Language

Bloomberg and “Maintain”

Ammon, an expert dictionary reader, ponders Mayor Bloomberg’s dislike of the word “maintain”.

Squirrel – Podictionary Word of the Day

The podictionary word of the week is squirrel.

Crossword Puzzle Answers

Earlier today we posted a Mother’s Day crossword puzzle by Adam Fromm. It was a particularly peculiar puzzle; with many literary lexicons to get the matriarchs mulling! In this post, we provide the answers, including the ‘crossed words’, and the curious path traced across the grid. Can you deliver?

Prisoner Cell Block H, My Mom, and My First Crossword Puzzle

A crossword puzzle for Mother’s Day.

Wasting Time and Having Fun With OED Searches.

Ammon Shea on reading the OED.

Flatter – Podictionary Word of the Day

A look at the word “flatter.”

David Crystal on Words, Words, Words

David Crystal talks about his book ‘Words, Words, Words’.

Wienerhuahuas will inherit the earth:
the blend-y world of dog breed names

By Mark Peters

Word blending is a full-time sport in the world of dog breeding. Any two breeds, and their appellations, might spawn a blend. Some recent designer breeds, as they are known, include ‘Beagadors’ (Beagle and Labrador), ‘Maltipon’ (Maltese and Pomeranian) and ‘Jackabees’ (Jack Russell and Beagle).

Pakistan – Podictionary Word of the Day

[display_podcast] Although places like Afghanistan, Kurdistan, and Turkistan have had their names for maybe a thousand years and tend to be in the same general part of the world as Pakistan—that is, sort of north and west of India—Pakistan is a made-up name that hasn’t been around even 100 years.

Samuel Johnson and the First English Dictionary

Ammon Shea wonders who wrote the first English dictionary.

Glossary – Podictionary Word of the Day

A look at the word “glossary”.

Linguistic Pet Peeves:
Or, I’d Rather Be Napping

Ammon Shea shares a pet peeve.