Topic : UsageEvasive ManeuversEuphemisms old and newEthically Aggregating for Old Ned September 8, 2015 By Mark Peters
In his latest batch of under-the-radar euphemisms, Mark Peters introduces such linguistic doozies as "ethical cheating," an oxymoronic term that came to light after the Ashley Madison hacking hubbub.
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Evasive ManeuversEuphemisms old and newBladder Spasms and Other Containment Anomalies August 5, 2015 By Mark Peters
We're in the middle of one of the most important transitions in a democracy: from one Batman to another. But as the era of Ben Affleck (Batfleck) rapidly approaches, former Batman Christian Bale recently offered wise words to his successor on how he should be able to relieve himself.
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Behind the DictionaryLexicographers Talk About LanguageTrump-mentum? Bernie-mentum? The Return of a Popular Electoral Suffix July 27, 2015 By Mark Peters
Whether you like or loathe it, I bet you've noticed the return of –mentum: a suffix that fills the Internet during election season much as a sulfurous smell fills hell. This suffix is also a terrific reminder of a sad truth: the media will never, ever treat a presidential election as anything more than a sporting event with fewer concussions.
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Word RoutesExploring the pathways of our lexiconIs "Southpaw" from Boxing or Baseball? July 24, 2015 By Ben Zimmer
With the boxing movie "Southpaw" opening, it's a good time to ponder where the term "southpaw" came from as an epithet for a left-hander. Baseball and boxing have both used the term for a long time to label lefty athletes, but which came first?
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Article Topics:Behind the DictionaryLexicographers Talk About LanguageLinguistic "Humdingers" for Sticky Situations July 15, 2015 By Adam Cooper
What sounds do you make when words fail? A garbled stutter? A whistle? Or is there just the resounding bump of your jaw hitting the floor? Turns out, there are words to capture the wordless shock we experience when we're confronted by mess, noise, violence, or otherwise sticky situations. They're linked by sound: repeated syllables and long vowels that are onomatopoeically evocative of the sounds that come out of our mouths when our brains are overwhelmed.
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Article Topics:CandlepowerAd and marketing creativesWhat Makes the Special Olympics "Special"? July 13, 2015 By Nancy Friedman
On July 25, the fourteenth Summer Special Olympics World Games will open in Los Angeles. Over the next seven days, 7,000 athletes will compete in sporting events at venues around the city, supported by 30,000 volunteers and cheered by 500,000 spectators. ESPN will broadcast the opening ceremony. It sounds festive. It sounds inspiring. But what makes it "special"?
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Evasive ManeuversEuphemisms old and newCustomers of Size? More Like Terms of Twaddle July 8, 2015 By Mark Peters
White House security has been one of the most reliable sources of comedy for the past several years, with scandal and buffoonery becoming the norm. Finally, the buffoonery has produced something I can use in endless search for tasty euphemisms.
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