by Cole Salao
Digital technology has supercharged the evolution of language. The internet, in particular, has brought millions of people together in real time, allowing for the rapid spread of new terms and phrases. Internet slang has become so pervasive that people regularly...
by Cole Salao
Words change meaning over time, often in ways that seem surprising or ridiculous. Check the etymology of certain words and you’ll find a complex journey of how they came to be. This is a result of constant social, cultural, and historical shifts. Because of...
by Cole Salao
Picture this: You’re in a debate about a complex issue. As you’re about to make a point, your opponent cuts you off with, “It is what it is.” Boom! Conversation over. This is a thought-terminating cliche in action. They sound meaningful, but in reality, they’re...
by Cole Salao
English is full of compound words or phrases that look and sound the same, but their meanings—and how they’re used—can change dramatically depending on use and context. Should it be “everyday” or “every day”? “Wake up” or “wake-up”? Even seasoned writers get tripped...
by Cole Salao
I bet you’ve felt disdain, but have you ever experienced dain? Probably not. After all, it doesn’t exist. Words like this are called unpaired words. They seem like they should have an opposite, but just don’t. Let’s take a look at this language quirk and see how...
by Cole Salao
Fossil words have stuck around for ages despite the language evolving around them. You see them often in English, particularly in phrases like “to and fro” and “vim and vigor.” But why and how do these words survive? What are Fossil Words? Because language keeps...
