An etymological stinkpo(s)t
The Oxford Etymologist’s subject today is the origin of the verb “stink”.
Building copyright: an absurdist work in progress
Would you say that a(n actual) banana duct-taped to a wall may be protected by copyright? And would you consider a claim that the author of said duct-taped banana copied the work of another artist who had also duct-taped a (plastic) banana to a green cardboard an infringement of the copyright owned by said artist?
Rising seas, eroding beaches, and fewer fish in Africa
Robert Paarlberg describes the impact of human-induced climate change and local economic and political forces on fishing communities in Code d’Ivoire, Ghana, and Nigeria.
Is it a noun or an adjective?
The distinction between nouns and adjectives seems like it should be straightforward, but it’s not. Grammar is not as simple as your grade-school teacher presented it.
Pandemic? What pandemic?
Three months after the official US government “end” of three years of monitoring the COVID-19 pandemic that took over 1.1 million American lives, we are back to “new normal.”
Five children’s classics that stand the test of time [reading list]
The books people remember most are often the ones from their childhoods, and it’s no surprise; many children’s books have survived decades of changing tastes and digital distractions, continuing to entertain generations of children and even adult readers.
A listener’s guide to The Subversive Seventies [playlist]
What songs would revolutionaries in the 1970s have listened to and identified with? Listen to the playlist and trace the political history behind seven iconic protest songs from the 1970s.
Language peeves and the word peeve
The Oxford Etymologist considers the etymology of the word “peeve.”
The revelation of the Book of Mormon at 200 [podcast]
On today’s episode, we’re joined by two preeminent scholars on the history and theology of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to discuss with us the legacy of Joseph Smith’s Gold Plates as well as the state of academic scholarship surrounding The Book of Mormon.
Alzheimer’s: do we focus too much on new treatments?
Paul T. Menzel discusses the focus on new treatments for Alzheimer’s versus existing patient-led options.
The British Army: how is the Army meeting changing societal priorities?
What is the nature of the British army’s exceptionalism in constitutional, political, social, cultural, and military terms?
The contested nature of religious liberty in today’s America
Several decisions recently made by the United States Supreme Court, along with an escalation in Christian Nationalist rhetoric among right-wing American politicians, have brought the issue of religious liberty to the surface in today’s media. Much of the commentary has focused on a paradox: the concept of religious liberty has increasingly been used to suppress […]
No release from an etymological entanglement
The Oxford Etymologist responds to readers comments on his most recent blog post topics.
Environmental remediation of sea-dumped chemical weapons: courageously fixing the mistakes of our past
For many generations to come, there is only one place where we can live, and that one place is the Earth. It is therefore imperative that we take care of our home, rather than treating the Earth as if it were given to us for our own selfish exploitation.
Communicative luck reduction: machine-like or social (or both)?
While we occasionally have the sense that we are rolling dice with words and hoping for good luck, meaning and communication would be impossible if we only and always succeed no better than luck would allow.
A few things at a glance
The Oxford Etymologist responds to readers comments on his most recent blog post topics.