Blythe, Blithe, and April Fools' Day

 Episode 102 of I Hate Talking explores the word “blithe,” tracing its spelling, meaning, and shifting connotations from carefree and lighthearted to heedless or careless. The hosts also dig into the curious connection between the word and Blythe, California, then branch into a broader conversation about names, language change, and how April Fool’s jokes land depending on whether they’re playful or hurtful.

Along the way, they reflect on the difference between harmless wordplay and pranks that feel mean-spirited, sharing examples from family life and childhood humor. The episode blends etymology, local geography, and a lively debate about what makes a joke funny without crossing the line.

Keywords: blithe meaning, blithe vs Blythe, Blythe California, etymology, carefree, lighthearted, heedless, April Fools’ Day, harmless pranks, hurtful jokes, family humor, language change, Oxford dictionary, I Hate Talking podcast.

Transcript

I Hate Talking: 0:29

Welcome to episode 102 of I Hate Talking. Hi everyone. So you have our word or phrase of this episode and our topic, I believe. Yeah, the word I chose for today is blithe. Like the town in Arizona, that is exactly what I think of too, but no, I technic, I think it's actually California, right? Blythe, I think is California court site is Arizona. Yes, they are right next to each other, border towns. Yeah, you can tell we lived out that way with some and traveled that route a lot. That's true. But yes, so I think Blythe is California, and then you barely cross over to Arizona. But probably the spelling is different. No, I think the spelling is the same. How would you spell it? I thought the town was with a Y, B L Y T H E, and the word would be B L I T H E. But I would imagine that if it's an English noun, that it would not be spelled with a Y. According to my Google, which isn't always accurate, I like to pretend it is, they spell it B L Y T H E. OK, well, it'll be interesting to see where the etymology comes from because I feel like a Y in the middle of a word as a vowel. is non-standard, and then that would be more representative of a name rather than a normal formation of a word. Yeah, I mean, I could see that, and I also do like Y's in the middle of names. I think it looks really nice. What do you think of that? No, I don't think I do. I don't think I like that. Well, none of our kids have wives and. I would guess a couple have Y's in their names, but none of them have them in the middle of a name. That's true. So anyways, your thought process of not having a Y in the middle and spelling it with the I. Different than the city. is probably correct. I see it both ways, but when I do deep research into it, it does seem that the original spelling was B L I T H E. But I see it both ways on that. Quick Google search. Well, according to the Cambridge Dictionary, it's B L I D H E. Well, I guess we'll have to check Oxford. All right, check it out. That's what the one you love, right? That is our favorite Oxford Language dictionary. So, Oxford Language dictionary does not have The spelling with the Y, it references the I spelling, however, the Oxford reference. Has B L Y T H E as a modern coinage, apparently an altered spelling of the vocabulary word Blythe, B L I T H E. OK, so the Y is the more modern day spelling. An apparently altered spelling. So, I don't know if that means it's correct or not, but it appears that for whatever reason, People spell it with a Y. I think it looks prettier. But we haven't talked about what it means yet. I would wonder if it's because people are dumbing down the language and having issues pronouncing things, which is not unheard of because that is why some of the words in Previous episodes that we've looked at have perhaps changed from Certain letters that are Different than the original because that was actually closer to the pronunciation of the word, even though it was not the original or what I would consider legitimate spelling. But if you look at the word B L I T H E, some people might say bliss or I mean, I would actually want to say bliss, but then when I look at it, I'm like, oh no, there's a silent E. It would say blight. Right, but With the why, maybe people are more inclined to pronounce it, pronounce it correctly. Or you could just say blithe. If you want to really mess it up. There you go. So, we're Blythe, or Blythe. It means a carefree, a lighthearted, and joyous, or conversely showing a casual, improper lack of concern. So I don't like that last part, the lack of concern, improper lack of concern, but I do enjoy the carefree, lighthearted, joyous part. It reminds me of, I got to study abroad in Europe and. Spent some time in Saint Petersburg, and they