ArchiveAugust 2009

.5 generation

.5 generation  n.— «Sociologists call Mr. Singh and his cohort the “.5 generation,” distinct from the “1.5 generation”—younger transplants who became bicultural through school and work. Immigrant elders leave a familiar home, some without...

Bogarting Bangers

Has the age of email led to an outbreak of exclamation marks? Do women use them more than men? Also, is there a word for the odd feeling when you listen to a radio personality for years, then discover that they look nothing like your mental picture...

Poets Laureate and Poetry Brothels

For 341 years, the poets laureate of Britain have all been male. That just changed with the appointment of Britain’s new poet laureate, Carol Ann Duffy. Her work has been described as “dealing with the darkest turmoil and the lightest...

A-dar

A-dar  n.— «As an autism parent nearly twelve years post diagnosis, I (and, I’m sure, many other parents) have developed what is often referred to as “A-dar,” short for autism radar. It’s the awareness of a possible autism diagnosis...

gayby

gayby  n.— «In 1994, Daddy Dave and Daddy Bob prepared 5-year-old Elizabeth Wall for the first day of kindergarten in New Jersey, meeting with the principal in advance to ease her transition as the daughter of two gay men. […] Wall...

dinosaur training

dinosaur training  n.— «He talked about something called dinosaur training. He wanted the offensive linemen to shed fat and put on muscle, he wanted them lifting heavy objects, literally moving big furniture so they wouldn’t collapse with...

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