Spanglish, anyone? Just as the United States is referred to as a melting pot of nationalities, the English language has adopted many words and phrases from other languages, and over time they have found their way into English dictionaries. Sometimes we put an English spin on them, but they are inarguably products of other mother …
We all know someone who insists on getting the last word, particularly in a disagreement. Or perhaps you are that someone. We say our piece and then move on. But there are folks who take the need for having the final word to a whole new level. In advance of their death they arrange for …
In 1907, to bring attention to The New York Times’s new headquarters in Times Square, the paper’s owner, Adolph Ochs, came up with the idea of drawing a crowd to watch a giant ball drop at the stroke of midnight. Thus began a spectacle that attracts millions of television viewers and tens of thousands—not infrequently …
Play Ball! The union of word nerds and sports fanatics is not quite as unlikely as one might think. Listen up. For baseball fans, summer isn’t officially over until the best teams of the National and American leagues clash in the World Series. The Fall Classic was won this year—most impressively—by the Houston Astros. Were …
English is a crazy language. And as in all languages, idioms form a unique part of its lexicon. Over time they sneak their way into daily use, more often in spoken rather than written language. When some idioms are taken literally, they convey the meaning quite clearly and concisely: “Hit the nail on the head,” …
