English grammar was not invented by one person. It evolved through use, then early grammarians such as William Bullokar described it.

The word stoic began as the name for followers of Zeno, who taught at Athens’ Painted Porch, the Stoa Poikile.

English has many French and Latin words, but its roots are Germanic. That history explains much of its basic grammar and word shape.

“Gossip” began as a word for a godparent, then widened to mean a close companion and later a person known for idle talk.

“The eleventh hour” means the last possible moment. Its modern sense is linked to a biblical story about workers hired late in the day.