African American Vernacular English (AAVE) has a number of names, including Black Vernacular English. For many decades now linguists have studied AAVE. They understand it not as a defective form of Standard English. Rather it is a variety of English in its own right. It has its own lexicon, grammar... read more
In these past two months I have interrupted the pace of my usual Tuesday-Friday blog postings. World and national events currently take precedence in my life over writing about my chosen topics of language, love and adventure. During this time I have been reposting blogs that are as relevant now... read more
In January, 2015 the Wall Street Journal ran a front page article on the rise of professional cuddlers. These people might charge $1/minute to spoon. No skin-to-skin contact occurs. The cuddlers and their clients keep their clothes on. Their customers say that cuddling lessens anxiety and increases a sense of... read more
Title image: Brandi Baldwin who teaches Sattva Yoga at Dharma Yoga Studio. Her classes are on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10:30. The address of the yoga studio is 3170 Commodore Plaza, Coconut Grove, Miami. I lucked out when I discovered Dharma Yoga Studio. They have an unlimited monthly fee of $165.... read more
Yesterday I heard the word ‘remoralize‘ for the first time in my life. Or, at least, I heard it as if it were the first time. A friend was talking about politics, in particular voting, and said that people needed to be remoralized. She then excused herself by saying, “I... read more
Gotta love the nice round New Year 2020. So full of possibilities! On January 1, I posted New Year’s Resolutions 2019: A Writer’s List. I approached my resolutions as gifts to myself. This morning I got up and reread what I wrote a year ago. I had three categories: Community,... read more
I first became aware that the worst ‘moist’ was a thing in 2011 or 2012. Moist: Then I was teaching a first-year seminar in the Focus Program at Duke University which means that the students in the class were all about eighteen years old. One the day the word ‘moist’... read more
Singular they splashed into the news on December 9 when Merriam-Webster declared they the word of the year. Of interest to the dictionary makers is the use of singular they to refer to a person whose gender identity is nonbinary, who does not identify as either he or she. Singular... read more
Dictionaries: not the sexiest topic ever. Even the famous dictionary-maker Samuel Johnson, in the title quote, acknowledged himself to be a “harmless drudge.” Nevertheless, an article in the New York Times this past weekend has inspired me. It is Latin Dictionary’s Journey: A to Zythum in 125 Years (and Counting).... read more
I am reposting this blog from October 8, 2015 in response to the October 25, 2019 opening of The Current War: The Director’s Cut. This movie first appeared in 2017 but played mostly in art houses. It’s about Thomas Edison who favored direct current (DC), and George Westinghouse who favored... read more
