This is the allusionist, in which I, Helen Zoltzman, help language complete a 1500 piece

jigsaw puzzle of John Constable's hay-wing, because even though we both secretly think

it's boring, we do so enjoy each other's company.

Coming up in today's show is a matter which I suspect will differ quite significantly

from country to country and even within countries, so I'd be interested to hear how it works

wherever you are.

It first, a little word history, the etymology of etiquette.

It's a French word and meant a label or ticket.

In fact, etiquette and ticket both evolved from an older French word, etiquette, from a

very old route, meaning stick.

Estiquette are thought to have been little tickets stuck to the wall.

Possibly at first they were written instructions for soldiers at their lodgings, but then, according

to the American etiquette Maven Emily Post, etiquettes were put up in King Louis XIV's garden

at the Palace of Versailles, warning courtiers to keep off the lawn, and shortly paper

etiquettes were issued with all sorts of rules for gentile conduct.

The word etiquette landed in the English language around the middle of the 18th century, when

the Enlightenment period was in full swing in Europe, during which, among significant developments

in politics and science and culture, there was a big trend for trying to elevate oneself

by following ever more precise and complex codes of behaviour.

It's around the same time that the word polite shifted from its original meaning of polished

to its current well-mannered one.

On with the show.

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