A remarkable new documentary explores the world of amateur and professional mermaiding and the language bubbling up within it. Some mermaiding enthusiasts greet each other with a friendly “Shello!” Plus, an adoptee wonders what to call...
Sarah from St. Augustine, Florida, asks if there’s a word for the accent we inherit from our parents. One useful term is idiolect, the unique blend of language each person speaks, and the handing down of speech habits from elders is called...
To be creasing, or to be creased up, means you’re laughing so hard you’re doubled over at the waist, as if your belly has a big crease in it. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of ““Creasing” and “Creased Up”: Laughing So Hard You...
When in Rome, do as the Romans do. We all know this proverb means to respect local customs when traveling, or more generally, to go along with a larger group. But why Rome? There’s a surprising story behind this phrase. And: Do we inherit our...
Kinbank is a new database that illustrates the global diversity of family terms. English, for example, specifies sibling relationships with just one of two terms: sister or brother. But most other languages have even more specific terms. In...
A book of photographs and essays by famous writers celebrates libraries — and the librarians who changed their lives. Plus cutting doughnuts, spinning cookies, and pulling brodies: There are lots of ways to talk about spinning a car in circles on...
