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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 a Ghost Word Appeared in the Dictionary

 

An imaginary word that snuck into the dictionary

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The Schwa

 

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

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Is It 'day today' or 'day-to-day'?

 

What about Day Tomorrow?

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Is singular 'they' a better choice?

 

The awkward case of 'his or her'

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Alright vs. All Right

 

Is 'alright' all right?

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Drive Safe: In Praise of Flat Adverbs

 

You don't have to end all your adverbs in -ly to talk right.