play backward index mystery
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 a Word Gets into the Dictionary

 

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

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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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Why Do People Pronounce It "Nucular"?

 

A linguistic analysis of a notorious pronunciation

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Further vs. Farther

 

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

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Old-School Grammar

 

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

play video his or her
Is singular 'they' a better choice?

 

The awkward case of 'his or her'