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On Language and Illustration: Interview with Linda Thompson

Linda Thompson is a philologist and longtime Executive Assistant of the National Museum of Language. In fact, we like to think she’s the “glue” that holds the Museum in place. Lately, she has also been the cartoonist for the Greek language Philogelos and Arthur the Rat/Dictionary of American English (DARE) comic strips on our homepage. […]

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The United States of Etymology

Photo Credit: citizenswaine Latin, Spanish, French, and a host of Native American languages – the names of the states paint a robust picture of our country’s roots. Here they are, in alphabetical order. Alabama: From the Choctaw language albah amo, meaning “plant-cutters.” Alaska: From the Aleut language alaxsxaq, meaning “mainland.” Arizona: From the Basque arizonak, meaning

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Dogs, Butterflies, and Buildings: 5 Architectural Etymologies

The history of architecture furnishes the lover of language with a robust supply of unusual and enlightening etymologies.  The term itself was initially popularized in English in the 1550s from the Greek arkhitekton, meaning “master builder.”  Here you’ll find 5 etymologies from the field of architecture, from the ancient Greeks to modern times. Cantilever: A popular structure of

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On Leadership and Languages: Interview with Gregory J. Nedved

Is it possible to begin studying a foreign language in college, only to become a professional linguist, published author, and Army interpreter? If you’re NML Vice President Gregory Nedved, the answer is a resounding yes. Greg started learning Mandarin Chinese while studying in Taiwan. Since then, he has worked for more than 30 years in the Army

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