Words, words, words!

King Haakon VII

My mom was a dictionary reader. I don't read a physical dictionary much. Why would I when so much information can be accessed on-line? I do like to look up the etymology of words however. And sometimes I get curious about things -- like words that develop from people's names. There's a word for those words: eponyms! 

We were watching a film the other day about the Nazi invasion of Norway, The King's Choice. Fascinating movie with plenty of historical information. (Prepare for a digression.) I never knew, for example, that the king of Norway was elected by the people. He was actually a prince of Denmark, Prince Carl, but when Norway separated from Sweden and the king of Sweden voluntarily abdicated, Norway asked him to become king. He only agreed if the people wanted to continue the monarchy rather than choose a republic. They voted to keep the monarchy and he ascended the throne in 1905 choosing a historic Norwegian name, King Haakon VII.