Can language change bad behavior in crowded places? The Irish Railway system has launched an ad campaign to encourage passengers to be more generous at boarding time. For example, have you ever rummaged through your belongings or pretended to have...
It’s hard enough to get a new word into the dictionary. But what happens when lawmakers get involved? New Jersey legislators passed a resolution as part of an anti-bullying campaign urging dictionary companies to adopt the word upstander. It...
Rabbit, rabbit! In this week’s archive episode: What’s in a pet’s name? Also, stump-jumpers, snicklefritzes, and the last word in the dictionary. Is it “zyzzyva” or “zyxt”? Suffonsify yourself here: A caller...
drowning machine n.— «This creates a hazardous situation for paddlers who don’t know that the river is about to take a dangerous drop. Low-head dams, such as Idols, are often referred to as “drowning machines” because of the...
POD n.— «The mother can designate beneficiaries of the account who will receive the monies in the account upon her death. These accounts are often called “Payable on Death,” or “POD” accounts. They operate similar...
filler n.— «The man was a “filler” in a photo lineup of six black men. A filler is someone who is not a suspect, but whose photo is included because the filler fits the general description of a suspect who was in the photo...