The word 'silly' once meant 'blessed' or 'happy' in Old English.

The word 'rule of thumb' does not have an origin in domestic violence — this is a persistent false etymology.

The Sapir-Whorf hypothesis proposes language structure influences how we perceive the world.

The word 'salary' derives from 'sal' (salt) — Roman soldiers were paid a salt allowance.

The apostrophe was introduced into English in the 16th century — its rules have never been consistently applied.

There is no word in English for the back of the knee.

The color 'orange' was named after the fruit — before oranges arrived in Europe, the color was simply called 'yellow-red.'

The Basque language has no known relatives anywhere in the world — it is a true language isolate.

The Sapir-Whorf hypothesis proposes that language structure influences thought — strong and weak versions are debated.