Washminster
n.— «The term “Washminster,” coined in 1980 to suggest Australia is somehow a hybrid of the Westminster and Washington systems, misses the point. Australia started off as a child of mixed parentage, and like all children grew up and developed its own personality, developing a distinctively Australian approach to government that differs from that of either parent. Still, we maintain close ties with the US, and there are continuing influences from their system on our own public service.» —“Ties with the USA” by Stephen Bartos Canberra Times (Australia) July 4, 2006. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Many of us struggled with the Old English poem “Beowulf” in high school. But what if you could actually hear “Beowulf” in the English of today? There’s a new translation by Maria Dahvana Headley that uses contemporary...
Have you ever googled your own name and found someone else who goes by the very same moniker? There’s a word for that: googleganger. Plus, the language of hobbyists and enthusiasts: If you’re a beekeeper, perhaps you call yourself a...