Verbal Energy
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Take your pick of pique, peak, and peek
The Monitor's language columnist looks at a group of words that are more closely related than you might guess.
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Talking about whose generation?
Experts say there are now four different 'generations' in the workplace at once, but 'cohorts' may be a better term for these groups.
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How 'the Orient' moved eastward
A performance of 'Scheherazade' reminds the Monitor's language columnist just how fluid Western concepts of 'the exotic East' really are.
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Lost illusions, and the LEGO way of making new words
The Monitor's language columnist finds a new term for words snapped together like LEGO bricks from 'spare parts.'
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Theories that travel well
For the ancient Greeks, "theory" was grounded in direct observation.
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Dry air, dry wit, and the fluid origins of humor
The Monitor’s language columnist considers the connections among our terms for that which calls forth laughter and delight.
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How many o's in 'ka-booom'?
The Monitor’s language columnist takes a look at a website devoted to written sound effects – a sort of Roget’s Thesaurus for comic book writers.
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Stickiness as a metaphor for connection
In an age of information overload, Web designers and advertisers strive for 'stickiness'; but how do you feel about getting 'stuck'?
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The story behind gossip
The publication of 'Game Change' about the 2008 presidential race prompts the Monitor's language columnist to consider the uses and abuses of scuttlebutt.
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A new pride of 'ownership'?
Martha Coakley's Senate loss and the Toyota recalls illustrate a vogue term for accepting responsibility.
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How to be possessive about apostrophes
An online primer explains the uses and abuses of a helpful punctuation mark.
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All systems go – except when they don’t
In President Obama’s discussion of the thwarted attack on Flight 253, ‘systemic’ makes headlines.
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‘Reaching out’ over the holidays
A verb that had a glory run a generation ago seems to be making a comeback.
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The unlovely ‘fact that’ and its redundant kin
The Monitor’s language columnist considers whether some ‘facts’ are really necessary.
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A word that works its way across the social spectrum
As 2009, the big year of social media, wraps up, the Monitor’s language columnist considers just what a workhorse the word ‘social’ is.
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It’s WOTY season
The Monitor’s language columnist wonders how anyone can pick just one Word of the Year.
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In praise of verbal 'turn signals'
The Monitor's language columnist wonders whether we would ever get along without helpful words like 'albeit.'
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