Skip to main content

Mysteries of vernacular: Clue - Jessica Oreck

74,084 Views

1,322 Questions Answered

TEDEd Animation

Let’s Begin…

Clue or clew? Before the word clue became associated with mystery novels, it meant a ball of string or thread, a definition dating back to Greek mythology. Jessica Oreck unravels this mystery of the vernacular.

Additional Resources for you to Explore

Detective fiction is a sub-genre of crime fiction and mystery fiction in which a investigator or detective - either professional or amateur - investigates a crime, often a murder. Here's a list of detective fiction authors.
The Minotaur was a bull-headed monster born to Queen Pasiphae of Krete after she had coupled with a bull. The creature resided in the twisting maze of the labyrinth, where he was offered a regular sacrifice of youths and maids to satisfy his cannibalistic hunger. He was eventually destroyed by the hero Theseus.
Ariadne was the immortal wife of the wine-god Dionysos. There were several versions of her story. In one, Ariadne, the daughter of King Minos of Krete, assisted Theseus in his quest to slay the Minotaur and then fled with him aboard his ship.

To see all the Mysteries of Vernacular videos, just look for the series by the same title on ed.ted.com/series.

Next Section »

About TED-Ed Animations

TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Director Jessica Oreck

More from Mysteries of Vernacular