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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Some Odd Words with ISMO: "People Tipping"

 

Comedian ISMO on the complexities of the word 'tip'

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Further vs. Farther

 

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

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How to Use a Dictionary

 

The best way to find information in the dictionary

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Sneaked vs. Snuck

 

How the irregular 'snuck' sneaked into the dictionary

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Ending a Sentence with a Preposition

 

An old-fashioned rule we can no longer put up with.

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

 

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