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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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'Nip it in the butt' or 'Nip it in the bud'?

 

We're gonna stop you right there

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Webster's Dictionary of 1864

 

The landmark edition that transformed the way dictionaries are made.

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Its vs. It's

 

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

play sneaked vs snuck video
Sneaked vs. Snuck

 

How the irregular 'snuck' sneaked into the dictionary

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I vs. Me

 

'Between you and __'? Simple guidance for a tricky pronoun.

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When Body Parts Are Also Verbs

 

Head, shoulders, metaphors, and toes