Free Republic

You'll recall when Obama made the rounds of the Sunday shows last week, he was asked by George Stephanopoulos why a federal requirement to either buy health insurance or pay a penalty isn't a tax. Obama scoffed at the absurdity of the question and ol' George busted out the dictionary to show our Harvard-educated president the definition of a tax. The RNC decided it would make good theater.

At the Oct. 7 presidential debate, Barack Obama said, "If you make less than a quarter of a million dollars a year, you will not see a single dime of your taxes go up. If you make $200,000 a year or less, your taxes will go down."I point this out so that you realize that Obama supports your (note: use any word but "taxes" here) going up by 85800 dimes if your family makes $66,000 a year. More on that later. And as part of my "I told you so" moment, allow me to cite my October 2008 article entitled...

Discombobamulate verb, humorous to disconcert or confuse someone on account of manipulations of President Obama's name variations: Discombobamulation: the act of promulgating manipulations of President Obama's name Discombobamulated: to suffer emotional distress over manipulations of President Obama's name

... Back then little specific information was released concerning the treatment of the Guantánamo gang, yet insinuated was that prisoners were being mistreated and that ‘torture’ was being practiced. This caught my attention because the media tossed the term ‘torture’ about with characteristic abandon. You would think that people who use words to earn their daily grub might take the same care of their tools that an auto mechanic does with his. Sadly modern reporters seem to be one step removed from journalist and two steps from literate. ... I decided to have the definition of ‘torture’ logged firmly in...

The title of this column is also the title of a book by Simon Winchester, published in 1998. The subtitle introduces the three, seemingly unrelated subjects of the book, “A Tale of Murder, Insanity, and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary.” I’d never heard of this book. It was only in the house because it was in Michelle’s apartment in New York. And it was there only because she ran a book sale at her church in Manhattan, and it was an orphan – donated for sale but not bought by anyone. Yet it turned out to be an...

States may be debating gay marriage. People may be voting on it. Tempers may be flaring on both sides of the issue. But society’s uncertainty hasn’t stopped the good liberals at Merriam Webster from defining marriage any damn way they want it defined. The second definition of the word is now, “the state of being united to a person of the same sex in a relationship like that of a traditional marriage.” ...excerpt

SAN FRANCISCO - Same-sex marriage might not be recognized in most states, but it is in the dictionary. Merriam-Webster included a secondary definition of marriage to recognize same-sex relationships several years before gay couples were allowed to tie the knot anywhere in the United States, but the change had gone largely unnoticed until the conservative World Net Daily news site reported it Tuesday. "One of the nation's most prominent dictionary companies has resolved the argument over whether the term 'marriage' should apply to same-sex duos or be reserved for the institution that has held families together for millennia: by simply...

One of the nation's most prominent dictionary companies has resolved the argument over whether the term "marriage" should apply to same-sex duos or be reserved for the institution that has held families together for millennia: by simply writing a new definition. "I was shocked to see that Merriam-Webster changed their definition of the word 'marriage,' a word which has referred exclusively to a contract between a man and a woman for centuries. It has now added same sex," YouTube user Eric B. noted to WND. "The 1992 Webster's Dictionary does not mention same sex at all," he wrote. He created...

The latest edition of the Oxford Junior Dictionary has dropped many words associated with Christianity and British history that were found in earlier versions. Christian-related words like "bishop," "chapel," "disciple," "minister," "sin," and "devil," have been replaced by words like "blog," "biodegradable," "MP3 player," "democratic," and "celebrity," in the 2007 edition of the popular children's dictionary in the United Kingdom. Although the newest version of the dictionary was released last year, the removal of words went largely unnoticed until Lisa Saunders, a mother of four from Northern Ireland, pointed them out. She first realized the omission of words during a...

Oxford University Press has removed words like "aisle", "bishop", "chapel", "empire" and "monarch" from its Junior Dictionary and replaced them with words like "blog", "broadband" and "celebrity". Dozens of words related to the countryside have also been culled. The publisher claims the changes have been made to reflect the fact that Britain is a modern, multicultural, multifaith society. But academics and head teachers said that the changes to the 10,000 word Junior Dictionary could mean that children lose touch with Britain's heritage. "We have a certain Christian narrative which has given meaning to us over the last 2,000 years. To...

I am SO FREAKING TIRED of people who don't know the difference between "lose" and "loose." Y'all are ILLITERATES!!

