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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.


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play video title words of the year 1066
Words of the Year: 1066

 

English was never the same after the Norman Conquest

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Further vs. Farther

 

They started as same word, but their meanings have drifted apart over time.

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When Body Parts Are Also Verbs

 

Head, shoulders, metaphors, and toes

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'Nip it in the butt' or 'Nip it in the bud'?

 

We're gonna stop you right there

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An Abbreviated History of American English Spelling

 

Soop, wimmen, and headake did not make the cut

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The True Story of the Backward Index

 

These people needed a computer

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Webster's Dictionary of 1864

 

The landmark edition that transformed the way dictionaries are made.