Why Hit Movies Are Called Blockbusters
Here are the wartime origins of the term
Here are the wartime origins of the term
The Past and Future of Punctuation Marks
In classical times there were no punctuation marks or spaces between words....
In classical times there were no punctuation marks or spaces between words. Here's how that changed
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?
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
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
'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
"They" and "themself" have been added, along with more than 530 other words
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?