Tag Archives: language

As easy as PIE ( Proto-Indo-European )

Posted on February 12, 2026 by Brian D. Butler

Many millennia ago, a nomadic groups of humans began to spread across extensive areas of Eurasia, bringing their language with them. About 8,000 years ago, from a homeland likely located on the Pontic–Caspian steppe north of the Black and Caspian … Continue reading →

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Ten Words We Should Revive

Posted on January 22, 2026 by Brian D. Butler

Sometimes contemporary language fails to provide the nuance required to adequately express our thoughts and opinions. Here are some that I encourage you to sprinkle throughout everyday conversations to confound and entertain.  

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I fell for rage bait how about you

Posted on December 19, 2025 by Brian D. Butler

Along with the inevitable “Books of the Year” lists, the always interesting, and sometimes controversial “Word of the Year” lists are popping off. The WotY-stakes so far: The Oxford word of the year is rage bait. Macquarie Dictionary (Australia) chose AI slop. … Continue reading →

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“When coffee is gone, it’s over.”

Posted on December 4, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

Language-learning app Duolingo has opened a “Museum of Wonky English” in Harajuku, Tokyo, and is giving mundane phrases that have been mistranslated new and novel meanings. Duolingo is inviting people to step into its Museum of Wonky English, a tongue-in-cheek … Continue reading →

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A TV Dictionary

Posted on July 23, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

The TV DICTIONARY is a collaborative project with a very simple premise: each entry attempts to capture the essence of a TV series using a single word in a short video that combines the dictionary definitions of that word with … Continue reading →

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Compounding Your Pejoratives

Posted on July 9, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

I have recently found myself reaching for both colorful and acceptable pejoratives when commenting on social media sites. This is partly due to the necessity of avoiding Twitter jail, but also to liven the mood. The terrific chart above was … Continue reading →

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how the story ends

Posted on May 14, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

“lastly, three apples fell from the sky; one for our story’s heroes, one for the person who told their tale, and one for those who listened and promise to share. And with that, they all achieved their hearts’ desires. Let … Continue reading →

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Words Are Music To A Bibliophile

Posted on May 10, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

I recently had an email from a former book customer asking if I could recommend a bibliopegist. My first response was: What’s a bibliopegist. I was only a little embarassed to admit that I didn’t know that it was another word for bookbinder. This … Continue reading →

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What’s The Word

Posted on January 23, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

If you haven’t heard about the daily word game Wordle, you must have been off on a silent retreat somewhere. Launched in October, with no fanfare whatsoever, the simple little online game has gone viral, with millions of users. Josh Wardle built … Continue reading →

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a wistful omen of the first sign of autumn

Posted on October 4, 2021 by Brian D. Butler

austice n. a wistful omen of the first sign of autumn—a subtle coolness in the shadows, a rustling of dead leaves abandoned on the sidewalk, or a long skein of geese sweeping over your head like the second hand of … Continue reading →

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