language

Engraving of Guy Fawkes and other Gunpowder plot conspirators, from OLD AND NEW LONDON (Vol. 1) by Walter Thornbury, 1897.

The Surprising Origins of the Phrase 'You Guys'

You guys, what’s going on? How come we routinely say “guys” or “you guys” w...

You guys, what’s going on? How come we routinely say “guys” or “you guys” when talking to a group of two or more?

Aerial view of Campo Ghetto Nuovo, Venice

How America's Ugly History of Segregation Changed the Meaning of the Word 'Ghetto'

The name “Ghetto” likely derived from the Venetian verb gettare, meaning to...

The name “Ghetto” likely derived from the Venetian verb gettare, meaning to pour or to cast, and probably can be traced to the earlier presence of a copper foundry in what was to become the all-Jewish district

Entrance to the German concentration camp of Auschwitz-Birkenau in Poland. Undated photograph.

The Long Debate Over What Counts as a Concentration Camp

Even for Nazi camp survivors who sought to eradicate them, they were hard t...

Even for Nazi camp survivors who sought to eradicate them, they were hard to define

L.G.B.T. activists and their supporters rally in support of transgender people on the steps of New York City Hall, October 24, 2018 in New York City.

'Social Forces Change Language.' Merriam-Webster Adds Gender-Neutral Pronouns to Dictionary

"They" and "themself" have been added, along with more than 530 other words

Illustration of a Revolution. 20th June, 1789. The meeting of the deputies of the National Assembly during the signing of the Tennis Court Oath, in Versailles.

What to Know About the Origins of 'Left' and 'Right' in Politics, From the French Revolution to the 2020 Presidential Race

How did such seemingly benign descriptions come to define the political spe...

How did such seemingly benign descriptions come to define the political spectrum?

A float commemorates the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall riots, which erupted after a police raid on a gay bar, the Stonewall Inn on Christopher St., in 1969.

Was Stonewall a Riot, an Uprising or a Rebellion? Here's How the Description Has Changed—And Why It Matters

The word "riot" had very specific connotations in the 1960s

Noah Webster. Born 1758-died 1843. The schoolmaster of the republic; portrait shown in front of dictionary, books, inkwell & desk, 19th century.

Americans and Brits Have Been Fighting Over the English Language for Centuries. Here’s How It Started

It's always been about more than just spelling

The Surprising Origins of the Phrase 'You Guys'

How America's Ugly History of Segregation Changed the Meaning of the Word 'Ghetto'

The Long Debate Over What Counts as a Concentration Camp

'Social Forces Change Language.' Merriam-Webster Adds Gender-Neutral Pronouns to Dictionary

What to Know About the Origins of 'Left' and 'Right' in Politics, From the French Revolution to the 2020 Presidential Race

Was Stonewall a Riot, an Uprising or a Rebellion? Here's How the Description Has Changed—And Why It Matters

Americans and Brits Have Been Fighting Over the English Language for Centuries. Here’s How It Started

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