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 video cynic
The History of 'Cynic'

 

How an ancient philosophical movement devoted to the pursuit of virtue came to describe eye-rolling criticism.

play video soup vs soop
An Abbreviated History of American English Spelling

 

Soop, wimmen, and headake did not make the cut

play video who vs whom
Who vs. Whom

 

Good news for those who feel stuffy saying 'whom.'

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

 

There, there. We'll sort it out.

play fun funner funnest
Fun, Funner, Funnest

 

Why does it sound strange to say 'funner' or 'funnest?'