A Troubled Marriage Between A Skeptic and an Ascetic, or, The Oddest English Spellings
How did we ever come up with the spelling for scythe? Anatoly looks at the history of conjoined letters “sc”.
When Spellcheckers Attack: Perils of the Cupertino Effect
Ben Zimmer looks at modern spellcheckers.
Monthly Gleanings
Anatoly answers this month’s questions and explains the intriguing history of the words element and hocus pocus.
Extending the History of Words: The Case of “Ms.”
Ben Zimmer introduces us to the sport of antedating.
What is your Word of the Century so far?
Can any word sum up the 21st century so far? You tell us in our new poll.
The Oxford Etymologist goes Trick-or-Treating
Anatoly prepares for Halloween with the origins of witch.
Are We Giving Free Rei(g)n to New Spellings?
Ben Zimmer responds to claims that OUP is allowing “corrupted” spellings into its dictionaries.
“From the North So Dear To Southern Climes”
Anatoly looks at north and south.
National Dictionary Day: Italian
Celebrate Dictionary Day with Italian!
National Dictionary Day: Spanish
Celebrate Dictionary Day with Spanish!
National Dictionary Day: German
Dictionary Day fun in German!
National Dictionary Day: French
Happy Dictionary Day!
Dictionary Day is Coming…
We’re just five days away from Dictionary Day, the annual celebration of all things lexicographical held every 16th of October. Commemorating the anniversary of Noah Webster’s birth in 1758, it’s largely an opportunity for US school teachers to organize classroom activities encouraging students to build their dictionary skills and to exult in the joy of […]
The Light From Gig on Quiz
Anatoly Liberman looks at the origin of the word “gig.”
One-Hit Wonders: From Hapax to Googlewhacks
Ben Zimmer looks at hapax legomena.
Quizzes and Gigs
Anatoly delves into word history for our entertainment.