LANGUAGE

Before you go bananas, know the theories for where the phrase comes from.

The Curious Origins of 16 Common Phrases

Chances are, you use some of these expressions in conversation frequently—maybe even every day. But where do they come from, anyway?

From Snoopy to Shark Bait: The Top Slang Word in Each State

There’s a minute, and then there’s a “hot minute.”

Sagar.jadhav01, Wikimedia Commons // ;CC BY-SA 4.0

New 'Eye Language' Lets Paralyzed People Communicate More Easily

The illustrated language guide is free to download.

Have You Heard? Trading Gossip Can Be Good for You

TMZ rejoices.

Why Macedonia Is Getting a New Name

The new title may help the Balkan nation finally join the EU.

25 Endangered Languages You Should Hear Before They Disappear

Half of the world’s spoken languages are expected to go extinct by the end of the century.

12 Different Ways to Say 'Doughnut' Across the U.S.

Celebrate National Doughnut Day with this regional slang for the tasty treat, brought to you by the Dictionary of Regional American English (DARE).

Google Translate Error Accidentally Insults Flat-Earthers

Oops.

Why Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Was Hero Turtles in the UK

British censorship led to ninjas, nunchucks, and sausages all being banned.

Linguists Say We Might Be Able to Communicate With Aliens If We Ever Encounter Them

Their theories are based on the idea that a "universal grammar" might hold true for both aliens and humans.

From Camreigh to Kayzleigh: Parents Invented More Than 1000 New Baby Names Last Year

Eleven babies were named after Cersei of <em>Game of Thrones</em>.

8 Professional Translators Choose Their Favorite 'Untranslatable' Words

Literary translation is no small feat.

What Is Foreign Accent Syndrome?

It starts in the brain.

10 Dance-Related Sayings From Around the Globe

Don’t be afraid to have a little boogie while you read these phrases, excerpted from A World of Wisdom: Illustrated Sayings and Proverbs From All Over the Globe.

This Is Why It's So Hard to Learn a Second Language as an Adult

It's not just your imagination.

Why Are Small, Fancy Hats Called Fascinators?

The name may seem like a perfect fit for the eye-catching accessory, but it used to describe a much different type of headgear.

Why is New York City Called The Big Apple?

The City That Never Sleeps has lots of nicknames, but this one might be the most ubiquitous.

The Fascinating Way That Words Can Change How We Perceive Colors

Is it blue, green, or grue? The colors we see in the world aren't only a function of our eyesight. The language we speak can impact the colors we recognize.

Pepper the Robot at the 2017 New Yorker TechFest in New York City

A Robot Called Pepper Can Teach Visitors Swahili at the Smithsonian

His newest job involves helping visitors understand African art's influence on global culture.

ABBA Classics Sung in Swedish (and Spanish)

Mamma mia!

Why Swaziland Was Just Renamed eSwatini

Yes, they were tired of being confused with Switzerland. But that was only part of the problem.

Image: London Stereoscopic Company, Getty Images. Background: iStock. Composite: Lucy Quintanilla, Mental Floss

15 Intriguing Facts About George Eliot

George Eliot is best remembered for writing classic books like 'Middlemarch' and 'Silas Marner,' but she is also connected to Lady Gaga in an unexpected way.

The Surprising Link Between Language and Depression

The overuse of certain words is a marker of depression.

Here's the Right Way to Pronounce 'Pulitzer'

Do you say "pew-litzer" or "pull-itzer"?

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