How Dr. Seuss Invented ‘Nerd’
Where did the word 'nerd' come from? The answer lies not in a dusty dictionary, but in the whimsical pages of a 1950 Dr. Seuss classic, *If I Ran the…
Tag: reappropriation
The Novel That Made Pidgin Literature
When Amos Tutuola published *The Palm-Wine Drinkard* in 1952, its "broken" English was celebrated abroad but scorned as a national embarrassment in his native Nigeria. This is the story of…
How ‘Spinster’ Became an Insult
The word 'spinster' didn't always evoke images of a lonely old maid. It originally meant a woman who spun thread for a living—a respected and economically important profession. This post…
The Verlan of French Rap
Verlan, the French back-slang born in the suburbs, found its ultimate expression in hip-hop. More than just street talk, it became a rhythmic tool, a marker of identity, and a…
Chavacano: The Spanish Creole of Asia
Journey to the Philippines to discover Chavacano, a unique Spanish-based creole that blends the vocabulary of colonizers with the grammatical soul of local Filipino languages. Spoken by nearly a million…
Endangered Romance: Languages on the Brink
Not all of Rome's linguistic children are thriving like Spanish or French. We shine a light on endangered Romance languages like Aragonese, Picard, and Istriot, telling the stories of their…
The Role of Religion in Modern Spain
Spain's identity is deeply intertwined with its Catholic history, but the modern nation is increasingly secular. We explore how sacred traditions like Semana Santa and religious language have evolved into…
From Insult to Honor: The Journey of Amelioration
While many words degrade, some do the opposite in a process called amelioration. This post explores the linguistic glow-up of words like 'nice' (from 'ignorant') and 'geek' (from 'circus freak').…
The Walloon Language of Belgium
Belgium's linguistic landscape is famously divided, but beyond French and Dutch lies Walloon, a distinct Romance language with deep historical roots. This post explores its unique features that separate it…
10 Endangered Scripts to Watch in 2025
Long before a language falls silent, its unique writing system can fade into obscurity. This post explores ten beautiful and endangered scripts, from the vertical Mongolian alphabet to the Philippines'…
The Politics of Place Names: Why Cities Change
From Bombay to Mumbai, place names are more than just labels on a map; they are battlegrounds for identity, power, and history. This deep dive into toponymy explores why cities…
When ‘Awful’ Meant ‘Worthy’: The Journey of Good Words
Ever wonder how a word like 'nice', which once meant 'silly' or 'ignorant', became a staple of pleasantries? This fascinating shift is part of amelioration, the linguistic process where words…
Reclaiming the Slur: The Linguistics of Reappropriation
How does a word forged in hate become a banner of pride? The process, known as reappropriation, is a powerful act of linguistic jujitsu where marginalized communities seize the language…
The Alphabet Wars: Central Asia’s Script Politics
An alphabet is more than just a tool for writing; it's a flag, a declaration of identity. In Central Asia, nations like Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are embroiled in "alphabet wars,"…