The derivation of words

Sorry, I'm fascinated by language and the derivation of words*. I think it's because I come from a French speaking family (Hugenot descent and it sort of stuck through the generations), and starting Latin at age 8. So when you start, say, learning Italian to go on holiday, you find you're just adding to the language you already have in your head.

Anyway, back to the blip. When we talk about a budding actress, a budding politician, a budding footballer ... this is what we are referring to. Exciting potential not yet fulfilled.

* My favourite newspaper column every week is Peter Trudgill in The New European, exploring the roots of the similar expressions across multiple European languages.