How Words Go Bad: The Science of Pejoration
Why did "silly" once mean "blessed," and "villain" just mean "farmhand"? This post explores pejoration, the fascinating linguistic process where a word's meaning drifts to become more negative. We dive…
Unlocking the Universe of Languages
Why did "silly" once mean "blessed," and "villain" just mean "farmhand"? This post explores pejoration, the fascinating linguistic process where a word's meaning drifts to become more negative. We dive…
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…
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…