How topics are selected
Articles cover familiar idioms, sayings, and slang that readers actually ask about. The research queue is fed by reader suggestions, dictionary and archive gaps, and phrases whose popular explanations are unreliable.
How sources are evaluated
Preference is given to dictionaries (Oxford English Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, Cambridge, Oxford Learner’s), historical dictionaries, newspaper and book archives (Google Books, Internet Archive, HathiTrust), digitized primary texts, and peer-reviewed linguistic research. General-interest blogs and idiom sites may document a popular story, but they are never the only basis for a historical claim.
How folklore is labeled
Every article carries an origin-certainty label: documented, plausible, popular but unproven, contradicted by the evidence, or not settled. A story that cannot be verified is described as folklore, not fact.
How competing theories are presented
When several explanations exist, the article presents them separately with the evidence for each and a clear statement of what the record supports. When no single origin is known, the article says so.
Medical and sensitive claims
Articles touching health (for example, the phrase “cold turkey” and withdrawal) distinguish the idiom’s meaning from medical guidance, rely on authoritative health sources, and are never used to give individualized treatment advice. Pages awaiting medical review carry a visible note and show no advertising.
Dates
“Published” is the article’s original publication date. “Updated” and “Last reviewed” record material changes and the most recent fact-check. Dates are never bumped to make content look fresh.
AI assistance
AI tools assist with research, drafting, and illustration under the publisher's direction. Every article is reviewed by the publisher before and after publication, and final factual responsibility rests with the publisher.
Responsibility and corrections
Final factual responsibility belongs to the publisher, Marc LaClear. Readers can report errors on the corrections page; substantive corrections are logged and reflected in the article.