Historical Linguistics

Why Can’t We Understand Chaucer’s English?

Ever tried to read Chaucer and felt like you were deciphering a foreign language? You're not alone. This post goes…

3 weeks ago

Why Your Last Name Tells a Story

Your last name is more than just a label; it’s a linguistic fossil, a tiny time capsule carrying clues about…

3 weeks ago

Why Do Old Movies Sound So Weird?

Ever wonder why stars like Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant spoke with that peculiar, half-British accent in old movies? This…

3 weeks ago

How the Printing Press Created Standard German

Before the printing press, the "German language" was a chaotic tapestry of regional dialects. This all changed when Martin Luther…

3 weeks ago

The Ancient Glitch That Makes English Irregular

Ever wonder why we have both "was" and "were", or why the plural of "mouse" is "mice" but "house" is…

3 weeks ago

The Life and Death of a Brand Name Word

Ever wonder how "aspirin" or "zipper" went from protected trademarks to everyday words? This is "genericide", the high-stakes process where…

3 weeks ago

Why “Literally” Doesn’t Mean Literally Anymore

Ever cringe when someone says they "literally died laughing"? This common complaint points to a fascinating linguistic process called semantic…

3 weeks ago

Recreating Ötzi the Iceman’s Voice

Scientists have peered into the life of Ötzi the Iceman, learning what he ate and how he died. Now, thanks…

3 weeks ago

Vinča Symbols: Europe’s Oldest Writing?

Long before Egyptian hieroglyphs, a mysterious Neolithic culture in the Balkans etched thousands of symbols onto clay. These Vinča symbols…

3 weeks ago

Linguistic Fossils: Spain’s History in Idioms

Ever wondered why Spaniards say "there are no Moors on the coast" to mean the coast is clear? Many Spanish…

3 weeks ago

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