Is there such a thing as a “neutral” accent, and if so what does it sound like? And that quirk in the way southern Californians talk about freeways. They’ll say things like take the 405 and get on the 8. Why the definite article...
Why do southern Californians refer to interstate thoroughfares with the definite article, as in the 405 or the 8? This usage is a result of the history of freeways in Southern California, and is heard in a few other places, including Phoenix...
hurricane cutting n.— «There is a practice sometimes called “hurricane cutting.” This involves removing not only all the dead fronds but all the green ones as well—including that batch of new fronds that sticks up in the air...
zanjero n.— «The park’s name pays homage to zanjeros, a term for people who work with water, Svelund said. The name originated about 100 years ago, when zanjeros would make sure water from canals funneled correctly to landowners...
sprung floor n.— «One of the cooler aspects of this new auxiliary gym is it has what’s called a “sprung floor,” which helps takes the stress off of people’s legs while they’re here playing basketball or volleyball...
crotch dumpling n.— «I probably shouldn’t be a mother. At least I didn’t refer to it as a crotch dumpling or placenta mooch like I call other people’s kids.» —“I hope we don’t get the six pack…“ by Chrissy...