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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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'Mispronunciations' That May Be Fine

 

'Mischievous,' 'nuclear,' and other words to pronounce with caution.

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Old-School Grammar

 

Many of today's grammar rules can be traced to the opinions of one 18th century writer.

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'Nip it in the butt' or 'Nip it in the bud'?

 

We're gonna stop you right there

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Some Odd Words with ISMO: "Junk in the Trunk"

 

Comedian ISMO on what separates a boot from a trunk

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When Body Parts Are Also Verbs

 

Head, shoulders, metaphors, and toes

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Ending a Sentence with a Preposition

 

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