english language history

When English Met French

The Norman Conquest of 1066 wasn't just a military victory; it was a linguistic collision that created a centuries-long class…

3 weeks ago

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…

3 weeks ago

The Press That Froze Language

The invention of the printing press was a revolution not just for knowledge, but for language itself. Before Gutenberg, language…

3 weeks ago

Herein, Aforesaid, Notwithstanding: Why Legal Language Is a Language of Its Own

Have you ever felt lost reading a contract full of words like "aforesaid" and "notwithstanding"? This is "legalese," a unique…

3 weeks ago

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?…

3 weeks ago

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…

2 years ago

The Great Vowel Shift: How it Transformed the English Language

The Great Vowel Shift, a term coined by the Danish linguist Otto Jespersen, is a pivotal moment in the annals…

2 years ago

From Quills to Keyboards: The Evolution of English Writing

Our story begins in a time much different from our own; a period when English writing was a privilege of…

2 years ago

Why Are Many English Words Spelled Differently Than They Are Pronounced?

English is a peculiar language in many ways, and one of its most baffling features is the inconsistency between pronunciation…

2 years ago

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