Etiquette & Languages
Etiquette and Languages observes how people relate to each other through behaviors and speech. Find information on topics like tipping, sign language, good manners and slang.
Inside LA's Forest Lawn, Where the Biggest Celebrities Rest in Peace
Is Human Composting the Greenest Burial Option?
What's With Germany's Strict Burial Regulations?
Try a Tattoo Without the Commitment
Ways to Keep Your Old Tattoos Looking Fresh and New
The Nose Knows: 5 Questions to Ask Before a Septum Piercing
What in the World Is a 'Shoey'?
Did You Know It's 2015 in Ethiopia Right Now?
What Are the 10 Largest Cities in the World by Population?
What's the Science Behind Mood Rings?
10 Things We Love to Hate About the '70s and '80s
Celebratory Yard Signs Are Having a Major Moment
5 Family Traditions for New Babies
5 Family Anniversary Traditions
5 Family Traditions for Daughters
The Evil Eye's Ancient Power Still Resonates Today
La Pascualita: Bridal Shop Mannequin or Embalmed Corpse?
What Is the Real Meaning Behind 'Ring Around the Rosie'?
What Are the Most and Least Popular Birthdays in the U.S.?
The Firm vs. the Family: How Does the British Monarchy Really Work?
What's the Difference Between a Duke and an Earl?
How the Millennial Generation Works
Millennials Are Making Birthday Cards a Thing Again
Nope, Boomers and Xers Don’t Work Harder Than Millennials
The Bloody Origins of the Phrase 'Caught Red-Handed'
60 Cheeky British Slang Words and Phrases
How the Word 'Hack' Became So Hacked
Celebrate Galentine's Day, Leslie Knope Style
National Bubble Wrap Day? Who Is Making Up These Weird Holidays?
Mexico's Night of the Radishes, a Quirky Christmas Tradition
West Point's 'Goat' Isn't the Greatest, It's the Last in Class
Can You Get in Trouble for Not Flying the U.S. Flag at Half-staff?
What Are the Most Common Last Names in the World?
Who Keeps the Ring if the Engagement Ends in a Breakup?
Is Sleeping in Separate Beds a Relationship Buster?
There's More Than One Way to Be Monogamous
It Takes 9,000 Steps to Reach China's Fanjingshan Temple
When Did Jesus Die? Scholars Are Divided
What Are the Seven Deadly Sins?
Check Out the Human Library, Where the Books Are People
Reading the Rails: What Was the Hobo Code?
Afrofuturism: Where Technology, Culture and the Black Experience Meet
Quiz: Finish That Jingle!
How One Woman Unexpectedly Became the Voice of Siri
There's a Healthier Way to Consume Your Media
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There are two main factors that influence the development of unique accents within a language: human nature and isolation.
And his name Is Robert Newton.
When there's a big influx of Northerners into a Southern city, why do the locals begin to lose their Southern accents, as opposed to the other way around?
By Dave Roos
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Ever dialed up or down your accent depending on whom you're speaking with? Or switched from one language to another mid-sentence? Even if you haven't, you've seen it done. Why do people do that — and is it conscious?
Ever met a person who wouldn't hand over an item until the receiver said "the magic word"? As it turns out, that person may be rude too.
There are plenty more troublesome public behaviors to discourage, but knitting can be a distraction all the same.
A friendly gesture in one country might be a highly insulting one in another. Here are 10 rude gestures that you'd better be sure you're using correctly before trying them out.
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Kicking someone out of your social media territory is necessary sometimes, even if you feel it's a breach of etiquette.
The good news: Sometimes you can ignore that text message you really don't want to answer. The bad news: The rules on when it's acceptable to do so are vague.
If you've got a runny nose but your spaghetti is just too good for you to leave the table, don't fret: It may be OK to blow your nose without stepping away.
The grammar-correcting pedant is a ubiquitous character in the strange and sometime cruel realm of social media and comment sections on the Internet. Are these "grammar police" helpful or just plain rude?
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Let's face it: Free champagne and food are huge incentives to attend a wedding reception. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't go to the ceremony, too.
Normally, it's extremely rude to point out flaws in somebody's appearance. One big exception: the very embarrassing, but easily fixed, case of food stuck in someone's teeth.
By Susan Sherwood
It's an awkward task that most often falls to bosses, teachers and very close friends. So what's the best way to tell someone about an unpleasant body odor?
By Susan Sherwood
You should never assume you're invited to someone else's wedding ... but someone is sure to assume they're invited to yours. What do you do when that's not true?
By Susan Sherwood
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It's hard to get a good whiff of your own breath, so if someone close to you doesn't smell a problem, it may fall to you to break the awkward news.
By Susan Sherwood
If somebody on your neighborhood bus has a booming, not-to-be-ignored voice, it's best to just leave it alone. But what do you do if that same voice thunders around your transatlantic flight?
By Susan Sherwood
Not speaking up when witnessing racism sends a message that racism is OK — and even that you agree with it. Here are some tips for confronting racist language.
By Susan Sherwood
Near the top of the lifetime list of minor humiliations suffered in public: the unzipped fly. Here's how to tell someone what you wish someone had told you.
By Susan Sherwood
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During a 2010 town hall meeting, a moderator asked Hillary Clinton which clothing designers she preferred. Her response? "Would you ever ask a man that?"
By Susan Sherwood
If your blind date just won't stop droning on, it's probably best to just let it go. But when someone's nonstop talking is affecting your workplace, that's another matter.
By Susan Sherwood
Virtually everyone on Earth is operating under a set of prejudiced beliefs, whether they know it or not. Yes, even you. So what do you do when that prejudice reveals itself?
By Susan Sherwood
Sure, a banana-shaped hat shows off your humorous side, but should you wear it on a first date? Or even make it a profile pic on your online dating profile? In the world of dating, etiquette questions abound!
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We tend to think of etiquette rules as stuffy Victorian-era holdovers. Plenty of guidelines, however, not only help society run smoothly — they keep its members healthy!
We've all seen that guy. You know, the one screaming out song requests, heckling the band and shoving his way through the crowd. He's the worst! Luckily, he can get his act together by following the 10 commandments of concertgoing.
By Oisin Curran