Curated Video
The Screwed-Up History of English Spelling
The English spelling system is a MESS... arguably more than any other language. How did it get this way?
Curated Video
How Do Clichés Evolve into Memes?
Adaptable clichés called "snowclones" are EVERYWHERE on the internet. We use them for memes, inside jokes, to show our membership of the group. But they weren't invented online. In fact, they're way older than you think!
Curated Video
Is Swearing Good for Your Brain?
Does swearing get a bad rap? There's evidence that the shouting obscenities has an evolutionary purpose... and may be good for your psyche!
Curated Video
60 Euphemisms for Death!
No topic is as universally avoided--yet universally unavoidable--as DEATH. So, it's got a lot of euphemisms in virtually every language.
Curated Video
Popular Words Invented by Authors
Authors often create words just for a one-time usage... but a special few will gain traction and become full-fledged parts of our shared lexicon!
Curated Video
What People Get Wrong About African-American English
It's one of the most studied — and most controversial — varieties of English. But many people still hold deep misconceptions about African-American English (AAE).
Curated Video
What's the Longest Word?
Before we decide from a long list of contenders, we'll have to figure out what the word "word" really means...
Curated Video
Is Bilingualism a Superpower?
There was a time when psychologists thought growing up bilingual was harmful to brain development, but recent studies into bilingual children have turned that idea on its head!
Curated Video
The Unexpected Origins of the Word ‘Monster’
Words don't pop up fully formed... they evolve over thousands of years. What can we learn about our relationship to monsters by tracking the word down into the distant past?
Curated Video
Why Do We Use Cringey Words for Loved Ones?
Why do we use such unusual words for the people we love? From baby to bunny, two thirds of American adults refer to their romantic partners by a pet name. And we’ve been doing this for a long time—the Historical Thesaurus of the Oxford...
Curated Video
Is the Southern Accent Disappearing?
When you hear names like Gladys or Herbert or Doris, you probably automatically think of old people, but why is that? Linguists have been studying the science of first names for a long time, and though what's behind a particular parent's...
Curated Video
Why Do These Words Get Mispronounced So Much?
We all love language but still sometimes we pronounce certain words wrong, and everyone does it. We’re not talking about speaking too fast or jumbling letters. We’re talking about good ol’ fashioned mispronunciations–things you didn’t...
Curated Video
How Language Nerds Solve Crimes
The fact that we all have our own unique way of speaking is a beautiful thing. It's at the core of personal expression and contributes to the wonderful tapestry of language. But it also means that no form of expression can be 100%...
Curated Video
How the Colors Got Their Names
In some ways, colors are the ultimate example of language's power. The earliest humans didn't have words for colors. They had words for objects and actions, and it took tens of thousands of years for those words to evolve into the names...
Curated Video
What Brain Damage Reveals About Language
Language is really more related to the brain than any other part of the body. It's where language "happens." Whether you're shaping words with your mouth, signing them with your hands, or writing them on paper, the bulk of the work is...
Curated Video
Why Does Texting Feel Different from Talking?
Have you ever stressed out about sending an email, rereading it to see if it sounds okay, or wondering if you added too many exclamation points? Or maybe you feel confident when expressing yourself via text message, but you just can’t...
Curated Video
How Queer Communities Created Secret Languages
Across the globe, queer communities have relied on secret lexicons known as "argots" to communicate safely, which have developed over the years into what some call "verbal jazz."
Curated Video
The Weird History of Invented Languages
Can you really invent a language? These people sure tried! But does anyone actually speak them?
Curated Video
How English Took Over the World
English is the most widely spoken language on the planet. But, how did English become the most widely spoken language in the world? And why are there so many different kinds of Englishes?
Curated Video
Where Alcoholic Drinks Got Their Names
There are no shortage of wacky names for alcoholic beverages, from Fuzzy Navels, to Sex on the Beaches, to the NSFW AMF. Humans have been enjoying alcoholic beverages since the dawn of civilization so there's plenty of linguistic...
Curated Video
It’s Never Turtles All the Way Down
Several mythologies from around the world imagined that the world sits on the back of a turtle. Centuries later, we end up with the whimsically iconic phrase “it's turtles all the way down.” Let's explore the origins of the phrase, some...
Curated Video
The Book of the Dead May Not Be What You Think It Is
We reveal the true purpose of the ancient text, discover more about the ancient Egyptian people and their relationship with death and the afterlife and dispel misconceptions about the use of this piece of ancient history. Join us as we...
Curated Video
Hawaii's Fiery Lovers to Enemies Myth
Not all marriages are love stories, and some of them are meant to end. The Hawai’ian volcano goddess Pele was briefly and disdainfully married to the half-pig demigod Kamapua’a before their ugly breakup. This story will allow us to...
Curated Video
Were These Mythical Warriors Real?
Ancient tales of this tribe of warrior women who fought epic battles and established great cities continue to inspire storytellers in modern times. The legend challenges traditional gender roles and inspires narratives of female...