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Hey, you got your salsa in my ketchup!
My second column has appeared in the Malaysian Star: Spanglish and Nuyoricanspeak. This time, I write about Spanish and English and some of the ways that the blending and mixing of the two languages continues.
New words and how to get them in the dictionary
I just had another in a long series of conversations about how to get a word in the dictionary. Sigh. There was a misunderstanding, as always. This phone call went as they usually do: somebody has coined a word, they think it’s really spiffy, they want to get it in “The Dictionary,” and they call…
Dipstick, lock box
Recent interesting catchwords from the Double-Tongued Dictionary are: dipstick v. to take random samples or to randomly choose people to question. lock box n. a government account or fund which is protected from reappropriation to other government programs.
Coffee-housing, jackpot, coyote camp
Recent interesting catchwords from the Double-Tongued Dictionary are: coffee-housing n. in a competition or game, trying to distract or annoy another player. jackpot n. in firefighting slang, a flammable place. coyote camp n. an improvised place near the site of a forest fire where firefighters have chosen to sleep.
Grass station: Webster’s New World College Dictionary’s word of the year
The word-of-the-year flood commences: Grass Station is Webster’s New World’s 2007 ‘Word of the Year’. It’s October, people. You don’t have a “word of the year.” You have a “word of the 41rst p0st!!!!” Though at least “grass station” is better than “info-snacking,” their laughably stupid choice for 2005.
The boy returns: seventh months and a trip to Grammy’s and Pop’s house
Long-awaited pictures! Click on the smiling boy.
First laddie, thrownaway, wedcast
Recent interesting catchwords from the Double-Tongued Dictionary are: first laddie: n. Bill Clinton’s jocular suggestion for the title of a female president’s husband. thrownaway n. a child who has been forced to leave home by a guardian or parent. wedcast n. a wedding broadcast over the Internet.
Meatbeard, scud, jacket
Recent interesting catchwords from the Double-Tongued Dictionary are: meatbeard n. a person’s double chin. scud n. the small and very hot “bird’s eye” chili pepper, also known as the “mouse-dropping” chili. Usually said to be nicknamed after the Scud missile. jacket n. Richard Allsopp’s Dictionary of Caribbean English Usage defines this as “the child of…
A blog as a single web site entry
I’ve got very few language peeves, but I’ve been sitting on one of them until I’m ready to burst. It’s this: the use of “blog” to mean a single entry or post to a blog web site. As in, “Today’s blog is going to be short, but I’ll write a longer blog tomorrow.” Examples are…
Ten-days, ghosting, pogo-sticking
Recent interesting catchwords from the Double-Tongued Dictionary are: ten-days n. in Trinidad and Tobago, a temporary job. ghosting n. leaving candy at someone’s door, knocking, and then running away before they answer. pogo-sticking n. on the Web, going back and forth from a main page to various sub pages in search of information, usually as…