Language »
Where the Dollar Sign Comes From
Today I found out where the dollar sign ($) comes from. This symbol first showed up in the 1770s, appearing in documents of English-Americans who had business dealings with Spanish-Americans. However, it wasn’t until
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The Word ‘Whence’ is Pretty Much Always Used Incorrectly
Today I found out that the word ‘whence’ is pretty much always used wrong, especially by modern day writers. For example, (from the Lord of the Rings, spoken by Elrond): “The Ring was made
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What the Nautical Term ‘Avast’ Means
Today I found what the nautical term ‘avast’ means, namely “stop” or “hold still”. The word was originally derived from the Dutch phrase “houd vast”, which literally means “hold fast”. The frequent usage of
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There is an Irony Mark in Punctuation
Today I found out there is an irony mark in punctuation. The irony mark specifically is a backwards question mark: ؟ This mark was originally proposed by the 19th century French poet Alcanter de
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The Origins of the Lorem Ipsum Dolor Text
Today I found out where the “Lorem Ipsum Dolor” text comes from and what it means. For those of you who don’t know, the “Lorem Ipsum Dolor” text has been used since about the
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The Term “Third World Country” Refers to the Political and Economic Structure of a Country, Not Its Developmental State or Wealth
Today I found out a “Third World” country is not a country that simply is primitive, underdeveloped, or poor, as most people think. In fact, a third world country is actually just a country
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What “OK” Stands For
Today I found out what “OK” stands for, namely “oll korrect”. So how does that make any sense at all? I’m glad you asked, because otherwise this article would have been way to short
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The Words Moron, Imbecile, and Idiot Mean Different Things
Today I found out the words moron, imbecile, and idiot mean different things. In psychology, an idiot has the least intelligence on the IQ scale (this now is equivalent to someone who is mentally
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It’s “Daylight Saving Time” Not “Daylight Savings Time”
Today I found out it’s “daylight saving time”, not “daylight savings time”. “Daylight saving time” uses the present participle “saving” as an adjective, as in “labor saving device”. Bonus Factoids: Ben Franklin often
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How ‘Gay’ Came to Mean ‘Homosexual’
Today I found out how ‘gay’ came to mean ‘homosexual’. The word “gay” seems to have its origins around the 12th century in England, derived from the Old French word ‘gai’, which in turn
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