Reports

The beginnings of formal education date back to the ancient world, and many words we associate with school life have surprising roots in the past. This instalment of Word Stories highlights the origins of some words that characterize modern school life.

Words like the are luxuries that many languages get along fine without. English hasn’t always had the definite article the, either. So where do such words come from, and how do they catch on? Learn all about it in this instalment of Language Matters!

A lot has changed over the centuries, but sporting events still provide a very public stage for the high drama of tragedy and triumph. This Word Stories instalment shines a spotlight on the long pedigrees of some common words related to athletic effort and competition.

Some words charm the ear with pizzazz and others thud without melody, but can word sounds exude other qualities: size, shape, or even disgust? Enter the world of sound symbolism!

Will you be celebrating International Tea Day on May 21? From a word lover’s point of view, it’s a good time to reflect on the impressive history of our daily caffeine fixes. Take a quick coffee break, then, and savour these delicious, stimulating stories of the world’s favourite hot drinks.

This instalment of Language Matters looks into why many historical figures’ names are translated, and how cultural and linguistic contexts can influence personal name choices.

This Word Stories instalment examines the way sounds can get switched around in words—sometimes forever—in a linguistic process called metathesis.

This instalment of Language Matters does a deep dive on jargon. Learn about the development of industry-specific terminology and when it should be used (or avoided!)