Business, Economics and Finance

Language commentator Geoff Nunberg argues that the increasingly insular and unintelligible vocabulary of businesses stems from a growing adherence to corporate culture.

Writer Stuart Brand joins Fresh Air to talk about the technology-focused business culture that's developing in the Bay Area. He says it's turned San Francisco into a kind of global frontier town.

Commentator Leslie Savan says that American corporations have a vested interest in breaking into Soviet Bloc markets -- and they're spreading their capitalist message through TV ads.

Ellis Island reopens to the public soon. Commentator Maureen Corrigan shares her disappointment that she'll have to pay if she wants her grandparents' names inscribed on the new American Immigrant Wall of Honor.

Linguist Geoffrey Nunberg thinks about the many different ways to say "you're fired." (Rerun)

Linguist Geoffrey Linguists considers the use of language in the business world. He says its fractured, list-based nature can be traced back to the ever ubiquitous slide presentation software, where narrative holds little sway.

Linguist Geoff Nunberg on the language of downsizing.

Linguist Geoff Nunberg talks about corporate language.

Linguist Geoff Nunberg talks about the new knowledge fad. He says terms that include the word knowledge, like "knowledge workers" and "knowledge assets" are sweeping corporate and academic America.

Linguist Geoff Nunberg considers the language of the stock market.