have a phrase I cannot quote it any longer like that. But I don't speak Russian, and it's been Almost two decades, but it translated meant smiling is idiocy. And that was one thing that I was warned about. I do smile a lot. Because when you're there, They're gonna look down on you if you're just smiling all the time, like walking down the street smiling at a stranger. It was not. Um, appropriate. And so it kind of reminds me of that, even, maybe that's a version of Blythe, being that like, improper lack of concern, because I can see how someone's thinking like, things are really hard or it's a really bad day and the stranger is smiling at me. That's not appropriate. I just smile because it's my favorite. -- I like -- it. Well, there you go. Apparently, the Oxford Language Dictionary is behind a paywall now. That's sad I can't access it. I will have to try again later perhaps, but If you look for the Oxford Language Dictionary, which was a collection of dictionaries essentially. The main one being the Oxford English Dictionary. It now appears that You can get to the fact sheet for free, but when you go to the meaning and usage, you have to sign in. And potentially purchase a subscription. Since when? Well, apparently since the last time we did an English word, no, the last two episodes we did Latin words, so I don't think we consulted our favorite Oxford language dictionary, but apparently within the past 3 weeks or so, perhaps you may be able to sign in with a library card. So there you go. We'll have to. Do some research on that and get back to you, our listeners, perhaps next episode on what has happened to the Oxford Language Dictionary. Yeah, or hey, if you know, let us know too. But yeah, we'll have to look that up because that's really interesting. I wonder when that happened and why. I don't know, and usually Google, at least for me personally and perhaps because I went there more often, would show me the Oxford Language Dictionary definition, but it no longer does that and instead generates an AI overview, primarily generated from Merriam-Webster's, which, as we have discussed previously. In my opinion, it is no longer a true dictionary. Interesting. So, I suppose we cannot consult our favorite Oxford language dictionary for the definition, but the research that I'm doing here that looks like it is combining the Merriam-Webster's and some other resources from. Online etymology dictionary that you're Definition is. I believe, correct. And What was the exact definition in terms of the Perhaps less than positive connotation. You want the negative connotation. Well, what I'm seeing here on etymology online is joyous, kind, cheerful, pleasant. From the Proto-Germanic. List is Which means gentle and kind, bright or happy. There's also a number of similar words in Dutch, Norse, -- and other Gothic -- languages. OK, yeah, um, the one that I would consider negative. is an improper lack of concern, and in parentheses it says heedless, an example of heedless unconcern. Implies a lack of care due to attention. An example, he showed a blithe indifference to the consequences of his actions. Interesting. So that does align with a little bit of the notes from etymology online with regards to the evolution of the definition, where it says, quote, the early application was to the outward expression of kindly feeling, sympathy and affection to others. But the word has now come more usually to be applied to the external manifestation of one's own pleased or happy frame of mind. End quote. So basically you're happy with your own frame of mind regardless of any particular situation, scenario, or consequences. It's interesting because the word itself, when I'm hearing you say it, makes me think light. I believe that's a different word, and that means like, if you say he's a blight on society, right? That's like a bad thing, right? Correct. This would actually be more closely related, potentially with bliss. OK, and the spelling the original BIL would be bliss. Yes, it's basically the same Proto-Germanic root word with an extra SJO on the end. So Right, I just, I feel like it often sounds, it starts to sound a little negative. Like, I feel like, you hear blight more often. Not Blythe But I wonder if I bet, and I don't know this, that the city that we referenced, Blythe, California, I wonder if they named it that to get people to move out there or anything. Because the carefree. Joyous Would be somewhere I want to live. I suppose so. It was named after Thomas Henry Blythe. All right. It was named by him. Well, I guess if you name something after yourself, it still counts as being named after you, even though you were the one that did it. You have to read a little bit further in the Wikipedia