A Pasadena, California, man says some of his relatives make a noise that sounds like unh-Unh, and it’s clear to everyone in the family that it means “Well, what did you expect?” A lexical utterance like that does have meaning, even...
leave everything on the field v. phr.— «First he held forth at length the press conference for long stretches, then spent three solid hours that evening at the CBS party at the Rose Bowl, glad-handing critics on the stadium turf and...
Madonnari n.— «Street painters are commonly known as Madonnaris and the practice has come to California through annual festivals in Pasadena, Santa Barbara and San Diego.» —“Street doubles as artists’ canvas” by John...
SOM n.— «African-American gang members, police say, have been robbing and beating Latino residents in the streets, usually as they make their way home from work late at night. “They refer to it as “sock on Mexicans,’”...
sloyd n.— «Sloyd is a system of education built around the design and construction of useful handmade objects. The name is from the Swedish word, “sloyd,” which is derived from the Icelandic “slog,” meaning general...
spizerinctum n.— «“I think the country is entitled to know he is young, vigorous, and full of spizerinctum.” [Sen. Alexander Wiley (R) Wis.] said spizerinctum was a word coined by an old banker in his town of Chippewa Falls, Wis...