by Alyssa Pereira Not all beers are made equal. That much is made apparent in a walk through any local market anywhere in the US. The majority of beer sections in American grocery stores and neighborhood bodegas aren’t exactly artisan creations. Rather, they’re mass-produced, packaged, and sold by one of just a few international beverage conglomerates. But alongside them, if you look carefully, you’ll often …
These days you can’t turn on the television without being bombarded by panels of pundits spewing their two cents. But what exactly is a pundit? The word has an interesting history that sheds more light into its contemporary meaning. It’s also had its share of fun—when used by a secret society at Yale. What is a pundit? When we talk about a pundit, we are …
Let’s say you want to get the attention of a male clerk in the produce section of the grocery store. Would you say, “Excuse me, sire, but could you please explain the difference between a yam and a sweet potato?” (For the answer to that question, read this.) Addressing a stranger as “sire” might raise an eyebrow. But if you said it, you wouldn’t necessarily be …
Learning to write is a major milestone, and your little one will inevitably have some questions about why we do things the way we do during the process. We’re here to help you answer them. For example, a beginning writer might want to know how the letter W developed (why is it called double-U?) and why Q so often needs U. Another question sure to pop up …
Sometimes it’s hard not to hum that song that’s stuck in your head. It’s also incredibly satisfying when you’re able to hum it all the way through. What you may not realize, however, is that sometimes as you hum your favorite earworm, you might be humming about a piece of literature, motifs and all. Take a look at the rock songs below, and see which …
Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong famously sang about the controversial pronunciations of words like tomato (to-mah-to?), potato (po-tah-to?), either, neither, pajamas, and others in the song “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off.” They settled nothing, and people have been debating the right way to say these words ever since. And those aren’t the only words that send people to opposing corners, either. There are a host …
From mass shootings to natural disasters, it seems like every day, there’s a new tragedy on the news. With social media amplifying these stories, more and more people are offering their condolences than ever before. And one of the most popular phrases online? “Thoughts and prayers.” While theories on the history of the phrase “thoughts and prayers” vary, it is often traced back to the …
Is there a difference between acronyms and abbreviations? Most people think they’re pretty similar … and they’re definitely used in similar ways. But, there are slight differences What is an abbreviation? An abbreviation is any shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase. Did you catch the word any in there? That means abbreviation is the blanket term for all these shortened words we’ve all been using …
When we think of Lewis Carroll, we think of whimsical worlds … and words. The man who penned Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Through the Looking-Glass, “Jabberwocky,“ and countless other timeless poems and works of literature has taken our imaginations to the furthest limits for decades. His stories—published during the mid- to late-1800s—are full of life, adventure, humor, and some of the most fantastical words. You see, …
Video games have come a long way over the years. They hit the scene in the 1970s with basic graphics but have morphed into sophisticated works of art that cover every genre. Throughout their evolution, we’ve been introduced to a fascinating cast of characters who star in these games. They range from lifelike personalities to strange and wonderful creatures that spring from the imaginations of …
Star Trek is one of the most beloved science fiction television franchises to ever air. Debuting in 1966 with Star Trek: The Original Series, this long-running franchise is about the crew of a starship (spaceship), the USS Enterprise, as it explores the deepest depths of outer space. Along the way, the crew meet new life forms, get into all kinds of hijinks, and battle for …
