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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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play backward index mystery
The True Story of the Backward Index

 

These people needed a computer

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How Do You Pronounce 'Vase'?

 

And is one way more correct than the others?

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When Body Parts Are Also Verbs

 

Head, shoulders, metaphors, and toes

play video websters video of 1864
Webster's Dictionary of 1864

 

The landmark edition that transformed the way dictionaries are made.

play there theyre their video
There, They're, Their

 

There, there. We'll sort it out.

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An Abbreviated History of American English Spelling

 

Soop, wimmen, and headake did not make the cut

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Some Odd Words with ISMO: "The One-derful Won"

 

Comedian ISMO tries to figure out 'one' and 'two'