I’m kicking off the new year with the launch of a new feature, the book review. Unlike other book reviews, though, mine will focus on the word most central to each reviewed book and detail the author’s thoughts about that word. I chose to open this feature with Nerds: Who They Are and Why We [...]

On the 15th day of Movember — the month in which men worldwide grow moustaches to raise funds for prostate cancer research and awareness — I thought it fitting to explore the word “mo.” In this context, Mo is Australian slang for moustache.
This month, a bunch of guys at work are sporting Mos (and calling [...]

Kinder Überraschung, or children surprise (also “Kinder Egg”), is the name of a glorious candy egg available in Germany and throughout most of Western Europe. As you might have guessed by its name, each egg has a surprise toy inside.
Kinder Eggs are not available in the U.S. except when brought back by someone who was [...]

First coined by (go figure) British social commentator Mark Simpson in a 1994 Independent article, metrosexual has grown — as new words tend to do — latching itself on to everything from personal grooming habits to pant lengths. Simpson (pictured left), if I may say so, is more of a dandy than a metro.
More on [...]

Most of us use the word cathartic when we refer to anything that causes relief. A “good cry,” or similar action is cathartic because, after we’ve done it, we just feel better, clearer headed or ready to move on, right? I used this word recently in reference to my weekend, during which I’d done a [...]

Hulu.com is a Web site that lets you watch TV shows, movies and clips from your computer. Hulu is a proper noun. I congratulate its founders (NBC, etc.) on their invention of a new word. Maybe someday soon people will say they “hulued” their favorite programs instead of saying “watched on Hulu,” a la the [...]

Have some fun with this one. I pulled it from Engrish Funny, a site that is as amusing as it is probably prejudicial. Peruse it out and tell me if you think the F word might have something to do with the produce aisle.
-Nicole

My second favorite punctuation mark, the interrobang, was first invented in 1962 by an advertising executive. I’m not sure how humanity existed so long without it. Nor can I figure out why it’s still so underused and undersupported (few font character palates offer it).  It’s the only single punctuation mark available for those times when [...]