Dord.

TL;DR

Explore the world of words, from the accidental addition of "dord" to dictionaries to the existence of perfect rhymes for "orange" and "silver" and the use of puns and irony in language.

Transcript

Hey, Vsauce. Michael here In 1934 Webster's dictionary gave birth to a new word by mistake. Their chemistry editor Austin N Paterson submitted a simple entry: "D or D abbreviation for density". Nothing wrong with that, but the entry was misread and 'dord' was added to the dictionary. 'Dord' was an accidental word for thirteen years before the mist... Read More

Key Insights

• ❓ Accidental additions to dictionaries, like "dord," can happen due to misinterpretations.
• 😒 English often uses collateral adjectives, which are adjectives derived from different roots than the nouns they describe.
• 🧡 Perfect rhymes for "orange" and "silver" do exist, but they are extremely rare and obscure.
• 🖤 Irony can be situational or dramatic, with the latter involving a lack of awareness by the main character.
• 👊 Puns can be traced back to ancient times and were used to convey important messages.

Questions & Answers

Q: How did the word "dord" end up in the dictionary?

The word "dord" was accidentally added to Webster's dictionary when their chemistry editor misread an entry for "D or D abbreviation for density."

Q: Why are positions 1 and 2 called "first" and "second" instead of "oneth" and "twoth"?

English loves collateral adjectives, so instead of using words derived from the same root as the numbers, it uses different adjectives like "first" and "second."

Q: Are there any perfect rhymes for "orange"?

Yes, there are perfect rhymes for "orange," such as "Blorenge," a hill in Wales. However, they are extremely obscure.

Q: What is the difference between situational irony and dramatic irony?

Situational irony refers to a reversal of expectations, while dramatic irony occurs when the audience or other characters know something that the main character is unaware of.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• In 1934, Webster's dictionary accidentally added the word "dord" for thirteen years before the mistake was discovered.

• English loves collateral adjectives, which are adjectives derived from different roots than the nouns they describe.

• Contrary to popular belief, "orange" and "silver" do have perfect rhymes, although they are extremely obscure.