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Culture
Is It OK to Say "Gay"?
If "gay" can mean both "homosexual" and "lame," does it make us homophobic to use it for the latter? A discussion of a controversial word.
Culture
The Poetry of Rhyming Compounds
Flap and zap, doom and gloom, cuff and stuff: the allure of rhyme in the workplace. Rhyme gets a bad rap, partly because of bad rap—not to...
Culture
Let's Bury the Not-a-Word Myth
Turns of phrase like "irregardless," "prolly," and "imma" can be cringeworthy, but that doesn't mean they aren't words.
Culture
Adopt an Obsolete Word from the Oxford English Dictionary
The storied dictionary is trying to rescue forgotten words and bring them back into use. Do your part by adopting a word of your own.
Culture
A Case for Banning the Word "Natural"
Ben and Jerry aren't the only ones guilty of using the vague word "natural."; Maybe because it means everything-and nothing-at the same time.
Culture
Facebook's Aggressive Trademark Hunt
The site's trademark bullying raises questions about who owns words. Hide your face and your books! That ravenous social monster Facebook is on...
Culture
The Renaming of LeBron James
Cataloging the punny plays on the basketball star's name. When you call yourself King James and arrange a one-hour TV special to end your free...
Culture
Addicted to Addiction: A Word We’d Snort if We Could
The world has an obsession with "addiction", but what does that word even mean today?
Culture
Whore, Prostitute, Hooker, or Sex Worker: What Should You Say?
The New York Post is being sued for calling DSK's accuser a "hooker." Should they have called her a "prostitute" instead?
Culture
It's a Man's Word: A Linguistic Fix for Fears of Unmanliness
From man caves to man Spanx, a word trend grows a pair.
Culture
Fascinating: The Definitive Explanation of Why Gaddafi's Name Is Spelled So Many Ways
Spelling the Libyan dictator's name is complicated by a "perfect storm" of linguistic issues.
Culture
Snowpocalypse! Blizzaster! We’re Buried in Snow-perbole
The only thing more impressive than this winter's recent snowfall has been the hyperbolic language we've used to describe it.
Culture
Where the Robots Came From
Exploring the sci-fi (and simply sci) roots of the word. Robots are in the air, and I don’t just mean flying robots like the self-assembling,...
Culture
How “Geek” Became Chic
From The Social Network to The Walking Dead, geeks are everywhere in pop culture these days. But what are the roots of this suddenly hip pejorative?
Design
Print. It Ain't Dead Yet
Print is dead. Or is it just sleeping?
Culture
The History of the Word Rape
The recently abandoned Republican efforts to distinguish between "rape" and "forcible rape" sheds light on the word's perceived shades of gray.
Culture
Screaming Yellow Zonkers! Green’s Dictionary is the Bible of Slang
Hilariously subversive (or subversively hilarious), a new slang dictionary challenges the sanctity of language by helping us laugh at life.
Culture
Legacy: Formerly Regal Word Turned Euphemism for Aged Leftovers
How "legacy" became our era's most over-the-top euphemism for a something between a bingo room and the grave (and landmines).
