Cuneiform writing used over 1,000 distinct symbols at its most complex — it was simplified over time.

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

The word 'quiz' supposedly originated as a bet in Dublin in 1791 — its true origin remains unknown.

English has the largest vocabulary of any language — the Oxford English Dictionary contains over 600,000 words.

There are approximately 7,000 languages spoken in the world — about half are expected to disappear by end of the century.

The word 'set' has the most definitions in the English language — over 430 in the Oxford English Dictionary.

There are no true synonyms — words with similar meanings always differ in connotation, register, or use.

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

The language with the most native speakers is Mandarin Chinese, followed by Spanish and English.