Friday, January 30, 2026

Why do we blame a ‘scapegoat’?

Scapegoats aren't an actual species of goat.
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Vocabulary

Why do we blame a 'scapegoat'?

Scapegoats aren't an actual species of goat. In fact, the term has a lot more to do with religion than zoology.

Goat in the mountains

C ertain words and phrases may be familiar to devout followers of a religion, but often these terms transcend their religious origins to become a part of our collective lexicon. Such is the case with "scapegoat," a term used to describe one that bears the blame for others. The concept is derived from an ancient Hebrew ritual, though the actual term wasn't coined until the 16th century.

Leviticus 16 describes a Hebrew ritual that took place on Yom Kippur, the Jewish day of atonement. This ceremony involved a sacrifice of two goats, one of which was sacrificed to God. The other had the sins of the Jewish people symbolically transferred to it by a high priest and was then sent into the desert or cast over a rocky cliff as a sacrifice for Azazel (the name of a spirit in some translations). This latter goat is the origin of the concept of a scapegoat.

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Index Pointing at the Viewer emoji

Index Pointing at the Viewer

Meaning: Indicates a pointing finger; often used to represent "you."


Evolution: There are many hand and finger options on the emoji keyboard, but this is the most detailed, with a shadow giving the 3D effect of an index finger pointing out at the recipient. It was part of the 2021 release, which included Heart Hands ๐Ÿซถand many skin-tone variations of Handshake ๐Ÿซฑ๐Ÿผ‍๐Ÿซฒ๐Ÿฟ.


Usage: [Title on a poster:] We Want YOU ๐Ÿซต To Sign Up for the Blood Drive

A Disappearance in Fiji by Nilima Rao

A Disappearance in Fiji

By Nilima Rao

In 1914, young police detective Akal Singh is sent from Hong Kong to Fiji to investigate a woman's disappearance from a sugarcane plantation. His investigation reveals details about the indentured labor system during the British colonial era in the South Pacific. If you're looking for a new series, author Nilima Rao published a sequel, "A Shipwreck in Fiji," in 2025.

Samantha Abernethy, Word Smarts Writer

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Why Is 'Blind as a Bat' a Common Misconception?

It's a common misconception that bats are blind. But many humans are still blind to this reality, which explains the origin story behind this biologically flawed phrase.

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