Language
Opinion: Why The Term 'Deep State' Speaks To Conspiracy Theorists
Linguist Geoff Nunberg considers the origins of the term "deep state."
Opinion: U.S. And U.K. Remain United, Not Divided, By Their Common Language
"Great Britain and the United States are two nations separated by a common language." That's the stock witticism, but if you ask me, it gets things backwards. Great Britain and the U.S. are more like two nations united by a divided language — or more precisely, by their mutual obsession with their linguistic differences. For 200 years now, writers from each nation have been tirelessly picking over the language of the other, with a mix of amusement, condescension, derision and horror.
From 'F-Bomb' To 'Photobomb,' How The Dictionary Keeps Up With English
New words that enter the dictionary must meet three criteria, says Merriam-Webster lexicographer Kory Stamper: widespread use, sustained use and meaningful use. Originally broadcast April 19, 2017.
As Fissures Between Political Camps Grow, 'Tribalism' Emerges As The Word Of 2017
It's word-of-the-year time again. Collins Dictionary chose "Fake news" and Dictionary.com went with "complicit." Others have proposed #metoo, "alternative facts," "take a knee," "resistance" and "snowflake."
After Years Of Restraint, A Linguist Says 'Yes!' To The Exclamation Point
The only literary work about punctuation I'm aware of is an odd early story by Anton Chekhov called "The Exclamation Mark." After getting into an argument with a colleague about punctuation, a school inspector named Yefim Perekladin asks his wife what an exclamation point is for. She tells him it signifies delight, indignation, joy and rage. He realizes that in 40 years of writing official reports, he has never had the need to express any of those emotions.
Lincoln Said What? Bogus Quotations Take On A New Life On Social Media
Does it matter when someone gets a quotation wrong? Our linguist Geoff Nunberg considers the question.
From 'F-Bomb' To 'Photobomb,' How The Dictionary Keeps Up With English
In 2017 alone, Merriam-Webster added more than 1,000 words to its dictionary. Noah Webster himself might have struggled to define these new English terms — such as binge-watch, humblebrag, photobomb, NSFW, truther, face-palm and listicle.
Linguist Geoff Nunberg
Linguist Geoff Nunberg tracks the evolution of the word "protest."
Geoff Nunberg
Geoff Nunberg on speaking with hands.
Geoff Nunberg on Political Language
Our resident linguist looks at the differences in the language used to describe Republicans and Democrats.