Language

When is an acronym not an acronym?

[the long and the short of acronyms, backronyms, initialisms, and various addenda]

May 27 •

“The English are not sweet”

[brief notes on culture, communication styles, and interpretation of tone]

Feb 13 •

Plant and animal sex, what Aquinas and Aristotle didn’t know—and how it still affects our language

[yes, flowers DO produce eggs…plus a Marian coda!]

Feb 5 •

English fun facts: Deciduous and supernumerary

[What links trees and Opus Dei? The answer has to do with teeth!]

Jan 25 •

What goes (or doesn’t) without saying

[the APOPHATIC and the CATAPHATIC!]

Jan 16 •

Gaslighting, strategic lying, and fabulism: A taxonomy of deception

[plus a word about bullshit]

Sep 19, 2024 •

“The day Western civilization ended”

Happy Star Trek Day! Also, English is not Latin

Sep 8, 2024 •

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