Bobo, mentioned in an earlier discussion of UNC-Chapel Hill slang for something crummy or inferior, drew memories from around the country. Some people remembered bobos in the late 1970s and early 1980s as cheap or off-brand shoes, with a schoolyard...
In L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, the scarecrow gets what he calls a bran-new brain. A caller wonders: Is the correct term bran-new or brand-new? This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Bran New vs. Brand New” Hi, you have A...
sweepspear n.— «Its styling, says GM interior design chief Dave Lyon, will feature modern interpretations of the Buick portholes (or “ventiports” as they were called in the “50s) and the “sweepspear,” the asymmetric v-shaped profile accent found on...
Martha and Grant discuss advertising slogans and product names supposedly botched in translation. They also recommend an eclectic mix of books for the word-lover on your holiday list, from military slang to Yiddish. Plus a slang quiz on the words...
ebrandgelist n.— «I’ve now become an eBRANDgelist for a network that’s looking to enlist more through its original programing—but I’ll actually be there for the commercials. A shout-out to AMC for their clever, brand-building, pod-busting approach...
