Facts about English
What is the most commonly used letter in the English Language?
The Letter E. 1 out of 8 of all the letters written in English is 'E'.
From addiction to zany, his language was never lacklustre. He wrote with swagger and without compromise. This famous poet added more than 1700 words to the English language.
William Shakespeare
Highway
Motorway
Generations of readers young and old, male and female, have fallen in love with the March sisters of this most popular and enduring novel. Here are talented tomboy and author-to-be Jo, tragically frail Beth, beautiful Meg, and romantic, spoiled Amy, united in their devotion to each other and their struggles to survive in New England during the Civil War.
Little Women - Louisa May Alcott
This classic novel tells the story of a young scientist who creates a grotesque but sentient creature in an unorthodox scientific experiment. The scientist, horrified by his creation, abandons it, leading the creature to seek revenge. The novel explores themes of ambition, responsibility, guilt, and the potential consequences of playing God.
Frankenstein - Mary Shelley
Writan
To write
Lately, mythological monsters and the Olympian gods seem to be walking straight out of the pages of this boy's mythology textbook and into his life. Zeus's master lightning bolt has been stolen, and the protagonist is the prime suspect. He and his friends have just ten days to find and return Zeus's stolen property and bring peace to a warring Mount Olympus.
(Percy Jackson and the Olympians #1)The Lightning Thief - Rick Riordan
A way to describe something as being excellent or the best.
Da bomb, or Bomb Dot Com
What does "C.S." stand for?
Clive Staples
Absquatulate
to leave somewhere abruptly (verb)
The first English dictionary was written in _________ (year).
1755
This is someone you’d expect to see on a list about made-up words. Some of them are silly, meaningless words such as "zummers" and "sneedle," while others have caught on — like "nerd." This famous author didn’t only invent words, he also contributed to changing the reading education system with his books. He created fun rhymes, lovable characters, and a basis for the phonics system used in schools.
Theodor Seuss Geisel - Dr. Seuss
Freeway
Expressway
Guy Montag is a fireman. His job is to destroy the most illegal of commodities, the printed book, along with the houses in which they are hidden. Montag never questions the destruction and ruin his actions produce, returning each day to his bland life and wife, Mildred, who spends all day with her television “family.” But when he meets an eccentric young neighbor, Clarisse, who introduces him to a past where people didn’t live in fear and to a present where one sees the world through the ideas in books instead of the mindless chatter of television, Montag begins to question everything he has ever known.
Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury
Set in early 19th-century England, this classic novel revolves around the lives of the Bennet family, particularly the five unmarried daughters. The narrative explores themes of manners, upbringing, morality, education, and marriage within the society of the landed gentry. It follows the romantic entanglements of Elizabeth Bennet, the second eldest daughter, who is intelligent, lively, and quick-witted, and her tumultuous relationship with the proud, wealthy, and seemingly aloof Mr. Darcy. Their story unfolds as they navigate societal expectations and their personal misunderstandings.
Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
Sellan
To Sell
Some Pig. Humble. Radiant. These are the words that show up high up in Zuckerman's barn. These words tell of the protagonist's feelings for a little pig named Wilbur, who simply wants a friend. They also express the love of a girl named Fern, who saved Wilbur's life when he was born the runt of his litter.
Charlotte’s Web - E.B. White
A quick way to admit a mistake, often used in a casual or lighthearted way.
My Bad
What was Lewis' country of birth?
Ireland
Bafflegab
confusing or generally unintelligible jargon (noun)
About how many English speakers are there globally?
1.5 Billion
This famous author from the 1800s did make up some words, but he’s better known for his language contortions. He was the 19th-century equivalent of a millennial on the internet. Without him popularizing slang in his novels, we would have lost words such as "flummox" and "devil-may-care." He was also the king of turning common nouns into creative modifiers. We can thank him for descriptors such as "angry-eyed," "hunger-worn," "proud-stomached," "fancy-dressed," "coffee-imbibing," and "ginger-beery."
Charles Dickens
closet
wardrobe
The exploits of this boy, a consummate prankster with a quick wit, captivate children of all ages. Yet through the novel's humorous escapades, from the episodes of the whitewashed fence and the ordeal in the cave to the trial of Injun Joe, this novel explores deeper themes within the adult world the protagonist will one day join. These include the baser human instincts of dishonesty and superstition, murder and revenge, starvation and slavery.
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer - Mark Twain
The novel follows the life of an orphan who is mistreated by her relatives and sent to a charity school. As she grows up, she becomes a governess at Thornfield Hall, where she falls in love with the brooding and mysterious Mr. Rochester. However, she soon learns of a dark secret in his past that threatens their future together. The story is a profound exploration of a woman's self-discovery and her struggle for independence and love in a rigid Victorian society.
