by Kevin Burton Now Merriam-Webster has stopped preachin’ and gone to meddlin’. Their latest grouping of words they are calling “fossilized words.” But most of them are words I use in ordinary conversation, without trying to strike any linguistic pose or affectation. So what’s the dictionary trying to say about me and speakers of my …
Category Archives: dictionary
Job Titles That Changed Meaning Over Time
by Dictionary Scoop Language preserves history in unexpected places. Many job titles that seem ordinary today began with entirely different meanings. Although the work behind these titles has changed dramatically over the centuries, the words themselves continue to carry traces of the past wherever they are used. 1-Secretary Today, a secretary is …
Continue reading “Job Titles That Changed Meaning Over Time”
Some Of History’s Best, Wittiest Responses
Some Of History’s Best, Wittiest Responses by Kevin Burton Sometimes a question is a softball, served up right into your wheelhouse, ready to be hit out of the park. But if you’re like me, you usually think of the witty, brilliant response after the fact, a day or two later. Don’t you …
Continue reading “Some Of History’s Best, Wittiest Responses”
12 Words From Antiquity, (Better Left There?)
by Dictionary Scoop We all know it: some words just sound ridiculous, but they mean business. If you have ever come across a term like “gobbledygook” or “kerfuffle” and wondered if someone made it up, you’re not alone. Here are 12 of these magnificent words that seem unreal, but are not. 1-Firkin …
Continue reading “12 Words From Antiquity, (Better Left There?)”
Who Can Turn A Can Into A Cane?….Silent E!
by Kevin Burton Every syllable must have both a written vowel and a vowel sound. It’s a rule kids, don’t giggle! Now settle down. This is knowledge you need today, because today is National Silent E Day. Take the word “giggle” for example, since we just used it. That second syllable, to …
Continue reading “Who Can Turn A Can Into A Cane?….Silent E!”
Interesting And Obscure Words About Autumn
by Kevin Burton “Every year August burns itself out like too much of a good thing and every year September is there looming,” I wrote in a profile in my college newspaper. “It’s cooling influence is enough to bring both leaves and schoolboys, floating down to earth.” Autumn begins today in the northern …
Continue reading “Interesting And Obscure Words About Autumn”
Ten Inflammable Words We Use Incorrectly
by Dictionary Scoop Vocabulary is in great part learned through copying and imitating others, but this can lead to incorrect use of a word becoming widespread. Let’s explore some words that you might be using incorrectly. (Then let’s enjoy some snarky comments from your humble blogger.) 1-Nauseous Many people use “nauseous” to describe …
Remedial Class In Tech Terms For The Unsavvy
by Dictionary Scoop Picture this: you’re at dinner with family, and someone says, “Oh, it’s slow because of the bandwidth—you should really set up 2FA on that account.” Everyone nods. You nod too, mostly to avoid follow-up questions. Sound familiar? Here’s the thing: this stuff is actually useful in today’s modern life, and …
Continue reading “Remedial Class In Tech Terms For The Unsavvy”
11 Words From Native American Languages
by Dictionary Scoop English is a very welcoming language in that it incorporates terms from many other languages from all over the world. And Native American languages have lent many of their words and terms to English speakers. Some traveled through Spanish or French before settling into English, and others arrived directly through …
Ten Fun British Words To Kick Around
by Merriam-Webster Dictionary Although Merriam-Webster is a dictionary of American English, it contains a range of words rarely heard outside Britain. Here are some of our favorites: Prat – a stupid or foolish person Prat has been British slang for the sort of person with whom you’d rather not share a long train journey since …