entry to find that. Yes, it was named after him and he was the one that named it. That wasn't even his original name. I was about to say that I feel like maybe he would just change his name to Blythe. Like you can change your last name, your first name if you want. -- How -- funny. He was originally born Thomas Williams of Wales. Williams of Wales. I like that. And he changed it to Blythe, and then he changed name to City after himself. He really likes the name. He doubled down on it. I'm not finding why he changed his name. Maybe because he wants to be joyous and carefree. So according to this entry in Grokopedia, which is what it sounds like, it is apparently a Wikipedia-style website that is composed by Elon Musk's Grok generative chatbot. OK, so take this with a grain of salt, but According to Gracopedia. This gentleman Thomas Henry Blythe changed his name when he was in Wales because of some issues with some legal proceedings and money issues, so apparently he went bankrupt and there was potentially even an arrest warrant out for him. So he changed his name and went to America in the middle of the gold rush, and then According to his early ventures in San Francisco, he Sold goods and vegetables. On the street Made enough money to loan someone to buy some land. That person defaulted on their loan. He acquired the land. And then that land skyrocketed in value during the gold rush, and apparently he rented and Acquired more land and eventually. Went to Blat and Had that land as part of the swamp deal. And the rest is history, I suppose, named it after himself. And Then had lots of money. Apparently it is one of the longest and most complex. Estate proceedings with over 129 claimants. Trying to get his inheritance. To, oh wow, like right now? On history? No, in history, I think it's maybe been settled down. Lots of people claim that their ancestors. He died in 1883 and legal proceedings continued for nearly two decades. Wow. So perhaps he did name himself after. The word Blythe, but I think that's unlikely because in the 1800s, I would imagine that there was no quote unquote modern spelling with the Y. Right, OK. Excellent. So some interesting concepts on the word Blythe and the city Blythe, and the man Blythe. Would you recommend people visit Blythe? Perhaps I think. In my memory, it was always court site. Maybe that's even why I was thinking it was in Arizona because If you're gonna stop at one or the other, usually to refuel, maybe buy some food, that it's much cheaper to do so in Arizona. Yeah, push further, half hour farther, and then. You get the cheaper gas and such. Yes, I think perhaps the one time. That we stopped in Blythe. It was by accident and we were trying to go to quartzite. OK. Have you ever been there? Yeah, OK. I've been lots of times, but yes, I would, uh. Fifty-fifty probably between Courtsa and Blythe. I know of people that live there, not like personal friends, but like friends aunts live in Blythe. So, but yeah, um, there's a McDonald's. It's about as much as I know about it. I feel like Again, yeah, like you said, I get them confused cause I'm like, is that the one that has the swamp meat one has like a really big. Um, Swap me, but I feel like it's blithe and it might be court site. Yeah, I'm not sure. I don't think I have any memory of doing anything other than. A rest stop. Yeah, so I-10 though, it's right off I-10, right in between. California and Arizona. All right, so this is a little bit later coming out. But I want your opinions on April Fool's Day. April Fool's Day, 2026 had a lot of strange things happen. OK, tell me about it. Well, there was. Artemis 2 Launching. Right, that was launch day of Artemis 2. So Perhaps a dig at the conspiracy theorists that Thinks that there are no astronauts aboard -- or -- a nod to it or a nod to it, a hoax. It's all a hoax. There are no astronauts aboard. It's all made in a Hollywood basement. There was Elon Musk, uh, basically. Submitting SpaceX for IPO. And that was a joke. I didn't hear that one. From all appearances, it appears real, but it's also just very strange that he would do something on April 1st of such. Levity that It almost seems Like a joke. OK And then Trump is going on about Iran, like he had his crazy speech at 9 p.m. at night or something like that on April 1st, which I personally did not listen to, so only headlines that I've seen from that, but basically, Going off the rails in terms of all the things that he's going to do with Iran, which has gotten even worse as of lately. I think some of his tweets or. Truth Social or whatever it's called, has some pretty crazy stuff from him. Yeah, I haven't really followed any of that. Maybe that's it, so. Perhaps there's three things on April Fools 