Tag Archives: category-waystosay
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Will Emoji Ruin Language As We Know It?
By Jane Solomon There are two polarizing opinions about emoji that are often set up in a false dichotomy. Are emoji destroying language as we know it or are they a universal language that will one day save the world? Neither of these get at how emoji are actually being used, but they’re the frame through which many people experience emoji, and that’s worth unpacking. …
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What Do You Call Your Parents And Grandparents?
When you’re born, the first words you speak are so often mommy or daddy. (In some garbled, gurgled form or another—translation is often required.) So, let’s explore this commonality that connects us all and learn the different words people have come up with to describe their moms, dads, and grandparents. We might just toss in the random uncle, aunt, and cousin, too. Most of these …
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What Is Whisky Tango Foxtrot And Other Army Lingo
Given the size and manpower of the US Army, it’s no surprise that its lingo has gradually invaded everyday conversation. Not many of us keep a Purple Heart framed on our desk, though (i.e., we have no idea what these words and phrases mean even though we hear them all the time). Here’s the best explanations we can come up with as to what these military phrases …
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Does Your Family Use Any Malapropisms?
Just about every family has a word that makes sense only to them. Said by children, weird uncles, or parents in the heat of the moment, these words were coined when someone goofed … and yet somehow for these families they stuck. There’s even an official term for this phenomenon: malapropism, a noun that means “an act or habit of misusing words ridiculously, especially by …
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Do You Know The Hidden Meanings Of These Popular Emoji?
This collection of emoji may not mean what you think it means. From the alien, nail polish, and sweat droplets -- how they're used may surprise you.
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Puppy Love And Other Animal-inspired Phrases
We often attribute emotions and other human characteristics to animals. This is called anthropomorphism. Similarly, we also describe people using animal characteristics. You might, for example, say my teenage son “eats like a horse,” meaning he’s a growing boy and consumes a lot of food. This is called zoomorphism. Zoomorphism also includes assigning animal-like qualities to gods and inanimate objects. The term comes from the Greek …
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It’s A Doggy Dog World … Or Is it?
Phrases with convincing fakes . . . we bet you've said some of these—we have too!
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