%20%20--%3E%0A%3Csvg%20version%3D%221.1%22%20id%3D%22Layer_1%22%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20xmlns%3Axlink%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F1999%2Fxlink%22%20x%3D%220px%22%20y%3D%220px%22%0A%09%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20684.6%2068.1%22%20style%3D%22enable-background%3Anew%200%200%20684.6%2068.1%3B%22%20xml%3Aspace%3D%22preserve%22%3E%0A%3Cg%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M444.1%2C29.3h-17.4v14.5h17.4V29.3z%20M36.4%2C68.1l29.3-50.8V0H50.4L32.9%2C36.8L15.5%2C0H0v68.1h16.7V45.8l12.4%2C22.3H36.4z%0A%09%09%20M49.1%2C68.1h16.6V23.4L49.1%2C52.1V68.1z%20M76.6%2C68.1h45V53.8H93.3V41.6h21V27.1h-21V14.8h28.3V0.1h-45V68.1z%20M175.6%2C68.1h17.3v-68%0A%09%09h-16.5v40.3L150%2C0.1h-17.6v68h16.7V27.7L175.6%2C68.1z%20M235.8%2C14.8h15.4V0.1h-47.4v14.7H219v53.2h16.8V14.8z%20M290.3%2C45.9h-17.1%0A%09%09l7.5-15.6h2L290.3%2C45.9z%20M298.7%2C68.1h18l-32.2-68h-5.7l-32%2C68h18l3.3-7.1h27.1L298.7%2C68.1z%20M325.2%2C68.1h46.2V53.8h-29.6V0.1h-16.7%0A%09%09V68.1z%20M423.7%2C14.8h27.2V0.1H407v68h16.7V14.8z%20M462%2C68.1h46.2V53.8h-29.6V0.1H462V68.1z%20M564.8%2C34.1c0%2C10.7-7.2%2C19.2-18.5%2C19.2%0A%09%09c-11.4%2C0-18.5-8.5-18.5-19.2s7.1-19.2%2C18.5-19.2C557.6%2C14.9%2C564.8%2C23.4%2C564.8%2C34.1%20M580.6%2C34.1c0-19-14.2-34-34.3-34%0A%09%09c-20.2%2C0-34.3%2C15-34.3%2C34c0%2C19%2C14.1%2C34%2C34.3%2C34C566.4%2C68.1%2C580.6%2C53.1%2C580.6%2C34.1%20M604.8%2C20.5c0-4.1%2C3.3-6.2%2C6.7-6.2%0A%09%09c4.4%2C0%2C6.6%2C3%2C6.6%2C6.6h14.7C631.8%2C9.1%2C625.1%2C0.1%2C611%2C0.1c-12%2C0-21.7%2C9.3-21.7%2C20.6c0%2C10.9%2C5.9%2C15.9%2C16.7%2C19.8%0A%09%09c5.2%2C1.8%2C11.5%2C3.2%2C11.5%2C8c0%2C3.3-2.4%2C5.5-6.4%2C5.5c-3.6%2C0-6.6-3-6.6-6.7h-15.2c0%2C11.5%2C7.9%2C20.8%2C21.8%2C20.8c12%2C0%2C21.6-9.3%2C21.6-20.6%0A%09%09c0-10-5.3-16.4-16.7-19.8C610.6%2C26.1%2C604.8%2C25.3%2C604.8%2C20.5%20M670%2C20.9h14.7C683.8%2C9.1%2C677.1%2C0.1%2C663%2C0.1c-12%2C0-21.7%2C9.3-21.7%2C20.6%0A%09%09c0%2C10.9%2C5.9%2C15.9%2C16.7%2C19.8c5.2%2C1.8%2C11.5%2C3.2%2C11.5%2C8c0%2C3.3-2.4%2C5.5-6.4%2C5.5c-3.6%2C0-6.6-3-6.6-6.7h-15.2c0%2C11.5%2C7.9%2C20.8%2C21.8%2C20.8%0A%09%09c12%2C0%2C21.6-9.3%2C21.6-20.6c0-10-5.3-16.4-16.7-19.8c-5.4-1.6-11.3-2.4-11.3-7.2c0-4.1%2C3.3-6.2%2C6.7-6.2C667.7%2C14.4%2C670%2C17.3%2C670%2C20.9%0A%09%09%22%2F%3E%0A%3C%2Fg%3E%0A%3C%2Fsvg%3E%0A)
Duolingo’s Free Virtual Convention Will Cover How “Black Languages Matter” and More
The designer of the infamously persistent Duolingo owl will also be on hand to answer questions about his creation.
