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PublishedNovember 14, 2021
In a word: The Algonquin Round Table’s witty wordplay
New York City well-known wordsmiths left their mark on American literature and the Algonquin Hotel.
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PublishedNovember 7, 2021
In a word: ‘Vigorous’ + ‘Niagara’ = lasting brand name
Coming up with the name for a new product that has real staying power is both art and science.
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PublishedOctober 31, 2021
In a word: Anthropomorphisms are so Mickey Mouse
But when people hear those doughnuts calling their names, or give in to the beckoning of their recliners, they’re using personification.
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PublishedOctober 24, 2021
In a word: ‘Mammophant,’ ‘vog’ and other mashups
Ever use the words 'brunch,' 'smog' or 'spork'? Then you know the portmanteau!
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PublishedOctober 17, 2021
Cursing makes me feel !#*@#! better, I swear
In a word: Surprisingly, swearing can make us appear honest and authentic to others who feel that they’re receiving an unfiltered response.
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PublishedOctober 10, 2021
Sleeping policeman! And other British quirks
In a word: While opening his last tin (can) of beans for supper, he heard his infant daughter crying in her cot (crib). After sticking a dummy (pacifier) in her mouth to quiet her, Claus discovered that her nappy (diaper) was in dire need of changing.
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PublishedOctober 3, 2021
To the point — failed punctuation ideas
In a word: In 2007, both the snark mark (a period followed by a tilde: .~) and the sarcastrophe (which is really just a caret: ^) popped up. ^Yeah, that was a great idea.^ You were a big help.~
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PublishedSeptember 26, 2021
In a word: Punctuation that didn’t make its mark. Period.
The 1960s started off with an interrobang, a combination of a question mark and an exclamation point, which was the brainchild of advertising executive Martin K. Speckter.
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PublishedSeptember 19, 2021
I love parody, satire and sarcasm. Sorry.
In a Word: Different yet the same, they all play off reality — for laughs, revelation or pain.
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PublishedSeptember 12, 2021
The forecast: Weird weather words expected
In a Word: It wasn’t that long ago that I was suffering through the swullocking (hot, humid) dog days of summer (the period of July 3 through Aug. 11, so named for the dog star Sirius), hoping for some relief.
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