Tag Archives: slang

I Might Be a Redneck

Posted on June 18, 2011 by Rae

[The Bad Words #4] When I saw this car in my neighborhood, I was inspired to create a redneck joke: “If your car is held together with bungee cords, you might be a redneck.” Redneck is a mildly insulting description … Continue reading →

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Birthers and Deathers

Posted on May 3, 2011 by Rae

It’s been an busy week for conspiracy theories. This week the birther conspiracy (almost) died, and the deather conspiracy was born. A conspiracy is a secret plan by a powerful group. When someone believes that there is a conspiracy, they … Continue reading →

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I Wanna Be a Rock Star

Posted on March 24, 2011 by Rae

“I wanna be a rock star, but I *ain’t got what it takes. Need the drive and the determination and lucky breaks. I wanna be a rockstar, yeah, but I ain’t got the face. Oh, still I wanna be a … Continue reading →

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In the Boondocks

Posted on March 4, 2011 by Rae

Have you ever been in the boondocks? The word “boondocks” is a fairly recent addition to the English language.  It comes from the Tagalog word bundok, which means “mountain”. When GIs in the Philippines brought the word back to America … Continue reading →

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Snow Wimps

Posted on February 6, 2011 by Rae

What do these five objects have in common? They can all be used to remove ice from a car. The red object on the right is made for that purpose, and it works well. Unfortunately, you can’t use it to … Continue reading →

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Freak Out

Posted on January 3, 2011 by Rae

The new year had a strange beginning for the people of Beebe, a small town in central Arkansas.  Just before midnight on New Year’s Eve, dead blackbirds began dropping out of the sky. Thousands of dead birds fell on an … Continue reading →

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Rosa’s Law – The Power of Words

Posted on October 11, 2010 by Rae

Last week, a new law, called “Rosa’s Law” was created that will change the wording of many other laws. Many health, education, and labor laws refer to “mental retardation,” but that term is considered offensive. Now, because of Rosa’s Law, the … Continue reading →

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MacGyver Music

Posted on October 7, 2010 by Rae

What can you do with two balloons and a wooden box? If you have as much talent as these two guys, you make music! I call this “MacGyver” music because these musicians created instruments using ordinary objects. The word “MacGyver” … Continue reading →

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Canadian Fail

Posted on September 1, 2010 by Rae

Canadian is a language? That’s great news! I speak English, Canadian, and American… I’m a polyglot! In addition to being funny, this photo gives me an opportunity to talk about the concept of “FAIL”. “Fail” is a word that has … Continue reading →

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Howzit!

Posted on June 13, 2010 by Rae

Howzit, all you soccer fans! (Or, football fans, if you insist on being un-American!) Are you enjoying the World Cup? You may have noticed that South African English has its own flavor which sets it apart from other versions of English. … Continue reading →

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