Latin, Like Ancient Rome, Never Gets Old

by Merriam-Webster Dictionary    Over the centuries, certain Latin phrases have been used widely enough in English to get included in the dictionary. This list contains some of our favorites: In Vino Veritas Definition – “there is truth in wine”:    The classy thing to say when you’ve had too much to drink and have just …

Blind Author Shows Disabled As Real People

by Victoria Ivie San Gebriel Valley Tribune    Growing up blind, Fullerton-based author Melissa Whitney voraciously consumed representation of the blind community in media, hoping to connect with inclusive characters that reflect her and her disability.    “I always wanted a book where I could see myself as a main character,” Whitney said. “I can …

Friending Shakespeare And His Word Creations

by Kevin Burton    Today we continue a sampling of words and phrases coined by William Shakespeare compiled by the Dictionary Scoop website. Five words and phrases Sunday, five more today.    The first one on today’s list is a good description of me. The last one is a word I am sure you thought …

Funny-Sounding Words With Serious Meanings

by Dictionary Scoop    Words like “cattywampus” and “frou-frou” are more than just fun to say. Sometimes, etymology can take unexpected twists and leave us with gems like “erf” and “dragoon.”    To some, these are everyday words in areas like cuisine or urban planning, for others they are a random assortment of letters that might …

Who’s Hungry For Some Tasty Food Idioms?

by Dictionary Scoop    Food idioms have a way of adding flavor to our speech. We have internalized these phrases and no longer notice their edible main characters.    What are the origins of these funny lines? Did their meanings evolve over the centuries? Grab a snack and read on to learn the history of food-related …

Ten American Idioms Used Around The World

by Dictionary Scoop     In different parts of the world, people often express the same ideas in very similar ways, while using different languages. Join us to discover the foreign counterparts of these 10 everyday American idioms. 1-Beggars can’t be choosers    When you’re faced with a situation where you have to take what is …

Imperfect Tens: Hits Dionne Warwick Hated

by Kevin Burton    The artist hated them, I loved them and so did millions of others.    From the 60s genius of legendary songwriting team Burt Bacharach and Hal David, and the 80s (post-70s really) brilliance of the Bee Gees, came two smash hits for Dionne Warwick.    Both songs went to number 10 …

Stealing Grooves? Plagiarism or Coincidence?

by Dictionary Scoop    They say that bad artists imitate, but it takes a great artist to make something new out of the work of others.    In the world of music, the thin line between inspiration and plagiarism is often full of controversy, even when the similarities were not intended.    Whether it’s a …

Significant Words About Insignificance

by Kevin Burton    You may not have heard of some of the words on today’s list from Merriam-Webster, especially the first one.    The dictionary is serving up words about insignificance. But the first offering is from my childhood days at the Ohio State School for the Blind.    I may have heard this …

Secret Languages From Around The World

by interestingfacts.com    From clandestine codes understood only by women to local argots developed in geographically isolated communities, the world is filled with enigmatic languages and jargons.     Join us on a linguistic journey as we shed light on some of the cryptic methods people have used to converse throughout history: 1-Boontling (Boonville, California, USA) …