The Word Detective

Check out The Word Detective (sub-titled "Words and Language in a Humourous Vein On the Web Since 1995"). This site is the online version of a newspaper column written by Evan Morris; it appears in newspapers in the U.S., Mexico, and Japan (which explains why, living up here in Canada, I've never heard of it). You can read the isses online, or you can subscribe. Each issue tackles numerous words/phrases; the most recent issue includes "fan mail from some flounder," "namby-pamby," "vindaloo," and much more. You can ask a question about a word or a phrase, but of course you're asked to consult the extensive archives before doing so. Thanks to the archives, I've finally found out what "five by five" means, which has puzzled me ever since I first heard it on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. You can also submit a word to the "My Favourite Word" category, along with an explanation of why it's your favourite word. Some of the words already submitted include jillion, penultimate, echelon, and nectarine. Now I think I'll go ponder what my favourite word is. Hmm. Cinammon, maybe? Love the flavour, love the sound and appearance of the word, love the evocative images it conjures up. Or maybe—no, I think I'll stop right now. That way madness lies. Via Bonzer Web Sites of the Week.