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."
2 3 4 5 6 Displaying 22-28 of 174 Articles

Word Routes

Exploring the pathways of our lexicon

The Last Word on "Jedi"

December 10, 2017
By Mark Peters
Star Wars has made many contributions to English, but none more significant that Jedi.  Continue reading...
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Evasive Maneuvers

Euphemisms old and new

The Mixed Culture of Highly Sensitive Hokum

December 7, 2017
By Mark Peters
I'd give a kidney if there were no more euphemisms, but then I'd be out of a job, so let me rethink that. In the meantime, here are some euphemisms — all harvested fresh and ready to transplant into your interoffice memos and supersized tweets.  Continue reading...
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Word Routes

Exploring the pathways of our lexicon

Octlantis: A Word and World With Many Tentacles

December 4, 2017
By Mark Peters
The recent discovery of Octlantis, an undersea community of octopuses just off the eastern coast of Australia, is a reminder of how a novel blend can perfectly name a new phenomenon, no matter how wild or multi-tentacled.  Continue reading...
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Evasive Maneuvers

Euphemisms old and new

Black and Orange Process Upsets in the Pause Pod

November 12, 2017
By Mark Peters
A high percentage of that malarkey consists of euphemisms, which is why we could probably develop fusion energy by harnessing the grave-spinning of George Orwell.  Continue reading...
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Evasive Maneuvers

Euphemisms old and new

Urban Rain Forests and Other Benevolent Bunkum

October 4, 2017
By Mark Peters
Don't want to be known as a climate change denier? Call yourself a climate change agnostic. I can't deny that there's a metric tuchus-load of euphemisms out there, because the evidence is enough to overwhelm a drivel agnostic.  Continue reading...
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Word Routes

Exploring the pathways of our lexicon

"Fatberg" is the Tip of the Word-berg

September 26, 2017
By Mark Peters
London's colossal clog is a reminder of the history of berg and its parent word iceberg. With language, there's always a lot going on beneath the surface.  Continue reading...
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Evasive Maneuvers

Euphemisms old and new

Secular Twaddle and Cockamamie Community Bunk

September 6, 2017
By Mark Peters
Are you scared of group warfare? You should be, because group is now a euphemism for gang. Anyhoo, here's your monthly meal of weak words I caught in my lexical lobster trap. All these words are safe for home use: they have no sharp edges or blunt meanings whatsoever.  Continue reading...
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2 3 4 5 6 Displaying 22-28 of 174 Articles