contributor

Mark Peters

Mark Peters is a language columnist, lexicographer, and humorist who has written for Esquire, The Funny Times, New Scientist, Psychology Today, Salon, and Slate. He contributes to OUPblog and writes the Best Joke Ever column for McSweeney's. You can read Mark's own jokes on Twitter, such as, "I play by my own rules, which is probably why no one comes to my board game parties anymore."
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Evasive Maneuvers

Euphemisms old and new

Gentleman Turkeys and Other High-Class Gobbledygook

May 2, 2013
By Mark Peters
Do gentlemen exist anymore? The word feels old-fashioned and paleolithic in the era of dudes, bros, and creeps. However, the word gentleman has a long, vibrant history as a euphemism. That history is worth celebrating. In the spirit of a recent column on angels, here's a look at the critters and crimes gentleman has coddled and concealed.  Continue reading...
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Evasive Maneuvers

Euphemisms old and new

Slingin' Blue-Eyed American Slang

April 3, 2013
By Mark Peters
Over the past couple of years, I've done several columns on massive dictionaries that have been recently completed or published, like the Dictionary of American Regional English and Green's Dictionary of Slang. Unfortunately, not all lexicographical projects have such a happy ending.  Continue reading...
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Evasive Maneuvers

Euphemisms old and new

Real Euphemisms From the Pig Farm

March 6, 2013
By Mark Peters
I've gone theme-happy with this column in recent months, looking at euphemisms for death, pregnancy, 30 Rock, and angels. Enough cohesion! It's time for a random roundup of terms that have crossed my eye, brightened my day, and befuddled my brain.  Continue reading...
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Dog Eared

Books we love

"Trench Talk": A Compelling Look at the Words of WWI

February 11, 2013
By Mark Peters
Any news event brings new terms and phrases to life while reinvigorating old ones. Look how the recent Presidential election spread malarkey, binders full of women, and bayonets across headlines and tweets. Forevermore, those words will jog the memory of anyone who was paying attention to the 2012 election.  Continue reading...
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Evasive Maneuvers

Euphemisms old and new

Son of a Basket! More Regional Euphemisms

February 5, 2013
By Mark Peters
In honor of the Dictionary of American Regional English winning the American Library Association's 2013 award for excellence in reference books, Mark Peters is going back to the beginning of the alphabet to uncover a trove of regional euphemisms.  Continue reading...
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Dog Eared

Books we love

A Worldly Tour of the Oxford English Dictionary

January 23, 2013
By Mark Peters
Late last year, there was some controversy in the media over a new book by Sarah Ogilvie about the Oxford English Dictionary's historical coverage of foreign words. The controversy turned out to be a tempest in a teapot, overshadowing the worthy book behind it. Here, Mark Peters has an appreciation of Ogilvie's Words of the World.  Continue reading...
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Evasive Maneuvers

Euphemisms old and new

2012 Meets Mr. Mayhem

January 2, 2013
By Mark Peters
2012, the year of the Mayan non-pocalypse, has passed away, joined the heavenly choir, bit the big one, bought the farm, joined the heavenly choir, taken a dirt nap, joined the majority, and croaked. Let's bury it with terms of an appropriate nature: euphemisms for death.  Continue reading...
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2 3 4 5 6 Displaying 22-28 of 88 Articles