Ben Zimmer

Computer screen

What the ‘hack’?

Culture

Hacker, hackathon, lifehack, lacktavist — hack seems to be the word du jour these days. How did it get that way?

What Drones, Bees and Marilyn Monroe Have in Common

The World in Words

Racial slur hurled at Boston Red Sox player brings to light disguised racism

Global Politics

Word(s) of the Year

Global Politics

True American Words: Our Hosts Test Their Knowledge

The World

What should we call the oil spill?

Environment

For more than two months, we’ve tracked news and developments of the Gulf oil spill, is it technically a ‘spill?’ Is it time for some new terminology? What would you call the oil spill, and why?