The word doppich means “clumsy or awkward,” is used primarily in Southeastern and South Central Pennsylvannia, and goes back to a German word for the same. Another handy word with Pennsylvania Dutch roots: grex, also spelled krex...
What pet names do you have for your loved ones? In The Joys of Yiddish, Leo Rosten shares the name his Mother used to call him — bubala, a term of endearment grandmothers might use in addressing children. We have all kinds of substitutes for the...
Should you use enamored of or enamored with? Grant explains that while North Americans use both, enamored of is the more common of the two. In Great Britain, it’s enamored of, a construction similar to those in several Romance languages...
The hosts and a listener in Grand Rapids, Michigan, trade some 17th-century insults. For more, check out these references: Gargantua and English Words With Native Roots And With Greek, Latin, Or Romance Suffixes by George Albert Nicholson. This is...
choreplay n.— «Forget crimson roses and chocolates. Grab a broom. Unload the dishwasher. Play with the kids. Now, that’s hot. That’s choreplay.» —“Want to get your woman in the mood? Try doing housework” by Helena...
showmance n.— «Playing Doody (“Those Magic Changes”) and Frenchy, the “Beauty School Dropout,” the two hit it off right away. They were both hard-working, both passionate about the theater, both committed...