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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When Body Parts Are Also Verbs

 

Head, shoulders, metaphors, and toes

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How to Use a Dictionary

 

The best way to find information in the dictionary

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Its vs. It's

 

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

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Is Singular 'They' a Better Choice?

 

The awkward case of 'his or her'

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Further vs. Farther

 

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