"There even are places where English completely disappears. In America, they haven't used it for years!" So goes the lyric. But English is adaptable for special purposes.  Continue reading...

How a Yiddish word with Hebrew roots became a ubiquitous American brand name, backronym, and even a baby name.  Continue reading...

Please enjoy the list of latest and greatest euphemisms, full of managed malarkey you won't find anywhere else.  Continue reading...

Street names can situate us in geography, history, politics, and culture. But they may be replaced by new systems of wayfinding.  Continue reading...

Joseph Stalin came to power 100 years ago this month. His modern heir, Vladimir Putin, is every bit as adept as his ideological mentor at weaponizing language.  Continue reading...

It's only March and we already have a contender for euphemism of the year.  Continue reading...