What makes something a “real” language? For most of us, real language is the language we speak and the languages that large groups of other people speak. You may not know how to speak French, for instance, but many other people do, and it’s an official language of many countries, so clearly it must be “real.” But, what about different dialects of languages, regional languages, …
by Ashley AustrewWhen you hear the phrases calling out and calling in, you probably picture someone taking a sick day at their job. And, there’s a whole lot of debate about which phrase you use when doing that. Twitter, go! The sniffles are affecting most people this year. If you have to miss work due to illness, do you call IN sick or call OUT …
Did you know that the word "muscle" is derived from the Latin word for “mouse?” And this isn't the only word in the English language that is unexpectedly inspired by animals.
by Ashley Austrew and John Kelly In late February 2019, the House of Representatives voted to block President Trump’s declaration of a national emergency at the Mexican border. Trump’s declaration—issued on February, 15, 2019 and based on the emergency powers granted to the presidency by the Constitution—would build a wall with funds not approved by Congress, which has authority over the nation’s finances and budget. …
by Ashley Austrew Swearwords, these days, aren’t just more common than ever. They are also more colorful. A quick warning: there will be a lot of strong language ahead.Douchnozzle, shitgibbon, cockwaffle—these unique swears are created by taking a common profanity and pairing it with an unlikely noun. And, they’re becoming so popular that The New York Times Magazine has dubbed the people who coin these …
Compliment and complement are commonly confused terms because they’re pronounced alike and originally shared some meanings. But over time, they’ve become separate words with entirely different definitions. What does complement mean? Complement with an E is the older of the two terms. Its noun sense has been around in English since the 1300s. The term derives from the Latin complēmentum, meaning “something that completes.” So, that means if …
If you’ve ever watched a mobster movie set in New York—and let’s face it, most of them are—you probably think that talking like a New Yorker is as easy as dropping a few Rs and smushing whole sentences into one word. The dialect particular to movie depictions of New York City’s Italian-American community is one of the best recognized in the country, but it doesn’t …
When two words have the same meaning, we call them synonyms. When two words have different meanings but people use them interchangeably, we write articles about what those words actually mean. Take gender and sex. While people substitute one for the other on the regular, their meaning and usage are significantly—and consequentially—different. Because we’re most often talking about human beings when we use these terms, …
by Ashley Austrew What is a possible hate crime? A possible sexual assault? A possible terrorist attack? Crime-related news is often reported in the media using tentative language—like the word possible—that makes it seem as if there is room for doubt as to whether or not a crime was actually committed. But in many instances, either through video, photos, or the victim’s own words and evidence, it …
by Ashley Austrew Every election prompts arguments about which candidate is the most “electable.” The word electable seems self-explanatory. Technically, it means “capable of, or having a reasonable chance of being elected.” But, what are we really talking about when we say that someone is electable? The history of electable The first recorded use of electable was in the late 1800s, and the idea has been at …
