Why Do We Only Say “Merry” for Christmas?
Americans favor 'Merry Christmas,' while Brits opt for 'Happy Christmas.' Here's how we got here.
2023-11-10 05:58
Why Is It Called the “Placebo Effect”?
What is a placebo? Technically, a Latin phrase meaning ‘I will please.’ It’s also a Catholic prayer and a clever insult.
2023-10-23 23:57
Why Do Ghosts Say “Boo”?
If linguistics is any indicator, it would appear that everybody in the spirit realm speaks Scots English.
2023-10-06 03:51
The Racist Origins of 7 Common Phrases
From ‘cakewalk’ to ‘no can do,’ the origins of these common idioms and sayings are surprisingly dark.
2023-09-11 23:52
41 Fascinating Phobias, Explained
From acrophobia (the fear of heights) to zuigerphobia (the fear of vacuum cleaners), there are plenty of things to be scared of—rationally or otherwise.
2023-07-07 04:23
5 Linguistic Illusions That Will Make You Go “Wait, What?”
Linguistic illusions—a phenomenon in which your judgment or understanding of a sentence or phrase conflicts with its actual meaning or structure—reveal how we process the world, and remind us that things aren’t always as they seem.
2023-06-05 20:26