June Ends (and so did May)
Anatoly Liberman chronicles the development of the “American variety of English” from its colonial origins through today.
Fanspeak: The Lingo of Sci-Fi and Fantasy Fandom
Jeff Prucher looks at words coined by science fiction and fantasy fans.
Monthly Gleanings: May 2009
Anatoly’s monthly gleanings.
Word window: week twelve
This week is the twelfth instalment of our ‘Word Window’ series, in which we present some of the Oxford English Dictionary’s more remarkable words. Last week, we discussed the triple meaning of ‘Big Apple’. This week we have chosen a rather mysterious term; ‘Cruciverbalist’…
Star Trek terminology
The 11th Star Trek film is opening this Friday, and I don’t know about you, but I’ve already bought my ticket. It’s a reboot of the original, meaning more James Tiberius Kirk, Spock, and the rest of the gang. It’s enough to make me jump up and down in excitement – and not just for terminology.
Oxford’s word window: week four
We are now in week four of our ‘Word Window’ series, in which we display an Oxford Word of the Week, in the windows of our New York Offices. Last week’s word was: ‘Rashomon’ n.: ‘Designating something resembling or suggestive of the film Rashomon.’ This week’s word is ‘Mondegreen’…
Monthly Gleanings: January 2009: Part 2
Anatoly’s second installment of January gleanings.
Damp Squid: Hate Lists and Eggcorns
‘Damp Squid’ author Jeremy Butterfield on eggcorns and words we love to hate.
Oxford Word of the Year 2008: Hypermiling
Do you keep the tires on your car properly inflated to maximize your gas mileage? Have you removed the roof rack to streamline the car and reduce drag? Do you turn your engine off rather than idle at long stoplights? If you said yes to any of these questions you just might be a ‘hypermiler’.
Monthly Gleanings: October 2008, Part One
Anatoly Liberman answers questions based on last month’s posts.
An Obscure College Professor Visits a Small Animal Farm
Anatoly looks at features of Indo-European languages.
To Be Or To Not Be, Or,
The Causes of Language Change
Anatoly Liberman looks at the use of the split infinitive.
The Tenant’s Dilemma, or,
When Did People Begin to Say They for “He (Or She)”?
Anatoly Liberman relates his adventures with plurals.
Shibboleths and Traitors, or,
Death and Expulsion as Categories of Historical Phonetics
Anatoly Liberman recounts the times when phonetics were used to determine the death, expulsion or release of a group of people, and takes a closer at the development of homonyms.
Post-traumatic snowclone disorder
You don’t have to be an MD or a sick puppy to appreciate the enormous family of humorous medical terms, including ‘peanut butter balls’ (phenobarbitol), ‘horrendoplasty’ (an operation without a sunny forecast), or ‘duck’s disease’ (‘being short’, so-named for the non-NBA-ready stature of quackers).
Dispelling the Texting Myths
David Crystal tells us that txtng is nothing worry about