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Word History

Words of the Year: 1066

Why is pig meat called 'pork' and cow meat called 'beef?' Because English took on a big serving of French words following the Norman Conquest.


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play video title words of the year 1066
Words of the Year: 1066

 

English was never the same after the Norman Conquest

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Webster's Dictionary of 1864

 

The landmark edition that transformed the way dictionaries are made.

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How Do You Pronounce 'Vase'?

 

And is one way more correct than the others?

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How to Remember 'Affect' and 'Effect'

 

A simple way to keep them apart. (Most of the time.)

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The History of 'Cynic'

 

How an ancient philosophical movement devoted to the pursuit of virtue came to describe eye-rolling criticism.

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Literally

 

A word that (literally) drives people nuts

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The Serial Comma Explained

 

Why don't they call it the Merriam-Webster comma?