Jane Eyre - Charlotte Brontë
Acennan
To Give Birth
If you ain’t scared, you ain’t human.
When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his name. He’s surrounded by strangers—boys whose memories are also gone.
Nice to meet ya, shank. Welcome to the Glade.
Outside the towering stone walls that surround the Glade is a limitless, ever-changing maze. It’s the only way out—and no one’s ever made it through alive. Everything is going to change.
Then a girl arrives. The first girl ever. And the message she delivers is terrifying.
Remember. Survive. Run.
The Maze Runner - James Dashner
Refers to expensive, flashy jewelry, often seen as a status symbol.
Bling
What was Lewis' nickname?
Jacksie, or Jack
Cornucopia
an endless supply (noun)
When did modern English emerge (50-year approximate)?
The modern English language emerged between 1450 and 1500. The shift from Middle English to Early Modern English was due to cultural, political, and economic factors.
While he is best known for his dystopian novels and political cautionary tales, his essay "Politics and the English Language" has had a large impact on journalism, classrooms, and other writing.
George Orwell
diaper
nappy
Set in 17th-century Puritan Boston, this novel tells the story of a woman who conceives a daughter through an affair and struggles to create a new life of repentance and dignity. She is forced to wear a letter on her dress as a sign of her adultery while her lover, a revered local minister, remains unnamed and unpunished. Throughout the book, themes of sin, legalism, and guilt are explored.
The Scarlet Letter - Nathaniel Hawthorne
Set in a dystopian future, the novel presents a society under the total control of a totalitarian regime, led by the omnipresent Big Brother. The protagonist, a low-ranking member of 'the Party', begins to question the regime and falls in love with a woman, an act of rebellion in a world where independent thought, dissent, and love are prohibited. The novel explores themes of surveillance, censorship, and the manipulation of truth.
Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell
Witan
To Know
This story focuses on Jack Ryan being the target of Irish terrorist group Ulster Liberation Army for thwarting their kidnapping attempt on the Prince and Princess of Wales in London.
A phrase encouraging someone to dance or have fun, often associated with Will Smith.
Get Jiggy with it
What did Lewis do with the royalties from his books?
He gave it to charity.
Demitasse
a small cup for serving strong black coffee after dinner (noun)
What is a Pangram?
A sentence that uses every letter in the alphabet. For example, “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog”.
This famous person believed that great nations such as the USA needed a language of its own: American.
Or American English anyway. He is personally responsible for many of the spelling differences between British and American English, including the single “l” in traveler, the “er” in center and the “or” in flavor.
He made these changes in his dictionaries because he wanted English spelling to be more logical and less influenced by French. Instead, he made it more complicated.
Noah Webster
appetizer
starter
First published in 1939, this Pulitzer Prize-winning epic of the Great Depression chronicles the Dust Bowl migration of the 1930s and tells the story of one Oklahoma farm family, the Joads—driven from their homestead and forced to travel west to the promised land of California.
The Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck
A young orphan boy, living with his cruel older sister and her kind blacksmith husband, has an encounter with an escaped convict that changes his life. Later, he becomes the protégé of a wealthy but reclusive woman and falls in love with her adopted daughter. He then learns that an anonymous benefactor has left him a fortune, leading him to believe that his benefactor is the reclusive woman and that she intends for him to marry her adopted daughter. He moves to London to become a gentleman, but his hopes are ultimately shattered when he learns the true identity of his benefactor and the reality of his love interest.
Great Expectations - Charles Dickens
Willan
To Want
At the age of twelve, Jonas, a young boy from a seemingly utopian, futuristic world, is singled out to receive special training from a man who alone holds the memories of the true joys and pain of life.
The Giver - Lois Lowry
An exclamation of joy or victory.
Booyah!
Why was the first draft of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe destroyed?
CS Lewis' friends didn't like it.
Ersatz
serving as a substitute (adjective)
When did Late Modern English begin (year)?
Late Modern English began in 1800 and continues to the present.
This famous author, who is best known for Paradise Lost, created new meanings for existing words, coined new forms of existing words, introduced negative forms (such as unaccountable), and crafted entirely new words. He is attributed with adding 630 words to the English language.
