Latest articles by Arika Okrent
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The letter O: Made complex by 17th century calligraphy
feature In the hands of master calligraphers, the humble O can shed its simplicity, its symmetry, and even its bounded borders
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11 nouns that only have a plural form
feature We never talk about a singular scissor...
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14 Swedish words that conflict with the Ikea products they name
feature Some of these make absolutely no sense
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24 Canadianisms way more interesting than 'eh?'
feature Toronto is nicknamed Hogtown, and if you're ever in the mood for a mixture of tomato juice and beer, ask for a Calgary Redeye
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Haiti is teaching kids in the wrong language
The Explainer Most Haitians speak Haitian Creole. And yet, the country's traditional language of education is French — which less than 10 percent of Haitians speak fluently
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9 little translation mistakes that caused big problems
feature The importance of good translation is most obvious when things go wrong
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Iko iko wan dey: What do the words to that Mardi Gras song mean?
feature A look at the origins of Mardi Gras' most popular song
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Why English spelling is so messed up
feature The explanation may not comfort you, but it may at least make you see the language as less arbitrarily maddening
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8 fun facts about the Irish language
feature Happy St. Patrick's Day!
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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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17 overly optimistic book titles
feature Despite the names of many how-to guides, you actually can't make a Stradivarius violin, master life, or be happy with dental plates
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7 book dedications that basically say 'screw you'
feature "I do not dedicate my book to any body; for I know nobody worth dedicating it to. I have no friends, no children, no wife, no home; — no relations, no well-wishers; — nobody to love, and nobody to care for"
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7 sentences that sound crazy but are still grammatical
feature Believe it or not, this sentence is grammatical: "The rat the cat the dog chased killed ate the malt."
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How many languages is it possible to know?
feature It depends on whom you ask
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7 geeky-cool translations of Hamlet
feature Hamlet has been translated into hundreds of languages. But normal human languages can be so boring...
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What's the difference between in- and un-?
feature Germanic vs Latin roots only provide some help
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Fun with the interactive Algonquian language map
feature If you don't know your Plains Cree from your Innu, this map can help
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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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11 classy insults with classical Greek and Latin roots
feature Next time you punk a ructabunde, don't be so excerebrose
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11 remnants of the Bastille you can still see today
feature A piece of the French prison's actual moat wall? You'll find it in the subway.
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The 11 best new words added to Oxford dictionaries
feature From "al desko" to "tomoz"...
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How a deaf couple had their baby officially registered with a sign name
feature It's formed by a change from a closed to open index and thumb handshape near the chin
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Check out these fascinating experiments in Ngram art
feature Words are strange creatures that do not necessarily behave as you would expect when graphed over time
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The bizarre syntax of 'sexiest man alive'
feature Who talks like this?
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