Cracked has talked before about how words change meaning, like Sarge's column about words that now mean the exact opposite, or this column I wrote about polite words which turned into horrible slurs. But the language is littered with dozens of other examples of words that have gone through similar semantic changes, so this time I thought I'd focus on the specific reason those changes keep happening.

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Exciting, right? Don't worry, I threw some dirty words in there.

It turns out that semantic changes are often a reflection of greater changes within our society; every time we decide to be nicer, meaner, or louder to each other it leaves a fingerprint on the language itself. So here, then, for your word-learnin' pleasure, are five reasons words change meaning, along with some accurate and deadly serious predictions for how some specific words will change in the future.