We're at the 'Concentration Camp Semantics' Stage of 2019 Now
Plus: crackdown on emotional support animals, the difference between "platforms" and "publishers," and more...
Language
John McWhorter: America Has Never Been Less Racist
The Columbia University linguist discusses the Jussie Smollett hoax, Donald Trump, and "antiracism" as a new secular religion.
John McWhorter: America Has Never Been Less Racist
Columbia linguist John McWhorter on the Jussie Smollett hoax, Donald Trump, and "antiracism" as a new secular religion.
Ethnic Nationalists Won the Quebec Election. What Fueled Their Rise?
Don't mistake this election for a Trump-inspired victory - Quebec's toxic anti-immigration politics are home grown.
Bernie Sanders, Defender of Bread Lines as Sign of Prosperity, Attacks Amazon's Corporate Lingo as 'Orwellian'
The senator has made a few past statements that one might also consider Orwellian.
French President Vows Crackdown on 'Verbal Violence' Against Women
And he wants to censor online porn, too.
An Uber Driver Is Fined for Not Speaking English, but Tech Innovation Provides Smarter Solutions
Why should local governments demand a default language when we have the tools to sort it all out?
That Time New York's Department of Education Decided to Teach Kids What an 'Oreo' Is
Friday A/V Club: Lessons in slang
Why It's a Mistake to Describe the Alt-Right as 'Neo-Nazis'
Backwards-looking attitudes about race, religion, and sex have been a hallmark of the Republican coalition for decades, and are hardly grounds for Hitler Youth comparisons.
Assimilation, 2016-Style: Come to America, Learn Vietnamese
East meets South in Orange County, California.
Transgender Pronoun Policing Leads to Government-Mandated Speech
Will a requirement, by law, to refer to an individual as 'they,' hold up?
Paramount Objects to Klingon Language Amicus Brief by Language Creation Society
It doesn't want to deal with the Klingon language copyrightability issue.
Paramount Copyright Claim on Klingon Language Challenged in Klingon Language
Paramount's arguments lack reason, or "meq Hutlh."
Genderqueering the Dictionary
Merriam-Webster added a slew of new gender-related terms to its lexicon, including transphobia, cisgender, and genderqueer.
The Fall and Decline of the English Language
How :-), :-(, and emoticons helped lead to Trump
The Return of Roger Fuckebythenavele
Oldest use of the word fucke sexually in writing pushed back 150 years.
New App for Politically Correcting Your Language
Never again be heteronormative, cissexist, racist, sexist, etc.
Analysis Shows We're Talking About Prostitution More Than Ever Before
Study of sexual lingo in literature and historical documents shows shifting social concerns when it comes to sex.
Gender-Neutral Title 'Mx' Embraced by U.K. Officials, May Join Oxford English Dictionary
"This is an example of how the English language adapts to people's needs," says OED editor Jonathan Dent.
Obama Breaks Promise to Call the Armenian Genocide a 'Genocide' for 7th Year in a Row
Official language remains hostage to U.S.-Turkey relations
The Surprising Power of Subtitles
From Jesus on a bed sheet in Tagalog to Rasputin rapping in Ukrainian
Biden Gets Another Free Pass
There is simply no way a Republican could get away with the buffoonery Biden peddles almost daily.
Uruguay's President Lectures Americans on Cigarettes and Becoming a Bilingual Country
Recently signed a bill into law that legalized and regulated marijuana
Policing Language Gives Ammunition to the Trolls
Don't make the world responsible for your emotional well-being unless you enjoy getting hurt.
The Hijacking of Sobriety by the Recovery Movement
Sobriety isn't an abstinence fixation; it's about having purpose
Michigan University Places "Selfie" at Top of 2013 List of Words to Banish
"Selfie" was also Oxford Dictionary's word of the year
Publisher of Oxford Dictionaries Declares "Selfie" Word of the Year
Increase in usage in the last year
NFL Commissioner on Washington Redskins' Name: If One Person's Offended, We Have to Listen
Renewed push to force name change
New York Times Sticking with Use of "Illegal Immigrant"
Not going to change terms because of political pressure
Former FCC Officials Want 'Redskins' Declared Indecent
Want government to keep broadcasters from using racist terms
It's Time to Get Judgy About Incompetency
Language should foster communication. Unfortunately, it often is used to prevent communication by obscuring truth.