10 Letters Dropped From The Alphabet [video]

The Time the Oxford English Dictionary Forgot a Word

From Mental Floss –

When the complete edition of what would become the Oxford English Dictionary debuted in 1928, it was lauded as a comprehensive collection of the English language, a glossary so vast—and so thorough—that no other reference book could ever exceed its detail or depth. In total, the project took seven decades to catalogue everything from A to Z, defining a total of 414,825 words. But in the eyes of its editor James Murray, the very first volume of the dictionary was something of an embarrassment: It was missing a word.

Continue reading HERE.

Colour or Color – How British And American Spelling Diverged

From mental_floss –

Why do Brits and Americans spell certain words differently? A colourful tale of dictionaries, politics, and national identity ensues here.

View the video HERE.

13 Little-Known Punctuation Marks [info-graphic]

Mental_floss posted an info-graphic, that outlined a few punctuation marks that could be useful, if they gained acceptance.

Check out the info-graphic HERE.

Mental_floss post

Contronyms – Words That Are Their Own Opposites [video]

As You Meggle, Learn These 19 Old-Timey Cold Weather Words

Mental_floss gathered 19 obsolete terms for ice, snow, and everything wintry. My favorite is ‘aquabob’, an 18th. century word for an icicle.

Check out all 19 terms HERE.

 

8 Ancient Writing Systems That Haven’t Been Deciphered

Mental_floss published a list of 8 writing systems that haven’t been deciphered.

Read about them HERE.

 

The Real Origin of OK [video]

The Ampersand – All You Need To Know

From sitepoint –

We see the symbol all of the time. Elegant, curved, infinitely malleable. But what’s the origin of the mysterious and ubiquitous ampersand? How can you choose which one is the best version to use? Read on to uncover all you wanted to know about this ancient tool of text:

Continue reading HERE.

 

Incredibly Interesting Stuff About 15 English Words

According to Mental_floss –

Let’s face it, some words are a lot more interesting than others. But then again, some words are secretly interesting—they might seem straightforward on the surface, but hidden behind them is some remarkable quirk or bizarre piece of trivia that sets them apart. Check out fifteen examples of words that are a lot more interesting than they seem.

Find out what is unusual about eighty-eight, happenchance, and more HERE.

 

Why Brits and Americans Spell Differently

The Last Person Who Speaks Wukchumni [video]