The Character with No Sound
Before it was the linchpin of your email address, the @ symbol was a character without a sound, a silent mark on the page. This is the secret history of…
Etymology
English Doublets: Words That Deceive
** Have you ever wondered why *shirt* and *skirt* sound so similar? They are "etymological doublets"—words from the same root that entered English via different paths, diverging in form and…
Biography of a Word: The Journey of ‘Assassin’
Discover the dramatic history of the word 'assassin,' a term born from a mysterious medieval sect in the mountains of Persia. Journey with Marco Polo as he spreads their sensational…
Glib, Glim, and Grunt: A Secret History of Thieves’ Cant, the Anti-Language of the Underworld
In the shadowy corners of Renaissance England, a secret language was born out of desperation and defiance. Known as Thieves' Cant, this "anti-language" was more than just criminal slang; it…
The Graveyard of Words: Who Decides When a Word Is Officially Dead?
For every new word that enters the dictionary, thousands of others fall into disuse and disappear into the graveyard of language. This linguistic culling isn't decided by a single authority,…
The Shape of Nothing: How the Invention of ‘Zero’ Was a Linguistic and Mathematical Revolution
The concept of zero is more than just a number; it’s a profound linguistic and philosophical idea that had to be invented. This journey traces the word and symbol for…
Reading the Landscape: How Forgotten Languages Are Fossilized in Place Names
What if the map on your wall was a Rosetta Stone, holding the key to forgotten languages and ancient migrations? The study of toponymy reveals that the names of our…
The Euphemism Treadmill: Why We Can’t Stop Inventing New Words for Old Taboos
Ever wonder why we have a dozen words for the toilet? This is the "euphemism treadmill," a linguistic cycle where our polite words for taboo subjects inevitably become tainted by…
The Language of Salt: How a Single Commodity Carved Paths Across the Lexicon
Long before refrigeration, salt was a mineral so valuable that Roman soldiers were paid in it, giving us the word "salary." This single commodity seasoned our language as much as…
The Character with a Secret History: How a Roman Scribble Became the Ampersand
The ampersand (&) is more than a simple stand-in for "and"; it's a linguistic fossil with a secret history. This ubiquitous symbol began as a quick ligature by Roman scribes…
A Word to Name the Unspeakable: Raphael Lemkin and the Creation of “Genocide”
Discover the powerful story of Raphael Lemkin, the Polish-Jewish lawyer who witnessed the horrors of the Holocaust and created a new word to name the unspeakable. By combining the Greek…
Shakespeare: The Master of Inventing Words
Few writers have left as indelible a mark on the English language as William Shakespeare. Beyond the unforgettable characters and intricate plots, Shakespeare’s most enduring...
English Words of Suprising Origin – Part III
Our linguistic odyssey continues as we venture further into the intriguing world of English loan words. We are constantly reminded of the fluidity of language...
English Words of Suprising Origin – Part II
Our exploration of English loan words continues as we delve deeper into the richness of etymology, taking an engaging linguistic journey across the globe. These...
English Words of Suprising Origin – Part I
The English language is a kaleidoscope of cultural influence, where words from different corners of the world have found a home. With its global reach,...
Language Stories: The Great Emu War of Languages
Among the myriad anecdotes about languages, none encapsulates the eccentricity and wonder of linguistic evolution quite like the story of the word “emu”. A fascinating...