First Contact
How would you communicate with an alien? A look at how Science Fiction authors tackled the problem.
The Ghost of Tea Parties Past
Benjamin Carp looks at tea parties in historical perspective.
Feeding Crocodiles
Stephen Specter looks at the contrast between Bush and Obama’s views on Israel and Islamic extremists.
Nine words you might think came from science but which are really from science fiction
We were pretty excited when ‘Brave New Words’ won the Hugo Award. Now that ‘Brave New Words’ is available in paperback we asked Jeff Prucher, freelance lexicographer and editor for the Oxford English Dictionary’s science fiction project, to revisit the blog. Below are Prucher’s picks of words.
Reading Obituaries
Ammon Shea shares his love of obituaries.
Why Don’t We Know the Origin of the Word Ghetto?
Anatoly reviews possible origins of the word ‘ghetto.’
Friday procrastination: link love – spring training, second hand books, and the ISS
What Cassie has been reading this week.
Monthly Gleanings: February 2009
Anatoly answers questions.
Friday procrastination: link love – Darwin, dogs, and dictionaries
What Rebecca has been reading.
Monthly Gleanings: January 2009: Part 2
Anatoly’s second installment of January gleanings.
The Enormity Of It All
Ammon Shea responds to his website visitors.
Cuckoo for Snowclone Puffs: An Essential Part of an Insane Vocabulary
Mark Peters explores the phrase “I’m cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs.”
The First American Dictionary: Johnson or Webster?
Ammon Shea looks at who wrote the first American dictionary.
Best Sellers
Ammon Shea looks at best seller lists.
Conundrum: A Cold Spoor Warmed Up
Anatoly looks at the possible origins of the word “conundrum”.
Monthly Gleanings: October 2008, Part One
Anatoly Liberman answers questions based on last month’s posts.