Tricia in Cross Oaks, Texas, remembers a family friend affectionately calling her nitnoid, a fond name for a small person she now extends to her own kids. Her father served in the Air Force Reserve, and she wonders if one of his Air Force buddies...
Shannon from Virginia Beach, Virginia, heard nitnoy in the Navy as a word for something small or insignificant, as in a nitnoy problem. The likeliest source is Thai nit-noi, meaning “a little bit,” with a plausible route through U.S. military...
It’s time once again for Quiz Guy John Chaneski’s annual (and non-political) Limericks Puzzle! Fill in the blank: “When somebody says ‘Where’s the beef?’ / Say western Australia, in brief / Knickers the steer / Is...
What do you call it when you work for a corporation but aren’t based in the same place as its headquarters. Writer Michael Erard believes that the term working remotely doesn’t really characterize it, and instead has suggested working in...
In English, we might say that someone born to a life of luxury was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. In Swedish, though, the image is different. Someone similarly spoiled is said to “slide in on a shrimp sandwich.” For more...
In Thailand, advice to the lovelorn can include a phrase that translates as “The land is not so small as a prune leaf.” It’s the same sentiment as “There are lots of fish in the sea.” This is part of a complete episode...