play video title words of the year 1066
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.


Up next

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

 

English was never the same after the Norman Conquest

play video lay vs lie
Lay vs. Lie

 

Editor Emily Brewster clarifies the difference.

play video title attorney generals
Is It 'Attorney Generals' Or 'Attorneys General'?

 

'Poets laureate'? 'Court-martials'? The curious history of postpositive adjectives in English.

play sneaked vs snuck video
Sneaked vs. Snuck

 

How the irregular 'snuck' sneaked into the dictionary

play is none singular or plural video
Is 'none' singular or plural?

 

Or both? Or neither?

play fun funner funnest
Fun, Funner, Funnest

 

Why does it sound strange to say 'funner' or 'funnest?'

play image1815466723
How Do You Pronounce 'Vase'?

 

And is one way more correct than the others?