Topic : Words

21 22 23 24 25 Displaying 155-161 of 1168 Articles

Word Routes

Exploring the pathways of our lexicon

A Little "Lagniappe" for Language Lovers
Mon Aug 25 00:00:00 EDT 2014
By Ben Zimmer

A few weeks ago I started a regular feature on the Slate podcast Lexicon Valley called LinguaFile, in which I present the hosts with a word and have them try to guess its origins. Last time it was discombobulate, and for this week's episode I went with another one of my favorite words, lagniappe, meaning "a bonus gift (as given to a customer from a merchant)."  Continue reading...
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Word Count

Writers Talk About Writing

When Are You "Anxious" And When Are You "Eager"?
Wed Aug 20 00:00:00 EDT 2014
By Mignon Fogarty

Here is the latest in a series of tips on usage and style shared by Mignon Fogarty, better known as Grammar Girl. With students returning to school, Mignon asks if they're best described as "anxious" or "eager."  Continue reading...
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Candlepower

Ad and marketing creatives

New Names from (Very) Old Words
Mon Aug 18 00:00:00 EDT 2014
By Nancy Friedman

In the world of branding, coined and contorted names often hog all the attention. Less commented-on are the successful contemporary brand names with long pedigrees: "real" dictionary words that have been used by English speakers for centuries.  Continue reading...
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Blog Excerpts

"YOLO" Enters Oxford Dictionaries
Fri Aug 15 00:00:00 EDT 2014

Among the new words just added to Oxford Dictionaries is "YOLO," an acronym for "You Only Live Once." Loyal readers will recall that our own Ben Zimmer has been on the YOLO beat for a couple of years. Read his August 2012 Word Routes column, "Further Adventures of YOLO," here, and read about how his Boston Globe column helped put the word on the map here.
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Word Count

Writers Talk About Writing

Nowadays, "Like" Just Means "Uh-Huh"
Mon Aug 11 00:00:00 EDT 2014
By Dennis Baron

Like has a new meaning. The word used to mean 'feel affection for,' 'take pleasure in,' or 'enjoy.' Now, thanks to Facebook, like can also mean, "Yes, I read what you wrote," or just a noncommittal "uh huh."  Continue reading...
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Word Count

Writers Talk About Writing

Is It "Set Up," "Set-Up," or "Setup"?
Thu Aug 07 10:00:00 EDT 2014
By Mignon Fogarty

Here is the latest in a series of tips on usage and style shared by Mignon Fogarty, better known as Grammar Girl. One of Mignon's correspondents inquires about when setup should appear as a single, unbroken word, and when there should be a space or a hyphen between set and up.  Continue reading...
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Evasive Maneuvers

Euphemisms old and new

Tender Undoing and Other Surface Coal
Wed Aug 06 00:00:00 EDT 2014
By Mark Peters

We have another Euphemism of the Year candidate—and perhaps an entirely new category. In reference to her impending divorce, singer Jewel called the event a tender undoing, apparently seeking to create a more gibberish-soaked term than conscious uncoupling, which Gwyneth Paltrow famously used to describe her own divorce.  Continue reading...
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21 22 23 24 25 Displaying 155-161 of 1168 Articles

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