Linguist Geoffrey Nunberg looks at how Americans use the word "rich." In this election year, it's been deployed extensively by the two major presidential candidates. Nunberg looks at the origin of the word and why some well-to-do Americans don't like the label.

Linguist Geoff Nunberg considers the word 'socialism" which has gone from the fringes of American political discourse to the forefront of the national conversation.

Linguist Geoffrey Nunberg gives his views on Prince Charles' campaign to save the English language.

Linguist Geoff Nunberg has made a living out of parsing phrases. His new book, The Years of Talking Dangerously, analyzes the buzzwords, stock phrases and metaphors that were made popular during the Bush administration's tenure.

Linguist Geoff Nunberg responds to listeners comments about his anachronism piece a few weeks ago and the popular use of the word –gay— referring to homosexuals.

Language Commentator Geoffrey Nunberg will discuss the misleading nature of words, or when a "direct flight" isn't direct at all.

Language commentator Geoffrey Nunberg tells us about his handheld electronic dictionary.

Linguist Geoff Nunberg considers the sending of Valentine's messages via telephone, the postal system, and e-mail. What does it say about the evolution of personal communication?

Language commentator Geoff Nunberg considers the strange uselessness of foreign language phrase books for tourists and travelers.

Linguist Geoff Nunberg on the language of downsizing.

Linguist Geoffrey Nunberg comments on efforts to preserve the French Language.

Linguist Geoff Nunberg talks about how the French are trying to keep their language pure.

Linguist Geoff Nunberg takes issue with the use and misuse of loaded terms like holocaust, genocide, and terrorism in political discourse. He says that a person's reluctance to use such inflated terms doesn't mean they take an issue any less seriously.

We're living in an age obsessed with authenticity, says linguist Geoff Nunberg, but we often choose to nitpick the wrong details. Whether it's Downton Abbey, Mad Men, Lincoln or Argo, Nunberg argues, a historical novel or screenplay should give us a translation, not a transcription.

Linguist Geoffrey Nunberg comments on the word millennium. He worries that during the next century, will anyone be able to spell it right. A look on the web showed the word misspelled 30-percent of the time. Nunberg offers his solution to the coming orthographic crisis.

Linguist Geoff Nunberg talks about the phrase "curling up with a good book," and what it says about the way we read.

Nunberg considers the phrase "thugs and assassins" often used by President Bush.

Linguist Geoffrey Nunberg comments on metaphors used for the Internet -- which he says are all wrong.

Linguist Geoff Nunberg considers the differences between American and British English.

Linguist Geoff Nunberg considers obscure legal language and the word 'prurient' used in the landmark 1973 Supreme court ruling on obscenity.