If you need proof that language is powerful, here’s some. Researchers at Cornell recently reported that kids are more likely to eat their veggies if they’re told the food has enticing names like “X-ray Vision Carrots” and...
Heigh-ho! It's another newsletter from "A Way with Words," and we've got treats. Climb into our van! There are two minicasts for you, for one thing. What’s the deal with using the two-letter postal code abbreviations...
academic steroid n.— «When she was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder as a sophomore at UC Berkeley, Ashley welcomed her prescription for the amphetamine Adderall. Juggling a full load of classes with athletic...
Well, snap! It's another newsletter from "A Way with Words," the pluperfect radio show. Did you hear the program this past weekend? If not, you missed a brand-new doozy from the boozy two-sy (kidding about...
commod bod n.— «She also blamed the federal commodity program for low-income people that many American Indian families receive. The offerings include lots of pastas, rice and other high-carbohydrate foods that contribute to what Burger...
gated adj.— «The new study suggests that itch, like pain, may be a “gated” system in which signals from other nerve cells can interfere with or moderate the sensation. Scratching the skin near, but not directly on, the spot that itches...