Kevin in Havver, Montana, shares a funny story about a misunderstanding that occurred at a conference when one of the organizers requested that a large order of doughnuts be cut in half. Oops. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of...
The term elbow clerk, encountered at a conference of judges and lawyers, refers to a clerk who works directly in a judge’s chambers, right at the judge’s elbow. It suggests an all-purpose helper who is always on hand, though the phrase also invites...
Swag is not an acronym for Stuff We All Get. In fact, most acronymic “etymologies” are complete hogwash. Swag, commonly used to mean “free stuff,” goes back to the 1700’s and refers to the ill-gotten swag, or booty, of...
Grant shares a word he’s been encountering at conferences: discussant. A discussant is someone who, after a series of papers are presented, takes the microphone to summarize the information given and offer opinions on the matter. This is part...
lobbycon n.—Gloss: to attend the site of a professional conference, without enrolling or paying entrance fees, for the purpose of meeting with attendees in the site’s public spaces. Note: From lobby + conference. «Some of Silicon...