Learn fun facts about English with The English Nut. He teaches and entertains you! Discover the colourful story of a colourful plant in this video. In this and other videos, The English Nut explores fascinating facts about English, including the origin of English words in India and elsewhere, provides useful tips on English usage and, in a lighthearted manner, corrects typical Indian English mistakes. Watch the videos for entertainment--and you might just learn a thing or two as well. :)
As The English Nut, one of my goals is to interview Dr Shashi Tharoor about the English language.
Video #39 TRANSCRIPT
Episode Title: Names that became words: Bougainvillea
Did you know that the Bougainvillea gets its colour not from its flowers, but its leaves? The magenta, purple, crimson, red, orange, pink, yellow and white of the Bougainvillea are thanks to its modified leaves.
Super: Circumnavigate the world = Sail around it
The Bougainvillea is named after the first Frenchman to circumnavigate the world. His name? Louis-Antoine de Bougainville (1729 – 1811). One of his stops was Brazil and that is where botanists sailing with him discovered the plant.
The plant was named Bougainvillea by the official botanist on board, a man called Philibert Commerçon. Here is where the story gets an interesting twist: Commerçon was traveling with his mistress, the botanist Jeanne Baré. She had disguised herself as his male valet, as women were not allowed on the ship. And she was the one who first observed the Bougainvillea.
Super: South America -- Europe -- World
By the 19th century, this plant made its way from South America to Europe. From there it spread to Australia and other European colonies. Today, it is a popular ornamental garden plant around the world, wherever the climate is warm. Bougainvillea now come in some 300 varieties which are the product of interbreeding amongst the 18 varieties originally found in South America.
It is but fitting that a plant that has spread its brightness around the world be named after Bougainville. After all, not only did he introduce this South American native to the world, but also because he was one of the first people to sail around it.
I’m The English Nut. Bye for now.
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