LINGUISTICS

The Mysterious Origins of the Phrase ‘The Whole Nine Yards’

Linguists and lexicographers have truly gone the whole nine yards to uncover the origin of ‘the whole nine yards.’

The situation has clearly gone from bad to worse.

How to Use Worse vs. Worst Correctly in 6 Common Phrases

What's the 'worse' or 'worst' that could happen if you use the wrong form of this commonly used word? Here's what to know.

If you know, you know. And if you don't know, this list should help.

15 Gen Z Slang Terms You Should Lowkey Know

Zoomers have revolutionized the slang game on- and offline with colorful terms like ‘stan’ and ‘She ate.’ But some are older than you think.

What Does Goodbye Actually Mean?

You’re not really wishing someone a good ‘bye.’ ‘Bye’ is just an abbreviation—and ‘good’ is sort of a mistake.

These phrases likely came from some dark places.

8 Common Phrases with Surprisingly Dark Origins

From poisoning to warfare, these are the dark origin stories behind eight common phrases and idioms.

Social media has helped create a thriving slang landscape.

From GOAT to Ghost: Here Are America’s 30 Most Googled Slang Terms

Maybe you know ‘GOAT,’ ‘FOMO,’ and ‘stan.’ But thanks in part to TikTok, slang is a little more complex than that these days.

Bychykhin_Olexandr/iStock via Getty Images

The Secret to Winning Wordle

Luck is a big element of Wordle, but there are skills and strategies you can use to win the new word game sweeping the internet.

Mispronunciations can strike at anytime.

Flubbed: The 13 Most Mispronounced Words of 2021

It's been a rough year for buzz words: Nothing is more cheugy than not being able to properly pronounce 'cheugy.'

Where vs. Whereas: When to Use Each One Correctly

One historical definition of ‘whereas’ is ‘preamble.’ But that’s probably not the one you’re looking for.

If you're writing a conditional statement, then you should use then.

Then vs. Than: When to Use Which

‘More than’ or ‘more then’ isn’t a matter of opinion. But there was a time when they were interchangeable.

Disinterested vs. Uninterested: What’s the Difference?

Should you use ‘disinterested’ or ‘uninterested’? It depends on the context, the era, and how much you care about the grammar sticklers in your life.

Where Do We Get the Term Spitting Image?

The figurative meaning of ‘spitting image’ couldn’t be clearer. The literal meaning depends on which linguist you ask.

Hopefully this article will have a positive effect on your grammar skills.

Affect vs. Effect: How to Use Each Word Correctly

Affect or effect? These examples—and a grammar hack from TikTok—will help you remember the difference.

Insure vs. Ensure: What's the Difference?

Insure and ensure started out as alternate spellings of the same word, but today they have slightly different definitions.

"Kurtus Cobaenus" performing in Belgium in 1991.

Watch and Listen to Nirvana’s 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' Performed in Classical Latin

Calling all Latin teachers and classics scholars: this is the “Smells Like Teen Spirit” cover of your dreams.

She's ready to captivate her classmates with a rousing debate on each vs. every.

Each vs. Every: What’s the Difference?

There’s a reason why “Every of my feet” sounds so wrong, and why “Almost each foot” is equally weird.

"May I please use can when asking permission to do something?"

Can vs. May: When to Use Each Term

Many a teacher has reinforced the grammar rule that ‘may’ is for asking permission—not ‘can.’ But there’s a little more to it than that.

Evan Peters and Kate Winslet in Mare of Easttown (2021).

Hot Wooder: The Philadelphia Accent Is In Danger of Disappearing Because of Millennials

Kate Winslet's Philadelphia accent in 'Mare of Easttown' could be a linguistic time capsule in a couple of decades.

Notable southpaw Tommy John pitching for the New York Yankees in the 1980s.

Why Are Left-Handed People Called Southpaws?

Southpaws are most often talked about in baseball and boxing. But which sport (if either) coined the term?

Your Herbal Tea Isn’t Actually Tea at All—Here’s Why

True tea comes from leaves of the 'Camellia sinensis' plant. All other beverages commonly labeled 'tea' are technically tisane.

A promising young restaurateur, ready to be called a restauranteur for the rest of her career.

Why Is There No N in Restaurateur?

If you’ve been spelling ‘restaurateur’ with an ‘n’ for your entire life, don't feel bad. But here’s why you’re wrong.

Miranda is an important character in Shakespeare's The Tempest, but she's not the titular role.

Titular vs. Eponymous: What’s the Difference?

The definition of ‘eponymous’ has changed over time, and ‘titular’ has more than one. Here’s how to use each word correctly.

What’s the Difference Between a Fact and a Factoid?

A factoid isn’t just a fun fact—at least, it wasn’t when Norman Mailer allegedly coined the term in 1973.

They're debating whether it should be "the 'rona" or "Zoom."

The American Dialect Society Needs Your Help Choosing 2020’s Word of the Year

It doesn’t have to be in the dictionary—in fact, it doesn’t even have to be a word. Phrases, slang, and even hashtags are all fair game.

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