play video title words of the year 1066
Word History

Words of the Year: 1066

Why is pig meat called 'pork' and cow meat called 'beef?' Because English took on a big serving of French words following the Norman Conquest.


Up next

play video title words of the year 1066
Words of the Year: 1066

 

English was never the same after the Norman Conquest

play body parts video
When Body Parts Are Also Verbs

 

Head, shoulders, metaphors, and toes

play video affect vs effect
Affect vs. Effect

 

Here's the lowdown on what may be the most confusing pair of words in the English language.

play video title attorney generals
Is It 'Attorney Generals' Or 'Attorneys General'?

 

'Poets laureate'? 'Court-martials'? The curious history of postpositive adjectives in English.

play there theyre their video
There, They're, Their

 

There, there. We'll sort it out.

play hot mess
Hot Mess

 

Our research turned up two archaic literal meanings