We often hear that English is going to hell in a handbasket. Actually, though, linguistic handwringing about sinking standards and sloppy speech has been going on for centuries – at least as far back as the 1300’s! And: language also changes to fit...
If you’ve ever had the experience of casting a dream film or TV episode in your head—say, putting Benedict Cumberbatch and Johnny Lee Miller, both of whom play Sherlock Holmes on TV, in the same show together—that imaginary scenario comes from your...
Need a word for “lover of the underdog”? It’s infracaninophile. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Infracaninophile” Hello, you have A Way with Words. Hello, I’m Kate Rosenmeier and I’m calling from Evansville, Indiana. Hi, Kate...
pixel-hunting n.— «he body is of course the first thing to attract attention, and it must be examined thoroughly (and here enters pixel-hunting): the main wounds, the bruises revealing that the victim’s jewellery has been taken, a mysterious...