All In a Word
Reaching into the past for words about RussiaA "revanchist Moscow," "Potemkin village" armed forces, Vladimir Putin’s violent "irredentism." The war in Ukraine is also a war of words.
What makes learning a new language hard?Unfamiliar grammar and writing systems throw curveballs to those of us used to the rules and contours of English, our language columnist writes.
What is the hardest language for English speakers?Access is important. Are there materials online, or do you have to raft down the Maici River in Brazil hoping someone will teach you Pirahã?
Why have so many ‘bad’ words gone good?Awe-inspiring Black jazz musicians were "bad." Surfers throw out compliments like "sick" and "gnarly." This inversion is called amelioration.
‘Stereotype’ and other words from printers’ lingoThe printing press not only transformed the business of the written word, but gave English new words altogether, our language columnist writes.
Printers needed ‘clichés’ to ease their workloadsThe word "cliché" gets its origins from the cheap, repetitive processes of producing books brought about by the printing press.
Word people love to play with ‘snowclones’They are often written out in almost mathematical form: “To X, or not to X.” “Make X Y again.” “Keep X and Y on.”
Getting to the heart of words made with ‘-core’Cottagecore’s mix of wooded solitude, homegrown veggies, and crafting was especially appealing early in the pandemic.
Spelling games, from Wordle to ‘Wheel of Fortune’Hangman inspired "Wheel of Fortune." And now, our language columnist writes, we have Wordle, perfectly built for the Twitter age.
Can ‘done’ be an emotion like joy and sadness?Since around 2000, and especially since the pandemic, people have increasingly been declaring themselves “done” or “so done.”
'Pareidolia' and other fancy Greek words for common happeningsPareidolia is an old phenomenon, but the word itself is fairly recent, coined in the 19th century from para- (“beyond”) and eidolon (“image”).
Words of the Year evoke the preoccupations of 2021Words of the year from various dictionaries included: "vax," "perseverance," "allyship," "non-fungible token."
What do you call leftovers and byproducts?Maple syrup bottles often have tiny, basically useless handles – holdovers from the days when syrup was stored in earthenware jugs.
What pasta has to do with Christmas carols"Macaronic" texts have been produced wherever cultures are bilingual or multilingual, and can combine any languages, not just English and Latin.
‘Thwart’ encompasses two opposing meaningsOn one hand, to thwart something is to hinder or prevent it. But in 1609, building a bridge over a river was described as “thwarting a bank.”
Fairy tales give rise to colorful turns of phrase"Cinderella story" has referred to a rags-to-riches arc since the mid-19th century. It's a made-up phrase – but we all know what it means.
The Greeks put the 'meta' in 'metaverse'In English, a metaphor is a figure of speech that asserts one thing “is” another. In Greek, metaphoreis are the people who move your furniture.
What ‘Black Friday’ and ‘red ink’ have in commonRed and black ink have been paired since ancient Egypt, where scribes carried writing palettes with styluses and two colors of ink.
Authors who made their mark with made-up words“Pandemonium,” “critical,” “assassinate,” and “eventful” all came from written literature before being widely adapted in spoken English.
She tabled the discussion of a 'moot point'In the U.S., labeling something a 'moot point' means it's no longer worth discussing. In England, however, that means it's open to further debate.
