Where new English words come from – TED Ed Lesson

Where do new words come from? Does someone just sit there inventing them?

Level: higher • 

Category: listening, reading, writing, discussion

 • • • • • • higher • • • • • •

There’s no royal language academy in the UK but the Oxford English Dictionary is one of the most respected authorities on British English. But how do words get chosen?

TED Ed produces video animations together with comprehension questions and the opportunity to discuss the topics.

Watch the video above – with or without English subtitles – and then click the button below to check your understanding. There is more material on the topic if you go to the “Dig Deeper” section and you can even take part in discussion with other viewers if you register in the “Discuss” section.

Go to the questions!

Engaging with a video like this gives you the opportunity to practise a variety of English skills all in one place.

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