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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.


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

 

English was never the same after the Norman Conquest

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Video: Why is there a 'c' in 'indict'?

 

And who put it there, anyway?

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An Abbreviated History of American English Spelling

 

Soop, wimmen, and headake did not make the cut

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Affect vs. Effect

 

Here's the lowdown on what may be the most confusing pair of words in the English language.

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How a Word Gets into the Dictionary

 

What our editors are looking for when they enter words in Merriam-Webster.

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'One in the same' or 'One and the same'?

 

Is it all the same anyway?