2026. So do you enjoy April Fools or did you even know it was April Fools? Yeah, it almost seemed like an April Fool's fool because all these very strange things were happening, almost as jokes or Nods, as you said to. All the people that believe in odd things. So there's a strange April Fools in 2026. Do you enjoy when I do April Fool's jokes on you? No, -- I don't -- particularly like pranks and jokes, so. I do not. I didn't this year. I almost did, but it's been a hard year and a lot of wonkiness, and I didn't, I didn't want to put you over the edge, so I didn't. I almost text something like, hey, hon, don't be mad, but we have something I need to tell you. And just like, I feel like you would like panic then, like, oh crud, what broke in the house or something. That's true. -- Is that what -- you -- would -- have thought? Yes, I've had enough of that in the last year or two, I think. So I didn't want to do that, but I do them on the kids. I only do nice ones. OK, first, my grandmother. was queen of April Fools, it was like one of her favorite holidays. She absolutely loved it. You couldn't even believe her days leading up to or after it, cause like that whole window was open to her. So I think because she knew like, oh, if I say it on April 1st, they know it's a prank. But March twenty-ninth is OK. Kind of thing. So she was definitely the queen. That's how my mom grew up with that sense of humor and life experience, and it definitely trickled down to the rest of us. So I don't go all out like she did. But I do a little bit, and I always wanted to be lighthearted, cause even this last week when I was telling the kids about it, I was like, it's only a fun, it's only fun if the other person laughs. If the person you're playing the prank on is hurt. Or sad Or some or embarrassed, like that's not a good prank, that's not funny. So that's just kind of what I keep reiterating, it's just like, the same thing with the joke, right? A joke's not funny if it hurts someone's feelings. So you, y'all can't see that Adam disagrees with that. I did my little head wobble. I don't know. Yeah, sometimes it might be funny. No, it's, you don't want to hurt people's feelings. Well, it might not be funny to them, but yes, it still could be funny. OK, we're not gonna teach our kids to mock people and hurt their feelings. I'm just saying categorically it still could be funny even if it's hurtful, but you don't want to hurt people. That's correct. That would be overstepping the bounds of being funny -- because -- don't laugh at other people's expenses, right? My point was just categorically it could be funny and hurtful at the same time, but that does not mean it's OK to do, right. There you go. OK, fair enough. So we did work on that a lot, um, and we had a lot of fun. Again, sometimes I see what moms do with their kids, and it's mean, like they'll say they're going to Disney World, or things like that, and it's like, oh, April Fools, ha ha, that's mean. I don't like that. If y'all do that, that's fine, if that's how your family interacts and everyone's OK with it, but I don't want to do that. But we did pranks like I this year I took the Cheerios. And remove the bag of Cheerios from the box. Put a bag of goldfish inside. And then sealed it up with hot glue, so it looked like a brand new box. And then I was like, oh, we're having Cheerios for breakfast, and they opened the box, and then they pulled out the goldfish, and they were like, what? Like so confused. So those are the kind of pranks I like, where they're just like, what? I'm April Fools. So, cause they thought that General Mills or whatever did a big mistake, mixing the cereal. Another one is like drying, sad, I mean, I live with elementary school kids, so please apply to them, but drawing like an angry face on the milk, and then telling them to be careful cause the milk went bad. And they open up the fridge and then our 8 year old thinks that's the funniest joke still, he talks about it, and that was last year. And like, remember when the milk went bad? And it's just cause I drew a bad mean face on the milk. So those are the pranks I like. And uh I do like being pranked. But again, in that sphere. I don't like being pranked in a mean way. Like, I don't mind you laughing at me and joking with me, but if you're mocking me, I don't like that. Not that you do, but I wouldn't want you to mock me, but you can laugh if I make a mistake. What? No, I'm not allowed to laugh if you make a mistake. We just did a get in trouble for that. We did a podcast the other day about the word because of my mistake. Oh, you dissing me. That was the word the other day. That's true. Yeah, I laughed at your mistake and then you got mad at me and then you said I wasn't