Twittering, tweeting, twirting—it’s rare to see a whole new body of language appear right before your eyes. But that’s what’s happening with Twitter. We discuss the snappy new shorthand of the twitterati. Also, why do people feel...
mooncrete n.— «After the movie, we talked about how you would build the moon base and whether you could actually create concrete using the lunar regolith. There was a specialist who designed and worked on something called mooncrete. You...
For a closer look at the language of the twitterati, check out Erin McKean’s recent piece in the Boston Globe. Glossaries of Twitter-related terms can be found at Twittonary, and Twictionary. We didn’t say all the coinages were clever...
Grant dishes up the latest language headlines from around the world, including names so weird they sparked legal action. Two New Zealand parents really did name their daughter “Talula Does the Hula From Hawaii.” Also, what’s wrong...
thumper truck n.— «Dawson has deployed three trucks to test 30-square miles that cover neighborhoods and non-residential areas in and around Fort Worth. The trucks emit a vibration into the ground ranging from 10-120 hertz. Small white...
family meal n.— «I had arrived at 4 p.m. to experience a daily ritual that takes place in hundreds of restaurants across the city, and in thousands more across the country: family meal. Chanterelle was the last stop on a month-long, eight...