Whatever you read into it, the "All the king's ___" snowclone is now solidly embedded in the popular consciousness and in headline-writers' bag of tricks.  Continue reading...

Whatever name you go by in plea agreements and apocalyptic prophecies, I'm sure you appreciate discretion. In that spirit, here's my latest roundup of terms that beat around the bush so many times they could give George Orwell vertigo.  Continue reading...

As long as there's a literal Constitution to amend and a metaphorical constitution to defend, constitution will remain an important word. Here's a look at this versatile word, just in time for September 17th — Constitution Day.  Continue reading...

Written language has an afterlife that is practically unlimited. When we commit something to writing we make a record that far outlives the context in which it is produced. Take the United States Constitution for example, now on the job for more than 225 years.  Continue reading...

Have you ever been a special guest? I like to think all guests are special, but I can't say the same for all words. Please name, blame, and shame the following lexical varmints, which even my rat terrier can't seem to exterminate.  Continue reading...

In our increasingly polarized world, it may be helpful to investigate how sides came to mean things that exist in vehement opposition to each other.  Continue reading...