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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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The True Story of the Backward Index

 

These people needed a computer

play video cynic
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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Is 'none' singular or plural?

 

Or both? Or neither?

play video old school grammar humorsome
Old-School Grammar

 

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

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Pictures in the Dictionary

 

The story of those iconic illustrations.

play further vs farther video
Further vs. Farther

 

They started as same word, but their meanings have drifted apart over time.