Language Stories
Learn all about the English language, from fun word facts and trivia to etymologies, meanings, histories, and more.
’90s vs. Now: How These Words Have Evolved
The Rosetta Stone: Unlocking Ancient Egypt
What Does Sudoku Mean In Japanese? And Other Sudoku Facts
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Meet The Man Responsible For The Letter “J”
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What Is Hypocatastasis?
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Weasel Words And Other Ways We Avoid Telling The Truth
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What Does The Word “Caliphate” Mean?
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What Is The Origin Of The Word Blurb”?
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Pareidolia vs. Eschatology
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What is the literal meaning of “eleven?”
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What Bizarre Error Gave California Its Name?
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Why Are So Many Searching For A “Holy Grail”?
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Is Ironic The Most Abused Word In English?
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Is It Naughty Or Not? What “Burlesque” Actually Means
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What Does Contrail Mean?
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Does The Story Behind The Word “Hip-Hop” Go Back To The Nineteenth Century?
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What The “X” In “Xbox” Stand For?
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From The Waltz To The Jitterbug: How Classic Dances Got Their Names
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What Does “Musty” Literally Smell Like?
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What Is The Word For Bad Handwriting?
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Why Is “Dog” One Of The Great Mysteries Of The English Language?
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What Is A “Vexillologist”?
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“Scum,” “Sludge,” “Slush,” “Slime,” And Other Disgusting Words
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The Surprising Origin Of The Word “Bigot”
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“UFOs?” What bizarre event spawned the phrase “flying saucer?”
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What Is A Courgette” And Why Is It Funny?
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How Does A Pope Choose A Name?
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What’s The Difference Between Baloney And Bologna?
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Why Is It Called “Adultery” When It’s Not A Particularly “Adult” Thing To Do?
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What’s The Technical Term For A Slip Of The Tongue?
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What Do You Call Your Place Of Worship?
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How The Word “Dollar” Derives From “Joachimsthaler”
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What Term Describes Your Relationship: Polygyny, Polyamory, Monandry?
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The Surprising Meaning Of Honeymoon Explained
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Why Is Marijuana Also Called Pot?
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What’s The Difference Between Cussing, Swearing, And Cursing?
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What Does “FICO” Stand For?
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What Is The Origin Of The Word “Rant”?
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What Do The A, C, And T Of The ACT Test Mean?