Is there an L in both?
My grandmother was one of those speakers who had an “r” in the word wash, pronouncing it “warsh”. For her, the nation’s capital was “Warshington”, D.C., and the vegetable was a “squarsh.”
May 2026
Much hubbub about very little
Soon after the blog Oxford Etymologist came into existence on March 5, 2006 (more than twenty years ago!), I wrote a post on the word hubba-hubba.
Music therapy musicianship: a call for change
The following is offered as a manifesto: a bold assertion of our unique musicianship. We – music therapists – are different from performers and educators.
Think before you tan: why sun awareness matters
Sun Awareness Week (11-17 May 2026) is the British Association of Dermatologists’ (BAD) annual week-long campaign dedicated to raising awareness of the public health risk of sun exposure, from traditional tanning to sunbed use.
Why recovery after a hip fracture is about more than bones
For many older adults, a hip fracture arrives without warning, suddenly changing the course of daily life.
Pen to Paper with Peter Mancall
Writing a volume for the Oxford History of the United States is an exercise in both synthesis and ambition. The series has long set the standard for American historical writing, and to join it is to enter a multigenerational conversation about how the story of the nation’s past should be told.
Pen to paper with Jonathan Parshall
Jon Parshall has spent his career asking big questions about how wars are remembered, argued over, and ultimately understood.