Geoffrey Nunberg

Linguist Geoffrey Nunberg considers the difference between the words "force" and "violence."

Linguist Geoff Nunberg considers an alternative to the question, "Can computers think?"

Linguist Geoffrey Nunberg looks at the contributions made by two men of language: former Senator S.I. Hayakawa, an English professor and former president of San Francisco State University; and Professor Dwight Bolinger, who he calls "one of the most distinguished semanticists of the age." Both men died last week.

Linguist Geoffrey Nunberg reviews "Fifty Years Among the New Words," a new collection of columns from the journal "American Speech."

In the final few hours before the Super Bowl, linguist Geoffrey Nunberg compares the literary language of football and baseball.

Linguist Geoffrey Nunberg examines one of the early rules of grammar we all have shoved down our throats,... the difference between can and may.

Linguist Geoffrey Nunberg has some thoughts on the literal meaning of "the body politic."

The Thomas hearings leads linguist Geoffrey Nunberg to wonder, is it "HAIR-ess-ment" or "heh-RASS-ment"?

Linguist Geoffrey Nunberg examines the word "zeal." Nunberg has noticed that the euphemism "overzealous" has been used to explain away everything from executions during the French Revolution to the beating of Rodney King.

Language commentator Geoffrey Nunberg discusses watching words "head for obscurity."