LANGUAGE

Where Did the Expression ‘Gung Ho’ Come From?

We get this byword for enthusiasm from an officer in the Marines named Evans Fordyce Carlson.

Why Is Coffee Called a “Cup of Joe”?

There are many slang terms for coffee, but where does a “cup of joe“ come from? There are a few theories.

Why Do We Call Someone a “One-Trick Pony”?

Maligning ponies has become a go-to way to dismiss someone. How did that happen?

March’s weather is notoriously volatile.

Why Do We Say March ‘Comes In Like a Lion, Goes Out Like a Lamb’?

It’s one of the most common weather idioms. But what do lions and lambs even have to do with the month of March?

Definition Detective Quiz #27

We give you an obscure word with four definitions—one correct, three made up. Can you identify the correct one?

How Did Latin America Get Its Name?

Latin isn’t widely spoken in Latin America, so why is it called that?

Can You Figure Out When the Word First Appeared in Print?

Some words have been around longer than you think.

Why Are Potatoes Called “Spuds”?

We dig down to the root of the issue.

This stickler doesn’t like how people are using the word ‘phenomenal.’

9 Linguistic ‘Ignorantisms’ Even Sticklers Got Used To

Not even the strictest sticklers seem to care about how we use words like ‘abhorrent’ and ‘sodden’ anymore.

Don't exact or extract revenge if you get all these wrong.

Can You Finish the Commonly Misheard Phrase?

Time to find out how well you know your correct expressions from your eggcorns.

Why Did ‘The Ukraine’ Become Just ‘Ukraine’?

Until a few decades ago, Ukraine was almost always referred to as 'the Ukraine'. Then people started dropping the definite article, and now you almost never see it. Here's why.

10 Language Mistakes Kids Make That Are Actually Pretty Smart

These mistakes show that little kids know a lot more about the rules than we think.

Definition Detective Quiz #26

We give you an obscure word with four definitions—one correct, three made up. Can you identify the correct one?

The names of all three of these folks have gotten the adjective treatment.

11 People Whose Names Became Adjectives

From David Lynch to Queen Elizabeth I, these folks achieved a type of lexical immortality when their names became adjectives.

“Gaslighting“ is the most commonly searched term in the U.S.

The Word Definitions Each Country Looks Up the Most, Mapped

If you’ve ever looked up the definition of “gaslighting,” you’re not alone.

Where Did the Saying ‘Stick Out Like a Sore Thumb’ Come From?

The phrase dates back to the 19th century, but it took a fictional 20th century detective to take its popularity to new heights.

10 Word Pairs That Sound Like Opposites But Aren’t

Flammable vs. inflammable? Regardless vs. irregardless? Here are the linguistic explanations for 10 pairs of false antonyms.

Why Do We Say That Love Makes People Go “Weak at the Knees”?

In honor of Valentine’s Day, discover the origins of the phrase ‘weak at the knees,’ including its ties to ancient Rome and even astrology.

A wooden tablet covered in still-undeciphered Rongorongo script.

8 Ancient Writing Systems That Haven’t Been Deciphered Yet

Without a Rosetta Stone for these centuries-old writing systems, the meaning of the texts may never be known.

Definition Detective Quiz #25

We give you an obscure word with four definitions—one correct, three made up. Can you identify the correct one?

An old-timey fireman with some dead weight.

What Exactly Is ‘Dead Weight’?

Why your drunk friend feels so much heavier than your sober buddies.

It was about modernization—and also politics.

Why the Letters Q, W, and X Were Once Illegal in Türkiye

Sometimes the letter of the law has tough things to say about, well, letters.

Throw the grammar rulebook out the window.

6 Grammar Rules You Can Break

We’re taking Strunk and White and grammarians everywhere to task in the latest episode of The List Show.

10 Offbeat Terms of Endearment From History

From 'chickabiddy,' to 'tootsicums,' these terms of endearment are more evocative than any garden-variety 'babe.'

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