Mary in Dallas, Texas, grew up in Canada and wonders why her British mother affectionately calls Mary’s nine-year-old son booby, a pet name passed down in the family from England. In Britain, booby has long been a children’s term for a crybaby...
“What’s your name?” “I’m Puddin’ Tame, ask me again and I’ll tell you the same!” This and other rhymes, such as “What’s your number? Cucumber!” derive from French, English, and American...
What do you call it when you roll past a stop sign without coming to a complete stop? A California stop, a Michigan stop — or something else? And if someone calls you a voracious reader, would you be flattered or insulted? Also, Puddin’ Tame, the...