Doomsday Clock on the Move The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists has told the world what time it is (from a distance to nuclear doomsday perspective!) since 1947, when its famous clock appeared on the cover. Since then, the clock has moved forward and back, reflecting the state of international security. In 1957, we were […]
Changes in the English Language during the Renaissance The Renaissance was mainly about rediscovering the classics, but it was also the time in which modern philosophy, natural sciences and historiography have their roots. Latin and Greek — more precise languages — made a comeback, and English evolved in the process.
Linguistics & Archaeology Archaeologists attempt to reconstruct the history of cultures by the analysis of traces which remain in the present. In much the same way, historical linguists attempt to reconstruct languages of the past. By comparing different languages we are able to show if they are related. By reconstructing the changes which have taken […]
Linguistic Phenomena/Devices Here is a list of some of the lesser known linguistic phenomena and devices used in English writing. Many folks actually know what most of these are, but the names may be unfamiliar. The list doesn’t include the well-known devices (like synonym or metaphor). Also left out are extremely rare or poetic devices […]
No more Stephen King books? Stephen King’s work has been a sometimes guilty/sometimes not so guilty pleasure for me since I was a kid. So much so, that picking up a new novel by the horror writer always makes me feel all warm and fuzzy with childhood nostalgia, no matter how gruesome the story is. […]
Pop culture at its best and worst According to Martha Bayles in an article in the Wilson Quarterly, “The most serious problem facing popular culture: the democratization, now on a global scale, of what I call “perverse modernism.” To the familiar vices of popular culture–notably, vulgarity and kitsch–perverse modernism has added a new twist: a […]
The Food Timeline Ever wonder what the Vikings ate when they set off to explore the new world? How Thomas Jefferson made his ice cream? What the pioneers cooked along the Oregon Trail? This fascinating food timeline provides a tremendous list of the origins of specific foods, as well a number of recipes.