Where did the word 'nerd' come from? The answer lies not in a dusty dictionary, but in the whimsical pages…
The word 'spinster' didn't always evoke images of a lonely old maid. It originally meant a woman who spun thread…
Journey to the Philippines to discover Chavacano, a unique Spanish-based creole that blends the vocabulary of colonizers with the grammatical…
You know about 'false friends' in language, but what about in gestures? That innocent 'thumbs-up' or 'A-OK' sign could be…
While many words degrade, some do the opposite in a process called amelioration. This post explores the linguistic glow-up of…
Belgium's linguistic landscape is famously divided, but beyond French and Dutch lies Walloon, a distinct Romance language with deep historical…
Ever wonder why conspiracy theories can sound so persuasive, even when they lack evidence? This post unpacks the specific "grammar"…
Ever overheard a conversation that sounded like your language, but made no sense? You might have stumbled upon an anti-language,…
How does a word forged in hate become a banner of pride? The process, known as reappropriation, is a powerful…
Why did "silly" once mean "blessed," and "villain" just mean "farmhand"? This post explores pejoration, the fascinating linguistic process where…
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