play backward index mystery
Words Matter

The True Story of the Backward Index

These people needed a computer


There it sits, hidden in plain view on a set of shelves in the basement of the Merriam-Webster offices: the Backward Index. But why would anyone type out 315,000 words spelled in reverse?

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The True Story of the Backward Index

 

These people needed a computer

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Video: Why Is There a 'C' in 'Indict'?

 

And who put it there, anyway?

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Ending a Sentence with a Preposition

 

An old-fashioned rule we can no longer put up with.

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'Everyday' vs. 'Every Day'

 

A simple trick to keep them separate

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Our research turned up two archaic literal meanings

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Its vs. It's

 

Some practical guidance, and interesting history, about a common mistake.

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Or both? Or neither?