Paul Anthony Jones
Mental Floss
United Kingdom
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Past articles by Paul:
10 Old Words For Winter Ailments
Winter is coming—and if the bad weather catches up with you, you might find these words indispensable. → Read More
25 Fascinating Facts About Prince Philip
Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh and consort of Queen Elizabeth II, was born 100 years ago this year, on June 10, 1921. → Read More
20 Words and Phrases Every British Royal Family Enthusiast Should Know
From 'abdication' to 'sovereign grant,' these are terms every fan of the British royal family should have memorized. → Read More
25 Fabulous Facts About Prince Charles and Princess Diana’s Wedding
Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer married at St Paul’s Cathedral in London on Wednesday July 29, 1981. The ceremony was one of the decade’s biggest events—for good reason. → Read More
13 Times the British Royal Family Broke Official Protocol
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's decision to step back from royal life has been worldwide news, but Britain’s royal past is full of rule-breakers. → Read More
20 Slang Terms From World War I
Though it was more than 100 years ago—on April 6, 1917—that the United States entered the First World War, its effect on our language continues. → Read More
28 Weird and Wonderful Irish Words
To English speakers, Irish is a tough language to master. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't give it a try. → Read More
How 20 Animals From Around the World Got Their Names
The etymology of animal names can be confusing—leopard literally means “lion-panther” or “lion-leopard.” → Read More
How 20 Animals Got Their Names
The etymology of animal names can be confusing—leopard literally means “lion-panther” or “lion-leopard.” → Read More
Ira Aldridge: The Black Shakespearean Actor Who Broke Theater's Color Barrier
Ira Aldridge became the first famous African-American actor—but he didn't find fame in the U.S. Here's how he battled prejudice to become the 19th century's "greatest living actor." → Read More
15 Animal Names That Can Be Used As Verbs
From turtles to tigers, you can drop any one of these 15 creatures into your everyday conversation. → Read More
15 Obscure Words Every Pet Owner Needs in Their Vocabulary
If you’re a dog or cat owner, these words are worthy of a place in your vocabulary. → Read More
17 Bizarre Work-Related Ailments
Today's work-related ailments have nothing on these (mostly) historical diseases. You'll be glad you're not suffering from Hatter’s Shakes—or worse, Chimney Sweep's Scrotum. → Read More
12 Old-Timey Ways of Saying “Nonsense”
Gammon and spinach! → Read More
32 Animals Named After the Noises They Make
Onomatopoeia is responsible for a lot more words than you might think. Laugh might have been invented to sound like, well, a laugh. Owl, crow, and raven are all descended from Old English words (ule, crawe, hræfn) that were meant to imitate the owl’s hoot and the crow’s and raven’s squawks. → Read More
19 Colors You’ve Probably Never Heard Of
Paint the town falun! → Read More
25 Words That Are Actually Acronyms
Test your knowledge with amazing and interesting facts, trivia, quizzes, and brain teaser games on MentalFloss.com. → Read More
20 Spanish Phrases You Should Be Using
Add a little fun to your vocabulary by dropping one of these 20 long-overlooked Spanish phrases into conversation. → Read More
20 French Phrases You Should Be Using
According to some estimates, 30 percent of the English language—or roughly one in three English words—is derived directly from French. → Read More
15 Long-Lost Words To Revive This Christmas
Test your knowledge with amazing and interesting facts, trivia, quizzes, and brain teaser games on MentalFloss.com. → Read More