language - Trivia, Quizzes, and Brain Teasers | Mental Floss

Why Do We Say 'Have a Chip on Your Shoulder'?

Literal wood chips were once involved.

Why Do We Say 'Have a Chip on Your Shoulder'?

14 Words for Winter From Around the World

Frosty the Snowman knows the words for winter from many languages.

14 Words for Winter From Around the World

The Curious Origins of 16 Common Phrases

Before you go bananas, know the theories for where the phrase comes from.

The Curious Origins of 16 Common Phrases

15 Common Expressions Younger Kids Won't Understand

Send this list to any kid who doesn't understand why we say that we "hang up" the phone.

15 Common Expressions Younger Kids Won't Understand

Why Are Some Liquors Called 'Spirits'?

A spirited pour.

Where vs. Whereas: When to Use Each One Correctly

The little conjunction that could.

17 Resume Cliches That Turn Off Hiring Managers

“We'll keep your resume on file.”

Why Is It Called “The Bronx” Instead of Just “Bronx”?

Good thing Napster's Sean Parker wasn't around to tell Bronx officials to drop the the.

Why Is It Called the Placebo Effect?

Spot the sugar pill.

20 Words Merriam-Webster Is Adding to the Dictionary in 2021

Mitshu/iStock via Getty Images

42 Old English Insults

Quisby is just one excellent word you'll want to add to your list of insults.

The History Behind 8 Famous Tongue Twisters

Tongue twisters have had people tripping over words for centuries.

15 Terms Every Ghost Hunter Should Know

Reference these terms on your next ghost hunt.

5 Essential Types of Words That Some Languages Do Without

"Yes" and "no" seem pretty essential, but not all languages use them.

14 Awesome 19th Century Street Gang Names

Street gangs in the mid-19th century had some pretty creative names.

13 Fiendish Etymologies for Halloween Monsters

Bullet_Chained (monsters), AJWAD CREATIVE (SPEECH BUBBLE) // ISTOCK VIA GETTY IMAGES PLUS