I just read a strange book on linguistics called The Kingdom of Speech by Tom Wolfe, published August 2016. I don't recall buying it, i...

Are you confused by amused and bemused ? If so you're not alone. Bemused is one of those words whose meaning is shifting. Nonplussed...

Can't believe it's been a year since my last post. Wanted to share this link that was in this week's Word a Day weekly compend...

Last time I discussed the influence of the Norse settlers on English during the period between Old English and Middle English and how it f...

The first written texts of Middle English in the late 12th century show a remarkable simplification from Old English, just a century or two ...

While our children were in high school we hosted several European exchange students in our home for whom English was a second, third, or e...

I haven't posted anything here for a few months. Hope some of you at least have missed me! Anyway it's not for lack of material. I o...