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Category Archives: English
The origins of the alphabet
20 May 2026 Words Unravelled with RobWords and Jess Zafarris Let’s explore the mysteries of our weird alphabet. Rob and Jess are joined by Danny Bate, author of Why Q Needs U, to discuss where our letters came from and … Continue reading
What is a ‘slapstick’?
13 May 2026 Words Unravelled with RobWords and Jess Zafarris Rob and Jess are guffawing their way through a world of comedic words. 🎭 What does ‘comedy’ literally mean? 🤡 Who should you hit with a ‘slapstick’? 🥄 What was … Continue reading
The words that contradict themselves
2 May 2026 Let’s explore contronyms. And 🌏 get an exclusive NordVPN deal + 4 months extra here → https://nordvpn.com/robwordsvpn It’s risk-free with Nord’s 30-day money-back guarantee! ✌️ “Fast”, “clip”, “sanction”, “leave”… can have two opposing meanings. How does that … Continue reading
Lingthusiasm Episode 114: Begonia, average coral, and sea pink – Defining colour terms with Kory Stamper
begonia: a deep pink that is bluer, lighter, and stronger than average coral (see ‘coral’ 3B), bluer than fiesta, and bluer and stronger than sweet William, called also ‘gaiety’. In this episode, your hosts Gretchen McCulloch and Lauren Gawne get … Continue reading
The origins of common sayings
15 Apr 2026 Words Unravelled with RobWords and Jess Zafarris Rob and Jess explore the origins of common sayings in another episode dedicated to the stories behind idioms. 🐟 What was the first “red herring”? 🪿 Is there a goose … Continue reading
How did English come to have different words for “ape” and “monkey”?
Photo by Leslie Low / Unsplash The etymology of our words for living primates gives some insight into how common ideas adjusted to new scientific knowledge. JOHN HAWKS JAN 06, 2019 In scientific English, today we often distinguish between “monkeys” … Continue reading