A clever word game casts a spell—and teaches language lessons.  Continue reading...

If we were guided by history and etymology, we'd all be proud to wear amateur on our sleeves.  Continue reading...

A lot of brand names are going full-consonantal. They have a lot of historical precedent.  Continue reading...

The names that made the news--and affected our lives--in 2020, from Animal Crossing to Zoom.  Continue reading...

From nostalgia to fauxstalgia, from golden oldie to Before Time, here are some of the ways we talk about days gone by.  Continue reading...

Like many four-letter words, poll is versatile. Where did it come from, and how did it come to be associated with voting?  Continue reading...

As we approach a presidential election, I've been thinking about campaign slogans old and new, memorable and forgettable. Is the political slogan still relevant? Or is it passé in the era of hashtags, acronyms, and memes?  Continue reading...