138 Items Tagged

Linguistics

In this 1873 watercolor, artist Frank Dicksee shows Viking raiders heading for land.

The Muddled Origins of the Word ‘Viking’

The now common term wasn't used to describe medieval Scandinavians until the 19th century.

Martyn Whittock November 16, 2023

These boxes represent just a portion of Madeline Kripke's dictionary collection—around 10,000 volumes and counting.

objects of intrigue

The Low Down on the Greatest Dictionary Collection in the World

From "unabridged" to "slanguage," Madeline Kripke's library is a logophile's heaven (or hell).

April White November 14, 2023

Arrrrr!

The ‘Crispy R’ and Why R Is the Weirdest Letter

I made a bunch of linguists listen to this social media phenomenon and tell me what’s going on.

Dan Nosowitz November 2, 2023

Brusaporto, Italy

Sator Square

Acrosticism and palindromes on this randomly placed stone.

Seoul, South Korea

National Hangeul Museum

Celebrating the history of Hangul, the Korean writing system invented by King Sejong to improve his realm’s literacy.

All illustrations: John Mata for Atlas Obscura

Puzzle Monday: Sing Along

Alex Bellos August 7, 2023

All illustrations: John Mata for Atlas Obscura

Puzzle Monday: The Mystery of the Missing Runes

Alex Bellos July 10, 2023

All illustrations: John Mata for Atlas Obscura

Puzzle Monday: Generation Gaps

Alex Bellos June 12, 2023

In Asbury Park, New Jersey, summer visitors are known as "bennies." On the southern Jersey shore, the same visitors are "shoobies."

Are You a Shoobie or a Benny?

When summer visitors arrive, so do the colorful and sometimes perplexing local nicknames.

Laura Kiniry May 26, 2023

All illustrations: John Mata for Atlas Obscura

Puzzle Monday: What's Yours Is Yours, What's Mine Is Mine

Alex Bellos April 10, 2023

All illustrations: John Mata for Atlas Obscura

Puzzle Monday: Does English Need a New Alphabet?

Alex Bellos March 13, 2023

Vidar Haslum (center) has been collecting place names in southeastern Norway for decades. He is shown here in the 1980s with farmer Nils Vinsland (left), who was born 1904. He was "one of many good informants," Haslum says.

Meet the Man Collecting Fading Place Names

What do we lose when we forget about locations like "Troll's Cave" and "Window Claw"?

Amy Crawford March 10, 2023

All illustrations: John Mata for Atlas Obscura

Puzzle Monday: Official Language, Social Weapon

Alex Bellos February 20, 2023

All illustrations: John Mata for Atlas Obscura

Puzzle Monday: The Signs of Ethiopian Identity

Alex Bellos January 16, 2023

A water tower in Florence, Ky., proudly displays the collective form of address long associated with the American South.

The Origins of 'Y'All' May Not Be in the American South

Now surging in popularity, the iconic pronoun was first used on the other side of the Atlantic in the 17th century.

David Parker January 9, 2023

All illustrations: John Mata for Atlas Obscura

Puzzle Monday: The Two Christmases

Alex Bellos December 5, 2022

All illustrations: John Mata for Atlas Obscura

Puzzle Monday: Unofficial Japanese Food Holidays Crossword

AO Puzzles November 14, 2022

All illustrations: John Mata for Atlas Obscura

Puzzle Monday: How To Be on Time in Estonia

Alex Bellos November 7, 2022