word

How many times have students been told: "Use your own words."

The problem, as George Carlin and so many of us have observed, is that we don't actually have our own words.  We all use the same ones.  Sure, we all think we're original/unique in our diction, and maybe some of us use jargon because of a specific interest or cultural identification, but we all drink from the same word well.  Understanding the options makes us better communicators.  That's why we'll be discussing the origins of English and early literature like Beowulf.  For now, here are a few words that aren't as new as you might think.