Dead Language Society

How to teach yourself linguistics

The complete DIY reading list + curriculum

Oct 7 • Colin Gorrie

135

9

8

September 2026

“Corn” is a weird word

Not all corn comes on cobs

Sep 30 • Colin Gorrie

207

86

20

What have the Normans ever done for us?

Jumping on the Bayeux bandwagon to talk about Norman French

Sep 23 • Colin Gorrie

86

8

4

Against Cicerofishing

Welcome to the Substack of the 16th century

Sep 16 • Colin Gorrie

175

20

22

My kingdom for a *h₁éḱwos!

How work, war, and empire renamed the horse

Sep 9 • Colin Gorrie

72

3

6

August 2026

Medieval beach reads

How to read Middle English and Scots texts in the original

Aug 5 • Colin Gorrie

204

25

14

July 2026

Does your name belong in the Odyssey?

The ancient formula still alive in “Richard” and “Audrey”

Jul 29 • Colin Gorrie

113

12

8

I’m writing a book!

The story of English before it was English

Jul 22 • Colin Gorrie

293

63

20

The fatal letter

The near-death and resurrection of “h”

Jul 15 • Colin Gorrie

99

14

4

“Weird” is a weird word

From Beowulf to Shakespeare to you

Jul 8 • Colin Gorrie

418

31

53

The long shadow of the Celtic languages

Everything we can learn from the word ‘rich’

Jul 1 • Colin Gorrie

107

6

7

June 2026

Why the word “mead” shows up in Chinese

Honey words turn out to be rather sticky

Jun 24 • Colin Gorrie

181

26

16