Notable contributions: complacency, debauchery, dismissive, earthshaking, embellishing, fragrance, liturgical, lovelorn, padlock, terrific, unhealthily
Words he contributed that never caught on: intervolve (to wind within each other) and opiniastrous (opinionated)
John Milton
Takeout (food)
Takeaway
This post-apocalyptic horror/fantasy novel presents a world devastated by a deadly plague, killing 99% of the population. The survivors, drawn together by dreams of a charismatic and benevolent figure, gather in Boulder, Colorado to form a new society. However, a malevolent figure also emerges, attracting a following of his own and setting the stage for a classic battle between good and evil. The story delves into themes of community, morality, and the capacity for both destruction and regeneration within humanity.
The Stand - Stephen King
This novel follows the life of its titular protagonist from his childhood to maturity. Born to a young widow, this boy endures a difficult childhood when his mother remarries a harsh and abusive man. After his mother's death, he is sent to a boarding school before being forced into child labor. As he grows, he experiences hardship, love, and loss, all the while meeting a colorful array of characters. The novel is a journey of self-discovery and personal growth, showcasing the harsh realities of 19th-century England.
David Copperfield - Charles Dickens
Swincan
To Struggle
An ancient secret brotherhood.
A devastating new weapon of destruction.
When world-renowned Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is summoned to a Swiss research facility to analyze a mysterious symbol -- seared into the chest of a murdered physicist -- he discovers evidence of the unimaginable: the resurgence of an ancient secret brotherhood known as the Illuminati...the most powerful underground organization ever to walk the earth. The Illuminati has now surfaced to carry out the final phase of its legendary vendetta against its most hated enemy -- the Catholic Church.
Angels & Demons - Dan Brown
A slang term for a house or home
Crib
How did Lewis feel about England at first?
He hated it.
Foofaraw
a great fuss or disturbance about something very insignificant (noun)
From which native languages did the English language originate (two language groups)?
The English language originated from the native languages of Britain and the dialects of the Anglo-Saxons. The Anglo-Saxons were migrants from what is now northwest Germany, southern Denmark, and the Netherlands.
This man, in a failed attempt to save the English language from perpetual change, wrote A Dictionary of the English Language. It was made up of 43,000 words and definitions, written in seven years, and published in 1755.
Samuel Johnson
sweater
jumper
Set in the summer of 1922, the novel follows the life of a young and mysterious millionaire, his extravagant lifestyle in Long Island, and his obsessive love for a beautiful former debutante. As the story unfolds, the millionaire's dark secrets and the corrupt reality of the American dream during the Jazz Age are revealed. The narrative is a critique of the hedonistic excess and moral decay of the era, ultimately leading to tragic consequences.
The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald
This classic novel follows the lives of two contrasting women, the cunning and ruthless Becky Sharp and the sweet and naive Amelia Sedley, against the backdrop of English society during the Napoleonic Wars. The book is a satirical exploration of the obsession with wealth, status, and social climbing, and the moral bankruptcy that can result from such pursuits. The narrative weaves an intricate tale of love, betrayal, and redemption, exposing the vanity and hypocrisy of high society.
Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray
Dreogan
To Suffer
Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel's story is about to be completely rewritten.
The Fault in Our Stars - John Green
A term to describe something as cool, stylish, or attractive.
Fly
What happened to Lewis during his time in battle during WW 1?
Lewis was wounded and two of his colleagues were killed by a British shell falling short of its target.
Glabella
the flat area of bone between the eyebrows (noun)
What was the title of the first English dictionary?
A Table Alphabeticall of Hard Words, was published in 1604.
She is known for her experimental poetry and support of the arts. At the time she was writing, publishers rejected her words as nonsensical, but many other writers absorbed and admired them. While her writing can now be treasured as psychological, complex work, one of her greatest contributions to the English language might be in the “salons” she hosted at her Paris apartment during World War I and II. These parties were host to expatriate American and British authors, including James Joyce, Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Sherwood Anderson.
Gertrude Stein
John Doe
John Smith
The novel follows the story of a teenager named Holden Caulfield, who has just been expelled from his prep school. The narrative unfolds over the course of three days, during which Holden experiences various forms of alienation and his mental state continues to unravel. He criticizes the adult world as "phony" and struggles with his own transition into adulthood. The book is a profound exploration of teenage rebellion, alienation, and the loss of innocence.
The Catcher in the Rye - J. D. Salinger
This classic novel follows the journey of a seaman who travels up the Congo River into the African interior to meet a mysterious ivory trader. Throughout his journey, he encounters the harsh realities of imperialism, the brutal treatment of native Africans, and the depths of human cruelty and madness. The protagonist's journey serves as both a physical exploration of the African continent and a metaphorical exploration into the depths of human nature.
Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad
Gnornian
This is the story of what it's like to grow up in high school. More intimate than a diary, Charlie's letters are singular and unique, hilarious and devastating. We may not know where he lives. We may not know to whom he is writing. All we know is the world he shares. Caught between trying to live his life and trying to run from it puts him on a strange course through uncharted territory. The world of first dates and mixed tapes, family dramas and new friends.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower - Stephen Chbosky
Meaning cool or hip, and sometimes used to describe something highly attractive.
Phat
How long did it take to write The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe?
10 years
Halcyon
calm (adjective)
What do we call words that we use a lot, but that don’t add any value to the sentence, such as these words that are often used to begin a sentence: ‘actually’, ‘honestly’ and ‘basically’.
Crutch words
The man responsible for the international success of McDonald’s and therefore the McPrefix: attaching “Mc” at the start of a word to suggest a kind of mass-market affordability. Examples include the McJob, McMansion, and McChurch. This has spread to other languages too, as Germany’s largest chain of gyms is called McFit.
Ray Kroc
eggplant
aubergine
The novel is a complex exploration of the tragic Compson family from the American South. Told from four distinct perspectives, the story unfolds through stream of consciousness narratives, each revealing their own understanding of the family's decline. The characters grapple with post-Civil War societal changes, personal loss, and their own mental instability. The narrative is marked by themes of time, innocence, and the burdens of the past.
The Sound and the Fury - William Faulkner
This novel explores class relations and conflicting values in turn-of-the-century England. The narrative revolves around three families: the wealthy, capitalist Wilcoxes; the cultured, idealistic Schlegels; and the lower-middle class Basts. As their lives intertwine, the story grapples with themes of wealth, love, and death, and the struggle for personal connection in an increasingly impersonal society. The titular name is a country home, and it becomes a symbol of England's past, present, and future.
Howards End - E. M. Forster
Onginnan
To Begin
Three ordinary women are about to take one extraordinary step.
Twenty-two-year-old Skeeter has just returned home after graduating from Ole Miss. She may have a degree, but it is 1962, Mississippi, and her mother will not be happy till Skeeter has a ring on her finger. Skeeter would normally find solace with her beloved maid Constantine, the woman who raised her, but Constantine has disappeared and no one will tell Skeeter where she has gone.
The Help - Kathryn Stockett
Meaning "I'm leaving" or "I'm out of here".
I'm Outtie.
Who became Lewis' de facto mother after his biological mother died?
Janie King Moore, the mother of his soldier friend who died in WW 1.
Interrobang
a printed punctuation mark (‽), available only in some typefaces, designed to combine the question mark (?) and the exclamation point (!) (noun)
What are the four known dialects of the Old English language?
While a freshman computer science major at California Polytechnic State University, this young man started Urban Dictionary. With over 7 million user-generated entries, this online dictionary is keeping Samuel Johnson’s spirit alive.
Aaron Peckham
Sprinkles (like on cookies or cake)
Hundreds and Thousands
The book is a satirical critique of military bureaucracy and the illogical nature of war, set during World War II. The story follows a U.S. Army Air Forces B-25 bombardier stationed in Italy, who is trying to maintain his sanity while fulfilling his service requirements so that he can go home. The novel explores the absurdity of war and military life through the experiences of the protagonist, who discovers that a bureaucratic rule makes it impossible for him to escape his dangerous situation.
Catch-22 - Joseph Heller
Set in Italy and England, the novel tells the story of a young English woman, Lucy Honeychurch, who travels to Florence with her older cousin and chaperone. During her stay in Italy, Lucy meets and falls in love with a free-spirited man, but due to societal pressures, she becomes engaged to a wealthy but pretentious man back home in England. The novel explores themes of societal norms, personal growth, and the struggle between heart and mind as Lucy must decide between conforming to societal expectations or following her own desires.
A Room With a View - E. M. Forster
Forhtian
To Fear
When Jacob Jankowski, recently orphaned and suddenly adrift, jumps onto a passing train, he enters a world of freaks, drifters, and misfits, a second-rate circus struggling to survive during the Great Depression, making one-night stands in town after endless town. A veterinary student who almost earned his degree, Jacob is put in charge of caring for the circus menagerie. It is there that he meets Marlena, the beautiful young star of the equestrian act, who is married to August, the charismatic but twisted animal trainer. He also meets Rosie, an elephant who seems untrainable until he discovers a way to reach her.
Water for Elephants - Sara Gruen
A phrase used to describe something as being the best or excellent.
All that and a bag of chips.
Which Scottish author helped turn Lewis away from atheism?
George MacDonald
Jitney
a small bus or car following a regular route along which it picks up and discharges passengers (noun)