Mar 14 2025 8 mins 1
Hope is a powerful, universal concept—so much so that it has been woven into our language for centuries. But where does the word actually come from? Has it always meant what we think it does? From Old English roots to its evolution into modern optimism, we’ll unravel the history of ‘hope,’ its surprising etymology, and the ways it has been wielded both as inspiration and as manipulation.
What makes you hopeful?
This episode is a special listener request.
Sources:
- Oxford English Dictionary (OED)
- Merriam-Webster Dictionary
- Etymonline.com (Douglas Harper’s Online Etymology Dictionary)
- The American Presidency Project (Clinton’s speeches)
- Various linguistic studies on cross-cultural interpretations of ‘hope’
- Bill Clinton's speech to the DNC (1992)
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