The long-running series in which readers answer fellow readers’ questions on topics ranging from trivial flights of fancy to profound scientific and philosophical concepts has posed a new query: what is the most common word in the world, excluding brand names and similar terms?
The question, submitted by a reader named Roland via email, also asks how the frequency of such a word varies across different languages, and whether it differs between written, spoken, and signed forms of communication.
Answers are now being sought from the public, with a selection of responses set to be published next Sunday. Those interested can post their answers in the comments section below the original article or send them to the dedicated email address nq@theguardian.com.
