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

Inaccurate Refrains and Other False Notes
Tue Jun 11 00:00:00 EDT 2019
By Mark Peters

If only all reprehensible rewordings were satirical rather than serious. But as long as homo sapiens hem and haw and holler horse apples, I'll be on the job, collecting those apples in my train of twaddle.  Continue reading...
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Evasive Maneuvers

Euphemisms old and new

Pro-informed Partisan Palaver Starring Heckboy
Thu May 09 00:00:00 EDT 2019
By Mark Peters

I dunno if dueling fact perceptions is an iota less ridiculous than partisan facts, or the ever-popular alternative facts. Any way you slice it, you're choosing to live in a thin bubble of baloney. Speaking of baloney, the drivel deli is always open here at Evasive Maneuvers.  Continue reading...
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Evasive Maneuvers

Euphemisms old and new

Mephitic Weasels in the Garden House
Fri Apr 05 00:00:00 EDT 2019
By Mark Peters

Here are some of the latest and non-greatest lengths your fellow hairless apes have gone to not say what they mean.  Continue reading...
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Evasive Maneuvers

Euphemisms old and new

Unplanned Descents into Drivel
Mon Mar 11 00:00:00 EDT 2019
By Mark Peters

Just as there are oodles of food trucks, there are mega-oodles of language emetics in the form of euphemisms. Please hate enjoying or enjoy hating the following.  Continue reading...
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Evasive Maneuvers

Euphemisms old and new

Engaged, Vintage, Deleted Drivel, Begob!
Mon Feb 11 00:00:00 EST 2019
By Mark Peters

Here are some of the euphemisms I've scraped, like barnacles, off the bloated boat of language. Do not attempt such hazardous, horsepucky-adjacent collection yourself.  Continue reading...
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Evasive Maneuvers

Euphemisms old and new

What, By Gosh, is Euphemism of the Year?
Wed Jan 09 00:00:00 EST 2019
By Mark Peters

It's that time of year when I choose a Euphemism of the Year. I've whittled the list down to four candidates, which are the lexical equivalent of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.  Continue reading...
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Dog Eared

Books we love

"Talk on the Wild Side" Is a Sharp Ode to Our Unruly, Resilient Language
Fri Dec 21 00:00:00 EST 2018
By Mark Peters

Like most well-informed language books, this one is not going to be popular with the English-is-going-to-hell crowd. In this multifaceted yet focused book, Greene makes a powerful argument for the inherent resiliency of language, and his own sharp writing is serious support for language's power.  Continue reading...
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4 5 6 7 8 Displaying 36-42 of 214 Articles