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Linguistics

2 unrolled threads about linguistics, each one readable on a single page.

Merriam-Webster@MerriamWebster

Something interesting you might not have realized: a number of words in English are NOUNS when you stress the FIRST syllable, but VERBS when you stress the SECOND syllable. "Your CONduct is better...

SummaryEnglish has numerous word pairs where the noun form is stressed on the first syllable while the verb form is stressed on the second syllable, such as "CONduct" (noun) vs "conDUCT" (verb), "PREsent" (noun) vs "preSENT" (verb), and "RECord" (noun) vs "reCORD" (verb).Jan 7, 20263 tweets♥ 13.2KMerriam-Webster@MerriamWebster

Some words go together like jelly and peanut butter… wait, that sounds super weird. A pair of words that is used in a fixed order in an idiomatic expression is called an ‘irreversible binomial.’ ‘Pe...

SummaryIrreversible binomials are pairs of words used in a fixed order in idiomatic expressions, like 'peanut butter and jelly.' Their order is determined by various patterns including alliteration, rhyming, phonetics, and historical usage, and sometimes extend to trinomials or proper nouns.Aug 4, 20266 tweets♥ 6.3K