jitterbug
n.— «Edward G. Robinson, Humphrey Bogar and James Cagney in the movies, “Gangbusters” on radio, bubblegum “war cards” depicting atrocities, and “zoot suit” riots among the jitterbug set were widely deplored as symptoms of national sickness.» —“Observer” by Russell Baker New York Times Dec. 29, 1963. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
A caller wonders if she’s being hypersensitive about the way her boss addresses her in emails. Can the use of an employee’s first name ever reflect a power differential? And: a community choir director wants a term for “the act of...
Language is always evolving, and that’s also true for American Sign Language. A century ago, the sign for “telephone” was one fist below your mouth and the other at your ear, as if you’re holding an old-fashioned candlestick...