Oxford University Press's
Academic Insights for the Thinking World
Many lessons can be gleaned from watching reruns of ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’: Indirect sunlight is not an unlife-ender for vampires. Some small-town mayors may yearn to become giant unholy snake things (no surprise there). As Cordelia Chase said, “People, you’ve got to leave your tombs earthed.” (Whoops, that was on the Buffy spinoff Angel—but whatever).
How would you communicate with an alien? A look at how Science Fiction authors tackled the problem.
Benjamin Carp looks at tea parties in historical perspective.
Stephen Specter looks at the contrast between Bush and Obama’s views on Israel and Islamic extremists.
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.
Ammon Shea shares his love of obituaries.
Anatoly reviews possible origins of the word ‘ghetto.’
What Cassie has been reading this week.
Anatoly answers questions.
What Rebecca has been reading.
Anatoly’s second installment of January gleanings.
Ammon Shea responds to his website visitors.
Mark Peters explores the phrase “I’m cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs.”
Ammon Shea looks at who wrote the first American dictionary.
Ammon Shea looks at best seller lists.
Anatoly looks at the possible origins of the word “conundrum”.