Australians add new words to dictionary By Nick Squires In Sydney  Last Updated: 1:20pm GMT 10/01/2008       They gave the world budgie smugglers, sanger, arvo and barbie*, but Australians have shown themselves to be endlessly inventive, with a new collection of words and phrases added to the rich repository of Strine. The country’s biggest online dictionary, Macquarie, has included the 85 words or phrases in its latest online edition and wants Australians to vote for the one they consider most influential or apposite.   Toad juice anyone? They are grouped in 17 categories, from business to travel, and...

Hitchens: Islamofascism a Valid Term At Slate, Christopher Hitchens defends the use of the term “Islamofascism� to good effect.Hitchens first takes on the faux-intellectuals who refuse to make the obvious connection between modern, radical Islam and manner of life that imposes on those unlucky enough to fall under its sway: It’s quite the done thing, in liberal academic circles, to sneer at any comparison between fascist and jihadist ideology. People like Tony Judt write to me to say, in effect, that it’s ahistorical and simplistic to do so. And in some media circles, another kind of reluctance applies: Alan Colmes...

The 2007 FreeRepublic Lexicon (Draft)AKA "The Freepism, Freepology, Lingo, Dictionary, Terminology, Lore Handbook" A revised and condensed version of The Lexicon of FreeRepublic, culled from Lexicon of FreeRepublic - 4th Edition and Freeper Lingo Thread (the history and meening of 'Freepisms' including pictures). Thanks to the many Freepers who contributed! (see also The 2006 FreeRepublic LexiconI have attempted to include all definitions and histories provided to me and give credit to those who provided me the information. I apologize, in advance to those I failed to credit, but please understand that it was very difficult to keep up with all...

Most contracts for goods and services contain an "Act of God" provision. Such provisions typically allow contracting parties to dissolve a contract in case of an unexpected and unavoidable catastrophe: an earthquake, a tsunami, a lightning strike. This is perfectly logical. Man can act based on predictions about human behavior, but has no control over forces of nature. Conversely, human actions demand human responsibility. Only Divine action should be written off as inevitable tragedy. The Virginia Tech massacre was not an act of God -- it was undeniably an act of man. Yet many Americans have instinctively treated this massive...

THE Oxford English dictionary has appealed to the public to help it trace the origin of 40 popular phrases, including terms ranging from 'hoodie' to the infamous 'Glasgow kiss'. Compilers of the OED say they want evidence of when terms now commonly used first entered the language. The results will be broadcast in the BBC2 programme Balderdash & Piffle, which returns for a new series later this year. Dictionary authors trace the first evidence of "Glasgow kiss" - a euphemism for a headbutt - to 1987. The dictionary does, however, have an example of the expression "Liverpool kiss", used 43...

The 2006 FreeRepublic LexiconAKA "The Freepism, Freepology, Lingo, Dictionary, Terminology, Lore Handbook" A revised and condensed version of The Lexicon of FreeRepublic, culled from Lexicon of FreeRepublic - 4th Edition and Freeper Lingo Thread (the history and meening of 'Freepisms' including pictures). Thanks to the many Freepers who contributed! In this latest update, I have cut the emoticons and standard acronyms (LOL etc - which are readily available on the web and previous Lexicons) for the sake of brevity. I have attempted to include all definitions and histories provided to me and give credit to those who provided me the...

The next time you notice that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad looks like he's lost a little weight on CNN, it's probably because he no longer chows down on those evil "elastic loaves". "Elastic loaves" are pizzas in the lexicon of President Ahmadinejad. Ahmadinejad has ordered the minions in his government and cultural bodies to use modified Persian words to replace foreign words that have crept into the language.

JERUSALEM (CNS) -- From his small balcony, Brother Yohanan Elihay can see the East Jerusalem Palestinian village of Sur Baher and the multilevel apartment buildings of the Jewish Armon Hanatziv neighborhood, where he lives with another brother from his order. It is an apt view for the 80-year-old, who has spent more than half a century in Israel working to bring Israelis and Palestinians together through language -- most recently with The Olive Tree Dictionary, an 8,000-word, 17,000-phrase Arabic-English dictionary published by Minerva. "Language is the key to the heart," said Brother Elihay, who chose to speak in Hebrew. He...

Abortion n. 1. The process by which future electoral majorities are secured. 2. Reduction of those sections of society which live off others' earnings while contributing nothing themselves. Ass 1. n. A fine and dignified symbol for a venerable and wise organisation. 2. int. Expression uttered on discovery of flaws in the above. Death Penalty n. 1. The process by which future electoral majorities are lost. 2. The shameful process by which true entrepreneurs are mercilessly cast out of the system for their refusal to live by the restrictions of society. Decision n. Agreement with the opposition party. Economics n....

