Placing in just a few good phrases
Final week the Merriam-Webster dictionary handled threats over gender definitions. So this week I interviewed its lexicographer Peter Sokolowski.
Peter: “The pandemic introduced new definitions. Like subvariant. Shrinkflation, which is decreasing a product’s quantity however charging the identical worth. We don’t retire phrases. Like we hold President Truman’s snollygoster. Means ‘unscrupulous particular person.’ ”
The very first dictionary? “Its authentic was 1604. After Queen Elizabeth’s period. Just one at Shakespeare’s time. Based mostly on Latin and Greek, simply 2,400 phrases that had been of the time like ‘microcosm’ and ‘integrity.’”
About in the present day’s him/her/binary lexicon he mentioned: “Large drawback. Slang and avenue phrases, casual language, is altering so much. Regularly written earlier than it’s spoken. Particularly id phrases so errors get made. Some textual content abbreviations like LOL make the dictionary as a result of they’re frequent in print.
“Recording our ‘Phrase of the Day’ podcast I did two minutes on one sure phrase. A colleague later knowledgeable me I’d mispronounced it every time I mentioned it.”
All dolled up
Margot Robbie is now a reside “Barbie.” A residing doll. Even she was stunned this factor received inexperienced lighted.
“My first response was ‘It’s so good. Disgrace they’ll by no means make this film.’ However they did.”
Director’s Greta Gerwig. Taking part in with dolls is Will Ferrell, Issa Rae, Kate McKinnon, America Ferrera, Michael Cera, Rhea Perlman. Ryan Gosling’s one among 5 Kens.
Pay attention, don’t ask. Warner’s is toying with July 21 launch.
Crown site-ings
Britannia freed from the odor of Me-Me-Meghan, is instantly awash with vacationers. Extra our bodies than her Prince Empty has attorneys. All swarming Buckingham Palace to glimpse the King. First coronation in 70 years. Vacationers cram Trafalgar Sq., Covent Backyard, Portobello Street. Resort rooms, $1,000 an evening. Extra languages than are leaping over US borders. Quickly Kamala could even have the ability to converse with one among them.
Choose dread & co.
NYC progressives had been outraged when Justice Alito wrote an embryo had “human rights.” NOT upset when potential NY Chief Choose Rowan Wilson dissented in 70 pages that Completely happy the Elephant had “human rights”? And why weren’t ladies’s rights organizations outraged by his opinion final month overruling a jury verdict and dismissing costs in opposition to a convicted rapist? His causes? The DA was too sluggish. Didn’t give the rapist a “speedy trial.”
If confirmed, solely “progressives” and elephants could also be pleased.
Pour planning
To those that fled New York for the heat, pleasant, Sunkist, orange-growing outdoor-loving enveloping environment of sunny Florida: Understand it poured there all weekend. Massive time heavy rain. Seated open air in West Palm’s Bradley’s patrons eliminated their footwear throughout dinner. Inside was moist as nicely. Some diners even took off their footwear to stroll to drier tables.
Florida matchmaker: “I’ve a lady for you. It’ll price $50,000.” Man: “Can I see her image?” Matchmaker: “For under $50,000, we don’t present footage.”
Second go to. Matchmaker: “Reality is she has just a few false tooth.” Man: “Gold?”
Undoubtedly not solely in New York, children, not solely in New York.
