All aboard! This week, a bit about the musical language of railroad conductors’ calls: “Anaheim, Azusa, and Cu-ca-monga!” Also, the origin of the military slang term cumshaw, tips for learning Latin, the influence of Spanish immigrants on English...
A trip to the California State Railroad Museum has Grant musing about the way language can change in the mouth of a single individual— in this case, railroad conductors. He recommends a collection of sound files from metros and subways around the...
bang in v.— «Before I was hired, a few of our city carriers worked nights at Yankee Stadium as ushers. They banged in so that they could work an afternoon game, and wound up on TV. Waved to the camera and everything. They were seen. No discipline...