English Is A Germanic Language

From Rosetta Stone: German is widely considered among the easier languages for native English speakers to pick up. That’s because these languages are true linguistic siblings—originating from the exact same mother tongue. In fact, eighty of the hundred most used words in English are of Germanic origin. These most basic, common words in English and … Read more

What is a Philologist? From Language Humanities: A philologist is a type of linguist, though the exact meaning of the term has changed over the years. Philology literally means “love of words,” and the field often deals with literature more than other branches of linguistics do. In the modern academic world, the term is usually understood to mean the study … Read more

‘Rebellion, Rascals and Revenue’ Review: The Taxman Cometh, Again

From The Wall Street Journal: Wherever they stand in their annual tussle with the American income-tax system, vexed readers in what is dolefully called tax season may agree with former Treasury Secretary Paul O’Neill when he declared that “our tax code is an abomination.” If it’s any consolation, your taxes might have been both abominable … Read more

In Y.A., Where Is the Line Between Criticism and Cancel Culture?

From The New Yorker: Late last month, the author Kosoko Jackson withdrew the publication of his début young-adult novel, “A Place for Wolves,” which had been slated for a March 26th release. The book, which follows two American boys as they fall in love against the backdrop of the Kosovo War, had garnered advance praise(“a … Read more

Waldeinsamkeit

From Atlas Obscura: There’s a German word, waldeinsamkeit, that Google Translate (yeah, I’m that guy) puts in English as “Solitude of the Forest.” It’s meant to describe a singular type of loneliness that is at once isolating, peaceful, and reflective. And having a spot where you can go and indulge in a little waldeinsamkeit of … Read more

Amazon Digital Day

From the Amazon Press Center: The third annual Digital Day will take place on Friday, December 28, offering great end-of-year savings on digital content across Amazon. Customers will be able to access thousands of deals across digital content including movies, TV shows, mobile games, apps, eBooks, and more at amazon.com/digitalday. “Amazon Digital Day continues to provide great deals … Read more