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Fun and Obscure English Language Facts The English language is full of surprises and quirks that often go unnoticed. Here are 10 fascinating English language facts that will definitely make you go “huh!”
1. The word “Girl” used to mean “Boy” Believe it or not, the word “girl” was originally used to describe young men or children of either gender. It wasn't until the 14th century that it started to be used specifically for female children.
2. The Longest Word in English Has 189,819 Letters The longest word in the English language is the chemical name for a protein called titin. It has a staggering 189,819 letters and takes three and a half hours to pronounce.
3. The Most Common Letter in English is “E” The letter “E” is hands down the most commonly used letter in the English alphabet, accounting for roughly 12% of all letters used.
4. “Buffalo Buffalo Buffalo Buffalo Buffalo Buffalo Buffalo Buffalo” is a grammatically correct sentence. This confusing statement might look like someone’s attempt at using auto-complete, but it is a grammatically correct sentence when used in the right context. It means “Bison from Buffalo, New York, who are intimidated by other bison from Buffalo, New York, also happen to intimidate still other bison from Buffalo, New York.”
5. The Dot Above an “i” and “j” Has a Name The little dot above the letters “i” and “j” is called a tittle.
6. “Stewardesses” is the Longest Word That Can be Typed Using Only the Left Hand This word is a bit of a tongue-twister, but it can be typed entirely using only the left hand, making it a handy typing exercise if you’re looking to improve your skills.
7. The Most Commonly Used Word in the English Language is “The” Of all the words in the English language, “the” is by far the most commonly used, accounting for roughly 5% of all words used.
8. The Only Words in English That End in “-gry” are Angry, Hungry, and Hangry. Despite popular myths, there aren't hundreds of English words that end in “-gry”. In fact, there are only three words in the language that use this suffix: “angry”, “hungry”, and “hangry”.
9. The Oldest English Word Still in Use is “Town” Believe it or not, the word “town” is one of the oldest English words still in use, with its origins dating back to the Anglo-Saxon period in the early 8th century.
10 “Oxymoron” is an Oxymoron The word “oxymoron” is itself an oxymoron, as it comes from the Greek words “oxy” and “moron”, meaning “sharp” and “dull” respectively. Together, these words form a paradoxical expression. These are just a few of the many interesting and unusual quirks that make the English language so fascinating. The language is constantly evolving, so it’s always worth keeping an eye out for the next bizarre and intriguing fact.