in a comical manner, such as puns, it makes sense that one would need an equally comical way of describing it- hence, conundrum.
Viola!

]]> By: Stuart http://www.word-detective.com/2007/12/conundrum/comment-page-1/#comment-33156 Stuart Sat, 14 Jan 2012 22:41:14 +0000 http://word-detective.com/wordpress/?p=135#comment-33156 The word as a place name may also have a Gaelic conotation: <i>conon</i> appears in several Scottish place names, as "meeting place" (e.g. Strathconon, Cononish). <i>drum</i> or <i>druim</i> is even more common, meaning "ridge". The Gaelic also makes sense, of course, "meeting place of the ridges". Getting from there to the current meaning is another matter. The place Conundrum is a farm NW of Berwick: perhaps it was the first strangely-Scottish place name English people encountered, and so by extension it passed into general usage as meaning a mystery. The word as a place name may also have a Gaelic conotation: conon appears in several Scottish place names, as “meeting place” (e.g. Strathconon, Cononish). drum or druim is even more common, meaning “ridge”. The Gaelic also makes sense, of course, “meeting place of the ridges”.

Getting from there to the current meaning is another matter. The place Conundrum is a farm NW of Berwick: perhaps it was the first strangely-Scottish place name English people encountered, and so by extension it passed into general usage as meaning a mystery.

]]> By: Roland http://www.word-detective.com/2007/12/conundrum/comment-page-1/#comment-22282 Roland Thu, 01 Sep 2011 02:14:18 +0000 http://word-detective.com/wordpress/?p=135#comment-22282 It could be of Celtic origin as in Connelly: From the Irish Ó Conghaile, which means "the descendent of the valorous," so it could from the drum of Connelly or "the drum of the valorous," which could have been a mystery or some sort of conundrum. What say ye? It could be of Celtic origin as in Connelly: From the Irish Ó Conghaile, which means “the descendent of the valorous,” so it could from the drum of Connelly or “the drum of the valorous,” which could have been a mystery or some sort of conundrum. What say ye?

]]> By: marielle jansen http://www.word-detective.com/2007/12/conundrum/comment-page-1/#comment-19979 marielle jansen Wed, 15 Jun 2011 17:21:33 +0000 http://word-detective.com/wordpress/?p=135#comment-19979 there is a place in the UK called Conundrum. It seems to me that the word must be related to some historical event happening in that place. there is a place in the UK called Conundrum. It seems to me that the word must be related to some historical event happening in that place.

]]>