LANGUAGE
10 Words & Phrases Coined in Comic Strips
Cartoons, comics, and newspaper comic strips might seem like an unusual source of new words and phrases, but here are the stories behind 10 times when precisely that happened.
The Unusual Syntax of “Sexiest Man Alive”
In the wake of People magazine’s announcement of its choice for this year’s “Sexiest Man Alive,” our thoughts, naturally, turn to the unusual syntax of this phrase.
The Origins of 62 Last Names
'Smith' is an Old English name that was given to those who worked with metal. It's probably related to a word that meant "to strike." Where does your last name come from?
17 Old Proverbs We Should Use More Often
This Deaf Couple Officially Gave Their Baby a Sign Name
11 Versions of “Average Joe” From Other Countries
Whether it's Joe Schmo, Fred Nurk, or Vasya Pupkin, every country needs a way to talk about just “some guy.”
15 of History’s Greatest Puns
While puns may make you groan and have even been called the “lowest and most groveling form of wit,” a good one is a thing of beauty that’s worth celebrating.
15 Tricky Words and How to Pronounce Them Hilariously Wrong
The Sign Language Interpreter for De Blasio’s Press Conference Was Deaf. How Does That Work?
How Well Does Mark Zuckerberg Speak Chinese?
Feast Your Eyes on This Beautiful Linguistic Family Tree
Take a look at how different languages are connected to one another with this wonderful illustration by Minna Sundberg.
16 Words Derived From Animals
From bears and storks to singing wolves and castrated sheep, all 16 of the words listed here have surprising zoological origins.
12 British Legal Terms Explained
Although English courtroom dramas keep American fans riveted, some legal terms can be a bit of a muddle, leaving statesiders confused.
11 Facts Yü Should Know About the Umlaut
1. The word “umlaut” comes from one of the Brothers Grimm.
10 Foreign Words We Need in English—Illustrated!
Sometimes you just don't have the word you need to describe a feeling or an event.
30 Discoveries About Family History in Spanish Surnames
Some occupational surnames are transparent. Here are a few that are a bit less obvious.
Can "Y'all" Be Used to Refer to a Single Person?
For over a century, a controversy has been brewing over what might be called the Loch Ness Monster of dialect study: the elusive singular “y’all.” There are a few who claim to have seen it in the wild, and many who denounce such claims as nonsense. Does i
19 Everyday Expressions That Came from Aesop
Here are a handful of Aesop’s most popular contributions which we still use today, along with a taste of the stories that spawned them.
Why is “Pound” Abbreviated as “lb”?
Most of our abbreviations for units of measurements are pretty straightforward. They are made up of of letters from the words they stand for. So how do we get lb for “pound” and oz for “ounce”?