Whether you think it’s up to the hype or not, this celestial event brings along some spectacular lunar activity and equally fun vocabulary. While the names of many moon phases are rich in folklore, the supermoon became “super” because of Richard Nolle—an astrologer with a flair for the dramatic. What does supermoon mean? The prefix super is a Latin loanword meaning “above, beyond” and moon is derived from the Old English …
You may not like it, but we all use them. Whether it is in a text message, an instant chat, or a casual email, emoticons appear in written communication to indicate the tone, humor or feeling of a message. As communication moves away from personal interaction to a text-only environment, emoticons fill the void left by the absence of the tone of voice and facial …
There’s a running debate among translators about what word is hardest to translate. Obviously, the challenges vary from language to language, with languages that have less in common creating more elusive word to word translations. Let’s acknowledge that determining the hardest word to translate is more of a game than any sort of realistic exercise. That said, here are a few contenders that make the …
A few years ago Frito-Lay introduced a bag for their snack chips that was made from plants, not plastic, and could decompose in compost. It seemed like a good idea – a company putting their environmental foot forward through sustainable packaging – however, the “rip” heard upon opening the bag of chips registered at about eighty-five decibels – equal to the volume level of city traffic. …
“The King’s Speech” garnered four golden statues at the 2011 Academy Awards ceremony, including the Oscar for Best Actor for Colin Firth’s riveting portrayal of King George VI. The film’s depiction of George VI’s lifelong struggle with stuttering has brought a renewed awareness to the speech disorder that affects over sixty-eight million people worldwide. What is the origin of this disorder and how did it …
For years, scientists have been on the hunt for a mysterious “Planet Nine” that may exist in our solar system with a massive orbit of thousands—or even millions—of years. In 2011, a provocative hypothesis posed by a duo of planetary astronomers from the University of Louisiana-Lafayette named its version of this mysterious planet Tyche. They proposed a planet estimated to be four times the size of …
Catalan is a Romance language spoken primarily in the Eastern and Northeastern regions of Spain, mainly Catalonia, Valencia and the Balearic Isles. It is the official language of Andorra, a landlocked country located in the Eastern Pyrenees (mountains bordered by Spain and France). The Catalan language was nearly wiped out in the early 1700s only to experience a renaissance beginning in the early 20th century. What …
In lists compiled by linguists and translators, it seems “duende” is a word that many experts regard as the hardest word in Spanish to convey in other languages. In the dictionary, the word is listed as “elf” or “magic.” However, in actual
Just like the old “tu’mey-tow” vs. “tu’maa-tow” debate, Michiganders, or Michiganians (depending on which side you’re on), have long found themselves in a state of disconnect. It seems that the great divide facing residents of the Great Lake State these days centers around the demonym – the name of a resident of a specific locality – that best suits the people of Michigan. Whether you …
Awhile ago, we asked readers to share their choices for the most beautiful sounding word in English. Nearly 500 of you shared your favorites, which included the lyrical, delightful, and uplifting. Some of you also shared your least favorite words. “I would like to vote ‘moist’ as the most gross sounding word in the English language,” wrote in Jack. Good point, Jack. It’s time to talk about …
Whether you regard yourself as a scholar of linguistics or a self proclaimed language snob—you’ve probably, at least once, crossed over to the dark side and used the word like in a sentence where it, like, doesn’t belong. Narrowly escaping the grammar police, you catch yourself, cringe, and promise never again! This usage of like is known as a slang interjection. This form as well …
Many people approach the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show with a combination of fascination and trepidation. Awfully cute canines appear in some odd situations. Here’s some information about the fascinating names of the breeds considered the top contenders for Best in Show this year, as well as the poetic and eccentric name of one of the dog breeds making their official debut, the Bluetick Coonhound. …