Do you remember George Carlin’s comic routine about the “Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television”? It invaded our consciousness, by way of vinyl record albums, about the same time as Richard Nixon’s reelection to the presidency. Linguist John McWhorter does, and takes us through the history of those …
Read More »Tag Archives: language
Language Matters: Rescuing Dying Languages
Money and genius grants can't revive the hundreds of languages native to the Americas that have died out over the last few centuries.
Read More »Language Matters: Study Finds Sound and Meaning More Closely Tied Than We Thought
A rose by any other name would smell as sweet. But "any other name" just might not do.
Read More »Language Matters in Life and Business: Redundancy
The worst thing about redundancies is they aren't effective in the way people seem to think they are. "Last and final" isn't a stronger call to action than just "last" or just "final." Either one is sufficient.
Read More »Language Matters in Life and Business: Downton Abbey Talk
Talk to the organ-grinder.
Read More »Language Matters in Life and Business: Year-End Language Gripes
"To gift" or not "to gift?"
Read More »Language Matters in Life and Business: Words of War
ISIS? ISIL? Islamic State? Daesh? What's in a name? A lot.
Read More »Language Matters in Life and Business: Minimalism Can Pay Major Dividends
Slogans are as key as product names for marketing, and the shorter the sweeter, especially in the 140-character Twitter era. Sometimes advertisers hit the nail on the head. Other times they don't.
Read More »Book Review: Words to Eat By: Five Foods and the Culinary History of the English Language by Ina Lipkowitz
Calamari in a trattoria sounds much more appealing than a pan of squid at home.
Read More »“There Must Be an Angle, Playing with My Heart”
Pondering the nuances of a Chinese restaurant buffet table.
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