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Why do we call a frankfurter a hot dog? It seems an unsettling 19th-century rumor is to blame. Also, if someone quits something abruptly, why do we say they quit cold turkey? This term’s roots may lie in the history of boxing. Plus, a...
Where would you find a sports commentator talking about high cheese and ducks on a pond? Here’s a hint: both terms are part of what makes America’s pastime so colorful. • A government official in New Zealand proposes a new, more...
A government official in New Zealand has devised a new Maori-based glossary to replace some of the English words used by the government for talking about mental health, disability, and addiction. For example, he proposes replacing the word autism...
Kapai is a Maori term used in New Zealand meaning “good.” This is part of a complete episode.
beachcrosser n.— «So can we say a beachcrosser is someone who daringly blazes a trail in an exploratory way across new beaches? Well, no. Later she writes: “The first Maori to visit Australia were Tuki, a priest, and Huru, a...