When it comes to language, who’s the decider? Grant explains how grammar rules develop. Also, what’s tarantula juice, and what’s the difference between a muffin top and a smiley? We discuss these and other terms from Green’s Dictionary of Slang. Why...
Scottish cringe n.— «Over the past week, as it became clear a decision on Megrahi’s future was imminent, many Scottish pundits and opposition politicians were consumed by what is called the Scottish cringe—the idea that some decisions are just too...
recycled pulsar n.— «Astronomers have long theorized that these superfast stars share their orbit with a companion star from which they leech extra material. The material settles around the pulsar’s middle in a so-called accretion disk. As material...
In this downbeat economy, some advertisers are reaching for upbeat language. Take the new Quaker Oats catchphrase, “Go humans go,” or Coca-Cola’s current slogan, “Open happiness.” Martha and Grant discuss whether chirpy, happy ad copy can go too far...
goldstino n.— «In this case, the generators of the symmetry were fermionic, so the Goldstone particles are fermions rather than bosons: they are called the goldstinos and they have spin-1/2.» —“Bob McElrath, gravitons are not made out of dust” by...
lobbocracy n.— «Democracy, which relies on a free and independent press, is now run by what I call a “lobbocracy,” by special interests lobby groups via PR.» —“Spin versus framing: the tragedy of PR” by John S. Wilkins Evolving Thoughts Aug. 31...
