LANGUAGE

The Barbie exhibition at Paris Fashion Week in 2016.

The Class of 2041 Is Bound to Have Some Barbies and Kens

Are you thinking about naming your next baby ‘Barbie’? You’re not the only one.

15 Obscure Words That Are Pure Fire

The world is heating up, and things are often on fire—literally. As we do what we can to squelch the flames, check out some old and obscure words people of the past used when they wanted to talk about all things fire.

How many of these colors did you know about?

39 Colors You’ve Probably Never Heard Of

A vast vocabulary of words have been invented, borrowed, and accumulated over the centuries to describe almost every color and shade imaginable.

For Pete’s Sake—Who Is Pete?

‘For Pete’s sake’ originated around the early 20th century, but the Pete in question may have lived long before that.

Are There Any Synonyms for the Word ‘Synonym’?

The answer is a bit complicated.

17 Euphemisms for Sex From the 1800s

These 17 synonyms for sex earned a place in the ‘1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue.’

20 ASL Signs You Don’t Want to Mix Up

While your Deaf friends might get a good laugh when you accidentally sign “f**k you” instead of “thank you,” it’s still best to know the correct signs when interacting within the Deaf community.

You'd be surprised how many common tech terms get mispronounced.

The 20 Most Mispronounced Tech Terms May Surprise You

Discover the most commonly mispronounced tech terms and brand names, and settle once and for all whether it’s ”jif or ”gif.”

10 Brilliant Facts About Braille

Invented by Louis Braille in 1824, the tactile braille system has helped blind people read and write for nearly 200 years.

Why Does ‘Of Course’ Mean ‘Yes’?

‘Of course’ is one of the most versatile ‘yes’ synonyms we have. But what does it actually mean?

15 Dutch Slang Terms You Should Know

Knowing a bit of Dutch slang will not just help you find your bearings when you visit Amsterdam and its surroundings, but also earn you respect from the locals—who, despite being great at English, have a strong connection to their mother tongue.

Spoiler alert: This ladybug isn’t actually a bug.

What’s the Difference Between Bugs and Insects?

The difference between bugs and insects comes down to more than just semantics. Both terms have scientific definitions.

16 Charming Old-Fashioned Compliments

Here are a few charming, cute, and kooky kudos from the days of yore.

Is it possible to put a kiss into words?

How to Write the Sound of a Kiss

In English we have a few different ways to write the sound of a kiss: muah, smack, xxx. They get the idea across, but none of them imitate the actual sound of a kiss.

The Origins of the Phrase ‘Bee in Your Bonnet’

We’re all familiar with the feeling of having an idea or subject stuck in your head that makes it difficult to think about anything else. But why (and when) did we start comparing that experience to a bee buzzing around in your hat?

People who were up to no good should have been on the lookout for slops (police) who wanted to put them away for neves (seven years).

7 Fun and Fascinating Pieces of Back Slang

Back slang is kind of like a lexical puzzle that everyone from costermongers and criminals of the Victorian era to today’s Wordle fans can appreciate.

20 Weird Words for Bodily Ailments

Need a better word to describe what ails you? Look no further than this list of old, unusual ways to describe your aches, pains, and whatever else is happening in your body.

Why Is TV Called the ‘Boob Tube’?

When TVs became popular in the 20th century, some people started calling it ‘the tube.’ That nickname soon spawned an even catchier one: ‘the boob tube.’

Here's how to figure it out once and for all.

A Simple Trick for Remembering When To Use ‘Who’ vs. ‘Whom’

All you need for this easy grammar check is a couple of pronouns you already know how to use correctly.

Here’s how to nail the pluralization of your name—even if there’s a possessive involved.

To Apostrophe or Not to Apostrophe: How to Pluralize Your Last Name

Pluralizing a last name can seem confusing—and it gets even more confusing when you want to make a name both plural and possessive. Here’s how to correctly do both.

11 Successful (and Silly) Euphemisms for the F-Word

The f-word is often thought of as the most useful and flexible word in English. Whether that’s true or not, the term is so successful that it’s spawned dozens of euphemisms. Here are a few of them.

Bats are homographs, homophones, and homonyms.

Homonym vs. Homophone vs. Homograph: What’s the Difference?

Here’s why some homophone examples also work as homograph and homonym examples.

(From left to right) W.E.B. Du Bois, Che Guevara, and Empress Dowager Cixi.

15 Historical Figures’ Names You’re Probably Mispronouncing

Here’s how to pronounce ‘Elie Wiesel,’ ‘Cixi,’ and 13 other famous names from history.

‘Estás como una cabra’ means “you are like a goat.”

20 Spanish Idioms You’ll Love

If you want to take your Spanish to the next level (or el siguiente nivel), why not brush up on these idioms?

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