January is a forward-looking month, so it seems appropriate that sci-fi lovers have chosen this time of year to mark Science Fiction Day. It’s also a good time for word lovers to celebrate the way English has been enriched in recent centuries by science and science fiction.

As food lovers celebrate Sandwich Day, can you explain why hot dogs contain no dog, hamburgers contain no ham, and dagwoods contain no wood? This month’s Word Stories will nourish your curiosity by examining some common words associated with the noble yet humble sandwich.

At first glance, the words adder and apron don’t seem to have much in common. However, these words are bound together by a curious linguistic process called metanalysis. This month’s Word Stories shines a spotlight on some common words created by a mistake that became the rule.

July is festival season in Antidote’s birthplace of Montréal, which includes the biggest international comedy festival in the world: Just For Laughs. As a tip of the hat to this hometown hoedown, our Word Stories instalment for the month shines a spotlight on words related to fun and good humour.