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Our languages vary, but we may not be that different after all. From the word “huh” to how we come up with the names of colors, here are five speech quirks that are nearly universal.

Think about it: have you ever heard someone say they had “extenuating errands”? These eight words are only used in a very specific context.
Sam Hindman|
Think twice before responding if someone calls you one of these words.
Sam Hindman|
Go with ‘goozlum’ instead of ‘gravy’ this Thanksgiving.
Angela Tung|

Words

The history behind “no worries” and why the phrase became a favorite for millennials and Gen Z.
Chelsea Thatcher|
No, “gaudy” did not come from a famous architect with a similar-sounding name.
Mary Beth Skylis|
You might’ve heard it from your children or as Dictionary.com’s Word of the Year.
Tim Brinkhof|
You wouldn’t think twice about these everyday habits and activities, but they weren’t always the norm.
Paul Anthony Jones|
Though widely shared on the internet and other places, these popular quotes weren’t actually spoken by who you might think they were.
Paul Anthony Jones|
Americans were interested in finding out definitions for words in political science, psychology, and science, among other topics.
Sam Hindman|
This admittedly is probably not the No. 1 question on your mind—but we answer it anyways.
Paul Anthony Jones|
You know "LOL" and "FML," but what about other social media and text abbreviations? Here are the 10 that stump people the most.
Alexandria Ingham|

Grammar

You know this rule, even if you don’t know you know it.
Michele Debczak|
Lots of languages have distinct plural forms for ‘you.’ Wouldn’t it be useful if English had one too? Spoiler alert: It does. Several, in fact.
Arika Okrent|
From the NASA mistake that made an interplanetary rocket explode to the bible with a very naughty misprint, these typos are an ode to proofreaders.
Jennifer M Wood|

Slang

Get the 411 on six-seven.

Names

Is your new pet’s name on this list?
CaLea Johnson|
If you’re looking for baby name inspiration, these titles have a strong sense of place.
CaLea Johnson|
If you need name inspiration for your own pup, take a cue from pet owners across the country.
CaLea Johnson|
Find out what names Americans were giving their babies in the year 2000, and how they compare to today's most popular names.
Ellen Gutoskey|

Best of Language

It can be shocking to realize that we are able to follow rules that no one ever taught us explicitly.
Arika Okrent|
English, the language of Shakespeare and the internet, is often touted for its flexibility and adaptability. But with great flexibility comes great inconsistenc
Brett Reynolds|
You're going to be astonished how many of these you hopefully already know, but I'm sharing them because many millions of people don't. It's not Aw-ree, for instance, it's ah-wry (awry)
Alvin Ward|
We’re taking Strunk and White and grammarians everywhere to task in the latest episode of The List Show.
mentalfloss .com|

Spelling

From the Vatican’s “Lesus” medal to Beanie Babies to the Civil War coins that declare “shoot him on the spoot.”
Arika Okrent|
English spelling can be frustrating and confusing, but there are things you can do to help make the task of getting it right more manageable.
Editorial Staff|
Would you recoil in terror if spell-check ever stopped working? Fear not: You're in good company.
Mark Mancini|

Pronunciation

Americans have a tough time figuring out how to correctly pronounce these words, from ‘açai’ to ‘tzatziki’ and beyond.
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