Dear Language Nerd, Why did people used to use “f” instead of “s”? Like at the top of the Bill of Rights, where it says “Congrefs of the United States”? -Lawrence Duncan *** Dear Lawrence, It’s not really an “f,” though it certainly looks like one. Let’s zoom in on that header: It’s a stretched-out […]
Dear Language Nerd, I’m reading a book on Shakespeare’s sonnets that keeps referring to “iambic pentameter,” but hasn’t really told me what that is. Little help? -Austin Korrins *** Dear Austin, A syllable is just one vowel-marked sound An iamb though is two, first weak then strong They make a certain rhythmic bouncing pound: ba-DONK […]
Dear Language Nerd, My English Second Language teacher last year always said to us, “Do you know the secret way to learn the irregular verbs? … Memorize them all!” Ha ha ha, right? But is there a better way? From Andrew *** Dear Andrew, I won’t lie, you’re going to have to do some memorizing. […]
Hello Language Nerd, I’m on my way to Mexico City in a few days, and I don’t know a word of Spanish. Can you help? Peter P. *** Dear Peter, Spanish is not one of the languages the Language Nerd has studied, but you’re in luck — I’m wandering through Mexico at the moment myself, […]
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 […]
Dear Language Nerd, This Philosoraptor has perfectly phrased my question: Well? Yours, Laura *** Dear Laura, Whoa, that question has some “Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo” mind-games going on, but the answer is definitely the second option: first you have the fruit, and the color gets its name from there. This is true of many […]