Language Change

We still 'dial' numbers and 'hang up' calls on phones that do neither. Why some metaphors outlive their objects shows how rarely…

Idioms fade quietly, usually when the object behind them leaves daily life. Surveys and worn-out referents hint at which phrases are going…

Some words do not merely drift; they pivot to the opposite of what they meant. 'Nice' began as an insult and 'awful'…