Etymology

When Scots Was King: A Royal History

Trace the rise and fall of the Scots language, from its golden age as the official tongue of kings and…

5 days ago

From Chutzpah to Glitch: The Yiddish Words You Already Speak

While everyone knows "bagel", few realize that technical terms like "glitch" and emotive words like "schlep" are Yiddish loanwords that…

5 days ago

Terms of Venery: A Murder of Crows

Discover the fascinating history behind terms like a "murder of crows" or a "parliament of owls." We explore how the…

6 days ago

Retronyms: Why We Have ‘Desktops’ and ‘Landlines’

Retronyms are new names given to old objects when a modern version arrives to steal the default title—like how "guitars"…

6 days ago

Billion vs. Milliard: The Long Scale Confusion

When is a billion not a billion? This article explores the linguistic tug-of-war between the "Short Scale" (used in the…

6 days ago

The Dragoman: Polyglot Diplomats of the Ottoman Empire

Explore the fascinating history of the Dragoman, the polyglot intermediaries who held the keys to communication between the Ottoman Empire…

6 days ago

Running Amok: Surprising English Words of Malay Origin

Did you know that "ketchup" isn't an American invention, but a word borrowed from the Spice Islands? In this deep…

6 days ago

Why Maltese Catholics Pray to ‘Alla’: A Linguistic History

While Malta is a devoutly Roman Catholic nation, its congregants pray to "Alla"—a direct cognate of the Arabic word for…

6 days ago

Spelling Bee Linguistics: Etymology Under Pressure

Winning a national Spelling Bee isn't about memorizing the dictionary; it's about mastering rapid-fire linguistic forensics. This post analyzes how…

6 days ago

Jaguar & Tapioca: Everyday English Words from Guarani

Did you know that when you order tapioca or talk about jaguars, you are speaking a bit of Tupi-Guarani? Explore…

6 days ago

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