LANGUAGE
More Than 650 New Words Have Been Added to Dictionary.com—Here Are 50 of Them
With a total of about 15,000 new words, definitions, and other revisions, it’s Dictionary.com’s biggest update of all time.
Absentee Ballot vs. Mail-In Ballot: What’s the Difference?
States are changing their vote-by-mail rules for this year’s general election. Here's what you need to know.
Jakoś to Będzie: Poland's Anti-Hygge Approach to Happiness
The next time you feel hopeless, say "jakoś to będzie"—a Polish phrase that translates to "things will work out in the end."
Do Your Bowels Suddenly Spring to Life in Bookstores? You’re Not Alone—and the Japanese Even Have a Term for It: Mariko Aoki
In the ’80s, Mariko Aoki wrote to a magazine about her strange habit of having to poop in bookstores. Now, she’s the namesake for the condition.
The 10 Happiest Finnish Words, According to the People of Finland
To celebrate the launch of their new Finnish course, Duolingo partnered with the website Very Finnish Problems to find out which words make the people of Finland happiest.
Scots Wikipedia Is Notoriously Inaccurate Thanks to One Teenage Editor
Scots Wikipedia is notorious for its inaccuracy, and a recent Reddit post traces thousands of mistranslations back to a single teenage editor in the U.S.
Universal Soldiers: The Individuals Keeping the Esperanto Language Dream Alive
The universal language never quite changed the world, but enthusiasts and Duolingo users are doing their bit to change that.
The Surprising Stories Behind 12 Classic Pop Songs
Bonnie Tyler was singing about lovestruck vampires long before Twilight’s Bella and Edward came along.
Who Was Jim Crow?
The name "Jim Crow" appears throughout many U.S. history books, but he was a caricature—not a real person.
Why Do We Say ‘Spill the Beans’?
The phrase was around long before Kevin Malone dropped his famous chili in season five of ‘The Office.’
12 Words With Very Different Meanings in the U.S. and the UK
According to the internet, it was George Bernard Shaw who said, “The United States and Great Britain are two countries separated by a common language.” Here are 12 common culprits that cause confusion.
Plimoth Plantation Is Changing Its Name to Be More Inclusive of Its Wampanoag History
The colonial-era living museum in Massachusetts is updating its name to be more inclusive of its Wampanoag history.
Why Do We Call Our Spouse's Relatives 'In-Laws'?
It all started as a reminder about which relatives the Catholic Church prohibited you from marrying.
Merriam-Webster Is Updating Its Definition of Racism to Emphasize Systemic Prejudice
After sending Merriam-Webster a series of emails, Kennedy Mitchum convinced the dictionary to revise its entry for 'racism' to better emphasize the systemic aspects.
Systemic vs. Systematic: How to Use Each Word Correctly
Something systemic—like a disease—means it’s present throughout a system. ‘Systematic’ refers to how a system is operated.
Why Are Common Graves Called Potter’s Fields?
After a remorseful Judas returned his payment for betraying Jesus, the high priests used it to buy the very first potter’s field.
What’s the Difference Between a Tiara and a Crown?
There’s a reason that Meghan Markle’s first time sporting a tiara (borrowed from Queen Elizabeth II) was on her wedding day.
Why Are Gardeners Said to Have a ‘Green Thumb’?
If our hands turn into a mess of smeared dirt when gardening, how come we have green thumbs? Why not green fingers?
11 New Words and Phrases Inspired by the Coronavirus
If you’re struggling to describe the new coronavirus era we’re living in, well, you’re not alone. In fact, many new terms have been coined to help us talk about these unprecedented times.
In a Bold Move, Microsoft Office Is Now Flagging Double Spaces Between Sentences as an Error
How many spaces should we include after a period? Microsoft is now quietly telling us that the answer is one.
Why Do So Many News Anchors Sound Alike?
No matter where you are in the country, local and national news anchors have the same vocal delivery. There's a good reason why they learn it.
May vs. Might: When to Use Each Word
'May' and 'might' are two modal verbs that are often used interchangeably, but there are grammar rules governing which one is technically correct.
Why Do We Call the NCAA Basketball Tournament 'March Madness'?
The story of March Madness has everything: Chaucer, sex-crazed hares, Alice in Wonderland, lawsuits, and a basketball coach-turned-poet from Illinois.