Historical Linguistics

The Mathematical Wordhoard

We think of mathematics as a universal language, but its vocabulary tells a surprisingly human story of global exchange. From…

2 weeks ago

Words Born From Blunders

Discover the secret history of everyday words like 'nickname' and 'apron', which were born from simple mistakes. This post explores…

2 weeks ago

Decoding ‘Quarantine’: A Plague’s Linguistic Legacy

The word 'quarantine', a term that defined our recent global experience, is a direct linguistic fossil of the Black Death.…

2 weeks ago

Warden & Guardian: A Tale of Two Words

Have you ever wondered why 'warden' and 'guardian' mean almost the same thing? These 'etymological twins' tell a fascinating story…

2 weeks ago

Anatomy of a Curse: The History of the F-Word

Forget the myths about kings and archers; the true origin of the F-word is rooted deep in the Germanic forests.…

2 weeks ago

Ottoman Ciphers: Turkey’s Secret Script

Journey back in time to uncover Siyakat, the secret script of the Ottoman Empire. This deliberately complex and stylized writing…

2 weeks ago

The Copiale Cipher: A Society’s Secret Rituals

For over 250 years, the Copiale Cipher baffled historians with its mix of abstract symbols and Roman letters. When linguists…

2 weeks ago

The Great Cipher of Louis XIV

For over 200 years, the secrets of France's Sun King, Louis XIV, were locked away in a fiendishly complex code…

2 weeks ago

The Cardan Grille: A Mask for Words

Imagine a secret message hidden in plain sight, concealed within a perfectly ordinary letter. The Cardan grille, a simple sheet…

2 weeks ago

Metathesis: The Brain’s ‘Waps’ Typo

Ever called a "wasp" a "waps" or heard someone say "aks" instead of "ask"? This common slip of the tongue…

2 weeks ago

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