We have a Department of Defense, and football teams have a defense, and chances are you don’t pronounce those terms the same way. It likely has to do with sportscasters emphasizing of- and de- to differentiate the offensive and defensive sides of...
Grant and Martha discuss strange names for high school sports teams. Know another example? Talk about it in the forum. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Strange Mascot Names” You’re listening to A Way with Words. I’m Martha Barnette...
simming n.—Gloss: From “simulating.” «It took a room full of networked computers called a “render farm” to do in about 14 months what would have taken a single machine 16 years: churn out digital scenes precisely modeled after real life, Mr...
flugtag n.— «More than 30 human-powered aircraft designs will take part in Red Bull’s Flugtag competition on Aug. 3, behind the Canadian Museum of Civilization in Gatineau. It’s part air-show spectacle and part Jackass stunt. Flugtag is a German...
trust fall n.— «I can’t tell you how many times I’ve attended an orientation or team-building activity and been forced to play the same game. You’ve all done it, too: Commonly known as the “trust fall,” participants are required to pair up and...
wrong-sider n.— «And when Papineau—or any other lefty steps up to the plate—he’s referred to as a wrong-sider.» —“Team takes baseball to its roots” by Paul Costanzo Times Herald (Port Huron, Michigan) May 14, 2007. (source: Double-Tongued...

