New Google Toy

[essentialsaltes]

Books Ngram Viewer allows you to compare word frequencies from Google Books over time, like say...

creationism vs. astrology vs. phrenology
or
conservative vs. liberal
or
hit points vs. armor class

traveler v traveller
imposter v impostor
I could do this all day

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

Republican vs. Democrat has a radically different result from conservative vs. liberal. But, that's probably because the latter pair of terms can be used in entirely non-political ways.

Donovan

[ladyeuthanasia.livejournal.com]

evolution vs. creationism vs. christianity

Is it because there are waaaaay more books on evolution than creationism or Christianity?

[essentialsaltes.livejournal.com]

That may be part of it, but I expect it's more that 'evolution' is a perfectly normal word that can be used in a lot of contexts.

[ladyeuthanasia.livejournal.com]

Ah. Makes sense.

[stevenkaye.livejournal.com]

How are there results for Cthulhu before Lovecraft was writing?

[essentialsaltes.livejournal.com]

Shhhh.