slang

The Appendix Probi: When ‘Bad’ Latin Won

Discover the *Appendix Probi*, a 3rd-century list of "mistakes" that unintendedly documented the birth of the Romance languages. This article…

6 days ago

The Two Arabics: Understanding Diglossia

Arabic speakers live in a state of linguistic duality known as diglossia, navigating between the formal "Modern Standard Arabic" used…

6 days ago

From Army Camps to Poetry: The Surprising Origins of Urdu

Discover the fascinating linguistic evolution of Urdu, a language that began as a practical means of communication in Mughal army…

6 days ago

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…

6 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…

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

Tic-Tac: The Hand Signals of Bookmakers

Explore the fascinating "closed kinetic system" of Tic-Tac, the dying sign language of British racecourse bookmakers. This article analyzes how…

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

Italian of the East: Unlocking Telugu’s Melodic Secret

Discover the fascinating linguistics behind Telugu, often called the "Italian of the East" due to its unique 'Ajanta' structure where…

6 days ago

Cockney Rhyming Slang: A Criminal Code?

Explore the fascinating linguistics behind Cockney Rhyming Slang, from its murky origins as a Victorian cryptolect designed to confuse the…

6 days ago

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