Alternate Title: Catapostrophy! *** Language Nerd, Language Nerd, people who can’t use apostrophes right make me crazy. Why are they so difficult for so many? -Amelia *** Dear Amelia, In order to understand the trials and travails for the apostrophe of today, we must first look to the apostrophes of yesteryear. The yesterpostrophes, if you […]
Language Nerd, how does anyone ever learn English when a word like “cleave” can mean can mean “to split apart” or “to stick together”? Why would a word be its own opposite??? -Patricia Quinn *** Dear Patricia, Learning English is no joke, and contronyms are an unpleasant part of the process, but at least they […]
Dear Language Nerd, Why do Spanish speakers put “e” on the front of words in English, like saying “estudent” for “student”? Gammie *** Dear Gammie, It’s actually not about the “e,” but about the “st.” Spanish words never start with “st,” “sc,” “sp,” “sn,” or “s” plus any other consonant. (“S” plus vowel is fine, […]
Hello Language Nerd, A friend of mine recently bought a book that claims to list about two dozen fundamental words from the “first language,” when humans were still one small group speaking together. It says that all languages have words descended from these originals. My friend thinks it’s great, but I’m not convinced – didn’t […]
Dear Language Nerd, I’ve heard that in some languages ! stands for a clicking sound. Is that true? And are click languages related to whistling languages? -Erma Fenson *** FIRST, AN APOLOGY: My first few posts had jokes about adoring etymonline. When I found out I could get to the OED I switched to jokes […]