Birth of a nickname - John McWhorter
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Where do nicknames come from? Why are Ellens called Nellie and Edwards Ned? It’s all a big misunderstanding from the early days of the English language, a misunderstanding that even the word nickname itself derives from. John McWhorter tracks the accidental evolution of some familiar diminutives.
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3 Open Answer Questions Dig Deeper Learn More Discuss 1 Guided Discussion &
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3 Open Answer Questions Dig Deeper Learn More Discuss 1 Guided Discussion &
1 Open Discussion
If language changed so much in the past, then why do you think we tend to think of changes in the language today as slang or mistakes?
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- Educator John McWhorter
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- Narrator John McWhorter
