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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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How a Word Gets into the Dictionary

 

What our editors are looking for when they enter words in Merriam-Webster.

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Its vs. It's

 

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

play video schwa
The Schwa

 

The most common vowel sound in English causes many spelling problems.

play merriam-webster eggcorns title page
What Is an Eggcorn?

 

And how did it get that name?

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Old-School Grammar

 

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