Latest articles by Arika Okrent
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How to tell whether you've got angst, ennui, or weltschmerz
feature Are you dissatisfied and worried in an introspective, overthinking German way? Or do you have sadness in your heart for the world that can never be?
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The Pig Latins of 11 other languages
feature English speakers aren't the only ones who can make a pseudo-language
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Why does 'terrible' mean bad and 'terrific' mean good?
feature These crossover words often require a bit of ironic slang in order to evolve
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How to write the sound of a kiss
feature Muah!
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Why is Y sometimes a vowel?
feature In "yes," Y is representing a consonant, and in "gym" it is representing a vowel
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Where did the phrase 'come out of the closet' come from?
feature This expression for revealing one's homosexuality may seem natural. But it's actually a relatively new thing.
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The true origin story of the football huddle
feature It was first invented by deaf players
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Where did the expression 'OK' come from?
feature It's amazing that we ever got along without it at all. But we did until 1839
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50 actual shades of gray
feature A 1912 book by Robert Ridgway named 1,115 colors, including dozens of shades of gray
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Why are pound and ounce abbreviated as 'lb' and 'oz'?
feature Abbreviations are usually self-explanatory. How come these two aren't?
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9 words created by spelling other words backwards
feature Fancy some "semordnilaps"?
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What most people get wrong about 'o' vs 'oh'
feature O reader, we're here to help!
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11 naughty sounding scientific names (and what they really mean)
feature From Turdus Maximus to Pinus Rigida
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11 words and phrases popularized by World War I
feature Camouflage, shell shock, and more
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17 old proverbs we should use more often
feature We dare you to say "Many a little makes a mickle" without smiling
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Learn Klingon in 6 steps
feature It's the only honorable thing to do
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15 words plagued by unusual silent letters
feature Damn you, tricky consonant clusters
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11 amazing facts about the Iditarod
feature There's even a Jamaican dog sled team
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15 awesome 19th-century street gang names
feature Do not mess with the Plug Uglies or Dead Rabbits
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What's the correct pronunciation of February?
feature Hint: There's more than one answer
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8 fun facts about the Irish language
feature Happy St. Patrick's Day!
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20 towns named for other towns but pronounced differently
feature In Illinois and Kentucky, don't call the cities of Athens, ATH-ens. They're pronounced EIGHTH-ens, apparently.
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29 adorable slang terms for sex (from the last 600 years)
feature When it comes to the ol' houghmagandy, a little mystery goes a long way
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How many languages is it possible to know?
feature It depends on whom you ask
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