On Words and Up Words | Jack Shepherd | Substack

A Watch of Nightingales: The Origin Story of Collective Terms for Animals

Plus, some truly delightful collective terms for people, from a “rascal of boys” to a “superfluity of nuns.”

14 hrs ago •

The Surprising Origins of Some Very Famous Pen Names

Or, why Lewis Carroll was almost called Edgar Cuthwellis.

Nov 3 •

This Is What the Meaning of “Is Is” Is

The strange and fascinating conundrum of Is-Is-ification.

Sep 29 •

Most Popular

Some of the Most Fun Cryptic Clues Ever Written

Dec 3, 2023 • Jack Shepherd

"Lorem Ipsum" Has a Meaning

Jan 22, 2023 • Jack Shepherd

7 Secret Portmanteaus That Have Been Hiding in Plain Sight

Aug 20, 2023 • Jack Shepherd

Taking Stock of The Oxford Comma Wars

Jan 21 • Jack Shepherd

These Common Words Are the Result of a Hilarious Misunderstanding

Feb 11 • Jack Shepherd

What to Do When You’ve “Got the Morbs”

Mar 3 • Jack Shepherd

Three Common Names That Were Just Made Up By Authors

Plus, the heartbreaking origin of “Wendy.”

Sep 15 •

A Few Thoughts on the Salad Salad Situation

Or, how to win someone over with your cheeky opinions about reduplication.

Sep 8 •

OK, ok, O.K., okay, Ok! Which is it?

And what does it even mean?! A brief celebration of the most common word no one knows how to spell.

Jun 9 •

My Favorite Cryptic Puzzle in a Long Time

Every now and then, something comes along that breaks the mold.

Apr 7 •

Wordle Starter Words for Dangerous Troublemakers

Let's see if we can make Wordlebot cry.

Mar 31 •

The Bewitching Magic of the "Ass" Intensifier

An ode to the anal emphatic.

Mar 10 •

What to Do When You’ve “Got the Morbs”

“Got the morbs” shows up to delight us every couple of years, but the dictionary where it comes from is a treasure trove.

Mar 3 •

On Words and Up Words

On Words and Up Words

Word nerdery, fun language history, and word puzzles.

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