allowed to diss you, so I wasn't mad. OK. So I suppose that I enjoy those more satirical or wordplay. Quote unquote pranks for April fools. So the idea in in fact find the Milk has gone bad, joke, humorous. Yeah, I think that's funny, but that's more of a play on words, I think. Like, you know, if somebody calls you up and says, is your refrigerator running? And then you say, you better go catch it. You better go catch it. That's it. So that's more of a play on words than I think a quote unquote prank. Yeah, our, um, one of our kids was doing his chores that day when he figured out it was April Fools was instantly like, oh, Mom, come and look at my, I did my chores, come check it out. And he had rearranged the entire silverware drawer. He thought that was so funny. And so that was cute that he tried, you know, I get that's that. He's also the kid that years ago, and this was not April Fools, but I was so impressed. We had just bought a new couch. And so I had the role like no food on the couch, no drinks on the couch, and all that trying to keep it nice as long as possible. And at that time we had backyard chickens. And one of his jobs was to go get the eggs. So he comes to me and he's like, Mom, bad news. I broke all the eggs on the couch. And I thought that he went and got the chicken eggs, brought them inside and then broke them on our brand new couch, and I was so defeated. And I would walk over and they're all the Easter eggs, little plastic eggs are splattered everywhere. It was pretty funny. And uh I appreciated that joke a lot. There you go, that sounds like my side of the family's humor. So, yes, indeed. So there you go. Don't do pranks if they're hurtful. Don't tell jokes if they're hurtful to other people. But if that is not an issue, then April Fools can be fun. Do you feel like you have to ask people before you do a prank? Or at work, would you appreciate if someone did a prank on you? Or do you want them to Ask your permission first. Well, the fact of permission sort of ruins, I think, a bit of. Jokester Intent. If I lived my life and was never pranked, I would be perfectly satisfied. I like humor and jokes. I like the quote unquote like prank of like toilet paper or putting your stapler in Jell-O or something like that. I probably would not appreciate that and I would live my life much more happily if that never transpired. Those jokes I could live with or without, that doesn't matter too much to me. Um, I do not like, again, like I said, mean jokes, and I do not like being scared. Like when someone jumps out from behind a wall or something to spook you. I don't like that. There can be concerns with jump scares. There is even that PSA a few years ago, maybe some of our listeners have seen it, that is basically a PSA against jump scares. OK, I haven't seen the PSA about it, but I like discouraging jump scares. That's true. The one I wanted to do that I didn't get around to this year with the kids was they use a mouse now for their schoolwork and all, and I saw that you can cover the bottom of the mouse like the sensor. And then they think that the mouse is broken when they're trying to use it. And I was planning on doing that and didn't get to it. See, I think I would not appreciate that. Anything that is like a prank to Fulfill the 2nd law of thermodynamics, I would not appreciate. Like if you intentionally create disorder that has to then be reordered, I do not like that. So you didn't appreciate that silverware being reordered. I didn't have to fix that, but if it had been the prank done to me and then The other person did not like voluntarily fix it after the fact. And I would not like that. So say I went in your work bag. And reorganized your files like. To turn them Backwards, every file was backwards from what it is right now. That would make you mad. Extremely Yes, so perhaps that's a good rule of thumb is that if any pranks tend toward disorder, then maybe they should be avoided. So you'd rather hurt feelings as long as there's order. If the decision is between those two things, yes, I'd actually say yes. I'd rather have things orderly. And have hurt feelings, -- and -- that's why we're opposite. That is why we're opposite. So, you are a listener can perhaps share in the comments or send us an email or text of any particular quote unquote pranks or jokes that perhaps you did this past April Fool's Day. And you can always like, share and subscribe, and if you enjoyed this episode, you can always share it with 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 or 5 or 67 other people and maybe they would enjoy it too. So, from your friends at I Hate Talking, until next time, remember, it is only through talking that we begin the journey to understanding.