Archives
-
-
-
-
The Holy Reason We Say “Goodbye” And What To Say Instead
“So long, farewell …” This catchy tune from The Sound of Music is just one of many artistic reflections throughout the years on the ways we say goodbye. And it’s no wonder this parting word and its synonyms have been the subject of much rumination over the years as saying goodbye has become an integral part of our interactions with people, places, and things. We …
-
Do You Spell Out These Abbreviations?
Now, more than ever, our language is full of abbreviations. From texting to talking, they save time and space and streamline our communications … in most cases. Then there are the cases that leave us looking at a string of letters without a clue how to pronounce them or what they mean. Some abbreviations are obvious, as they’ve been in our vernacular for a while. …
-
-
Simp
Simp is a slang insult for men who are seen as too attentive and submissive to women, especially out of a failed hope of winning some entitled sexual attention or activity from them. Translation? The… -
Why Do We Have “Red States” And “Blue States”?
If you’ve watched (or even tried to avoid) the news as a presidential election heats up, you’re probably well aware that political pundits like to use the color red to represent the Republican Party and blue for the Democratic Party. A “red state” votes Republican in presidential elections and Senate races, while a “blue state” leans Democratic. No matter which news program you favor, they …
-
“Net” vs. “Gross”: What Does This Difference Cost You?
One of the basics of tennis is you never want to hit your ball into the net. Most people won’t confuse this mesh fabric divider that runs across the court with the word gross (even if botching an easy volley straight into the net might feel gross). But when talking about money, the line that divides net and gross profits isn’t as clear. What is the …
-
“Ketchup” And Other Words From Mandarin And Cantonese
Think you only speak English? Think again. While you may not be fluent or able to write in another language, the fact is that English consists largely of words we’ve borrowed from other languages. In fact, about 80 percent of the English language is made up of these loanwords. It’s amazing really to think of how many languages you speak on a daily basis without …
-
How To Respond When Kids Say “No Fair”
Spoiler alert: it is not by saying, “Yeah, well life’s not fair!” Children are not immune to the inequalities and injustices of the world. Sometimes they see more of what is going on around them than their parents and caregivers give them credit for. That being said, sometimes kids still respond to something as simple as not getting their way with cries of inequity. As …
-
What Is “GOP” Short For?
The origins of the Democratic and Republican parties tell an interesting story. They both developed from the same political group, the Democratic–Republicans Party led by Thomas Jefferson in the 1790s and early 1800s. Who knew that these two opposing parties were once on the same side of the political spectrum? One unique part of the Republican Party’s history, however, is its nickname: the GOP. Where …
