We take a look at the word radio - where it did come and how has its meaning changed?
Where does the word Nazi come from and was it used by the Nazis themselves?
We take a look at the word Tsar (or czar), often associated with Russia but also linked with Bulgaria and Serbia.
The word propaganda has been around for hundreds of years, but it did not become a negative word until its use during the two World Wars.
An interesting story about the naming of these fancy neck ties.
It's a word popular with wine drinkers, but what's it all about?
Why is the word achtung often used to typify the German language?
How did the Mantilla make it from the heads of Spanish queens to the churches of western Ireland?
A wrongly named peninsula and a misguided stereotype... The word "Balkan" has a curious history.
From nouvelle cuisine to "fooding", find out what cuisine means to French culture.
Aficionado is a word often associated with sports fans - but its roots lay in the bullfighting.
A discussion about the word Guerrilla - and perhaps the most famous guerriila warrior, Che Guevara.
What is a Huguenot?
It's a common form of murder in films and TV - but garroting was once the official form of execution in Spain.
It means the "spirit of the time" but how has the use of this word changed over time?
When Russians drink tea, the traditionally use a samovar.
Hitler's "Third Reich" is known to everyone - but what does it mean?
Do you feel like you have seen this video before?
The Iroquois people were seen as allies by the British and savages by the French.
Icons are not just found of computer screens, they play an important role in religion.
Russians dolls are known as matreshka or matryoshka. They have a strong association with Russia, but are a surprisingly recent invention.
The word liberal has an unexpected association with Spanish history, as we explain in this video.
Bricolage is a word used across various disciplines, from art to science.
The word Kremlin means more than just a famous set of buildings in Moscow.
We explore the culture around vodka in Russia.
What was The Enlightenment, also known as he Age of Reason?
We discuss the word "liberty" with a special emphasis on a well-known statue in New York.
It's a term associated with "strange" art, but what does avant-garde mean and where does the term come from?
Junta is a negative word in English, often associated with military coups - but it was not always such a bad thing.
The word "antisemitism" was coined in the 19th century to reflect a new emphasis in anti-Jewish sentiment which was based on race rather than religion.
Our experts discuss various issues surrounding cannibalism.
Why is the German language called "Deutsch"?
Modernisation might not mean what you think it does according to one of our experts.
Were the French "cheese-eating surrender monkeys"? What was the French Resistance and are its members considered heroes?
Sipping coffee at a Parisian cafe is a typical "French experience' - but why?
The mojito is a quintessentially Cuban drink - as long as they don't run out of mint.
Do you have a peccadillo?
Whether it's businessmen making a deal or tribespeople on the River Amazon - many people have use for a "lingua franca".
Great explorers or terrible invaders? What were the conquistadors?
A popular curry dish and well-known football song - but the word's origin may be surprising?
The myth of Medea has made its mark in the fields of entertainment, science and psychology.
The concept of "face" is an important part of Chinese culture. And we're not talking about eyes, noses and mouths.
Forget TV shows, Catherine Johnson is more interested in studying the little bits in-between shows.
It was originally called the KdF Wagen... And what was Hitler's role in the development of the VW Beetle?
The word Castro has been inextricably linked with Cuba for the past five decades.
Disappear and Disappeared are words which have taken on a more sinister meaning due to the actions of oppressive regimes, according to our researcher.
Sherry is a wine from Spain. Where does the name come from? And where does it appear in the work of Shakespeare?
California was named after a place that doesn't exist.
Before the Holocaust, plans were drawn up to ship European Jews to the African island of Madagascar.
Linguist Nicola McLelland discusses standard languages, with particular interest in German and English.
The word biscuit comes from the French language.
Discussing the origins of feminism, especially the word. Some of the discussion deals especially with feminists in France.
27 million people live in slavery today. This video features Zoe Trodd, a Professor of American Literature at the University of Nottingham.
Utopia is an "imagined perfect place" and the word was invented by Sir Thomas More. Discussed by Matthew Pethers from the University of Nottingham.
Borders are often arbitrary lines on a map. Discussed by Gillian Roberts, from the University of Nottingham.
The word Latino, a term used to bind together a diverse range of people of varying heritage. Discussed by Stephanie Lewthwaite from the University of Nottingham.
Gianluca Sergi discusses the positive and negative views of "compromise", with particular reference to his interest in film studies.
Maria Ryan from the University of Nottingham discusses the origins of Neoconservatism and its long-lasting influence.
Discussing photography and how 'light writing' evolved.
Discussing the origins of the word marmalade. How did a Portuguese quince paste served for desert end up as a citrus based breakfast jam? Featuring Mark Sabine from the University of Nottingham.
Transmedia and changing ways of communication - is it a new or has it been around for hundreds of years? Discussed by Liz Evans from the University of Nottingham.
Baroque is often used in a derogatory fashion - but it wasn't always that way. Rui Miranda is from the University of Nottingham.
Is Machismo a negative or positive word? Discussed by Mark Millington, a Professor of Latin American Studies from the University of Nottingham. This video was filmed and edited by Sean Riley.
How did the French word for 'author' became synonymous with film making and directing? Renaud Olivier from the University of Nottingham explains.
The word "network" began describing objects and infrastructure. It now has much more to do with the communications themselves. Discussed by Eva Giraud from the University of Nottingham.