Mailbag Day!

We answer some of your burning language questions!

We look at the differences between words that appear to be almost exactly the same. Historic vs. Historical, Classic vs. Classical, Fantastic vs. Fantastical... Are they always the same? Are they ever the same?

Just in time for the spoookiest day of the year (Election Day), we take a look at the ways politicians talk to us and try to win us to their side. We look at axiology in language, antithesis, epistrophe, deixis, and chiasmus, among other devices.

We talk about one of the scariest of things: words that seem like they should mean the same thing but actually don't. Is a hobgoblin just a fancy goblin? What's the difference between a coffin and a casket? And why do people keep saying "autobiography" when they mean "memoir?"

We look at the origins of some fall-related and autumn-related words. Which, to be clear, are the same thing.

We're talking about how we understand each other even when we're using techniques we don't realize we're using, and how we work together to communicate. We'll dive into Grice's Maxims of Conversation and the importance of implicature in everyday conversation.

We continue our look into the etymologies of various (mild) insults, including the origins of rube, bum, schmuck, and dweeb. (You're none of these things, don't worry, we love you.)

We look at the etymologies of various insults throughout history, including the origins of barbarian, brat, dunce, and fool.

Be careful how you say these words! It could be a matter of life and death.

Hydronyms, dromonyms… toponyms! (Place names. We’re talking about place names.)