June’s update to the Oxford English Dictionary includes almost 2,000 new or revised entries. Some terms have gained status through the worlds of technology or gender politics. Others are just good, old-fashioned slang (hello, use …
language
Animal Academics: Using the Word ‘Pet’ Insults Your Pet, er, Companion
Here’s a frightening thought: The cat ladies are right. Kitties (and their doggie counterparts) are companions, not pets, and calling them otherwise is just plain offensive.
Wednesday Words: Royal Riddle, Trump Titles, “Food Rakes” and More
Welcome to NewsFeed’s weekly highlight of the vocabulary of our lives — including useful, new, hilarious and surprising words (as well as some that are just fun to roll off the old tongue).
WTF? Study Shows Swearing Reduces Pain
You know that time you stubbed your toe and the blinding pain caused you to shout a string of choice words that would make your mother cringe? Turns out you weren’t being rude — you were easing the pain.
Last Two Speakers of Dying Language Refuse to Talk to Each Other
The survival of an endangered language may depend on two people — and all they want to do is ignore each other.
How Foul-Mouthed Is America?: Profanity and Swears Mapped Out
If anything can be gathered, it seems like that those who live in the South aren’t as genteel as their mothers taught them to be.
‘Viral’ and ‘Epic’ Make University’s 2011 List of Banished Words
As we enter a new year, we relinquish people, things and places that we once thought were cool, in order to make way for the new.
Fighting Words: ‘Palinism,’ ‘Obama-mess’ Among 2011 Buzzwords
Shocker: We’re probably going to say the same words in 2011 as we did this year.
Reading While Eating for November 5: Bond, James Bond
Friday’s links are book smart, well-read and good time managers.
Reading While Eating for October 18: Liking Mad Men on Facebook
Rub the sleep out of your eyes on this fine Monday and catch up on your web reading.
Reading While Eating for October 12: Blenders and Bimbos
Have a case of the Tuesdays? Cheer up with links about The Simpsons and Scrabble.
Linguist Lunacy: British Tween Enunciates 24 Shades of English
Twenty-four different voices might qualify for a personality disorder. But for this British lad, it’s just 24th nature.