Springfield, Mass. (AP) -- Go ahead, treat yourself. Check out the latest chick flick, get a bikini wax or enjoy an ice cream that might give you a brain freeze. And if you're not sure what you're getting yourself into, it might be wise to consult the latest edition of Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary which formally defines those terms that have taken root in American conversation. The words are joined by 15 other new entries that make up the 1,664 pages of the newly published book. So if you're not interested in movies meant to appeal to women, discreet hair removal...

LONDON (Reuters) - Do chuggers bother you when you want to rock up to a restaurant with your cockapoo to hoover a supersized ruby murray? Confused? Then you need to refer to the new Oxford Dictionary of English to understand a host of new words that appear for the first time in its latest edition. Among the new entries are "potty-mouthed" (meaning using or characterized by bad language), "lush" (very good) and "scopophilia" (sexual pleasure derived chiefly from watching others when they are naked or engaged in sexual activity). Some words, such as "demographic" (a particular sector of a population)...

This past November, I wrote about the right's semantic trickery and proposed an idea for how we could debunk and decode the conservative's Orwellian Code of encrypted language: A Republican Dictionary. I put together a small list and asked readers to send me their own entries. Response has been overwhelming--more than 375 people have sent definitions. I published a small sample of the entries I've received in this space earlier this month. Below I'm publishing a second batch of reader submissions to this on-going project. We're going to continue posting additional entries in the weeks ahead, so click here to...

1. Freeper Right-wing political activist. So-called, because it is the nickname of the denizens of the ultra-right wing Web site FreeRepublic.com. Similar to "ditto-head." Also spelled FReeper Bill thinks that anyone who opposes President Bush should be thrown in jail. He's a total Freeper. 2. FReeper Free-market advocate. Nickname for readers of the free-market Web site, www.FreeRepublic.com. Also spelled Freeper. John thinks that taxes are too high, and that the government wrongly tells him how to run his life. He's a total Freeper 3. Freeper Noun One who intentionally distorts, slanders, and spins. Verb: Freep 1. "Bigot and defamation artist...

As an artist who has had solo exhibitions at The Whitney Museum of American Art and The Cleveland Museum of Art, Lee Mingwei explores the evanescent and diurnal cycles of living. His work is based on such basic human activities as cooking, letterwriting, and now child-bearing. A few weeks ago, writer Janice Versalius of PaperVeins magazine had a long and intimate conversation with Mr. Lee in his Manhattan apartment. An excerpt of the interview appears below. Additional interviews with Mr. Lee will also be included in the upcoming film documentary. Janice: Mr. Lee, as we just discussed, male pregnancy may...

mar·riage Pronunciation: 'mer-ij, 'ma-rij Function: noun Etymology: Middle English mariage, from Anglo-French, from marier to marry 1 a (1) : the state of being united to a person of the opposite sex as husband or wife in a consensual and contractual relationship recognized by law (2) : the state of being united to a person of the same sex in a relationship like that of a traditional marriage b : the mutual relation of married persons : WEDLOCK c : the institution whereby individuals are joined in a marriage 2 : an act of marrying or the rite by which...

Are you feeling screwed, blued and tattooed because the man slipped it to you? Like, stay loose, hit the pad and share a thumb with your pash. Huh? If that made no sense to you, check out "The Hippie Dictionary" by John McCleary. Using the new book to translate, readers come up with the more conventional: Are you feeling mistreated by the authorities? Relax, go home to bed and share a very large marijuana cigarette with your significant other." Those expecting the dictionary, published by Ten Speed Press, to be a stodgy reference work are in for a jolt. McCleary's...

The definition of "Marriage" is important to the discussion of Gay Marriages. Does the definition fit?

Online dictionary helps unravel Sumerian language Digital technology facilitates research Kyle Cassidy Special to The Daily Star Scholars studying ancient writing systems to reconstruct the societies they belonged to are increasingly turning to digital dictionaries in an effort to accelerate their work. Among the institutions taking advantage of the considerable benefits offered by the digitizing process is the University of Pennsylvania’s Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, which is drawing on the latest digital technology to write a Sumerian dictionary. Four thousand years ago, in the Sumerian city of Nippur, scribes were attending classes to learn a relatively new and privileged...

The words of the Second Amendment are likely to be considered by the U.S. Supreme Court soon. We are doing important research to that end and are asking for immediate help. What we need: 1) Scanned images from old dictionaries -- 1750 to 1825 -- of certain definitions. 2) Dictionaries from 1750 to 1825 donated to us for use in this research. If a nearby library has very old dictionaries, we need your help! Please scan the FRONT COVER, TITLE PAGE (and any other page with publication date) and the PAGE WITH THE DEFINITION of the words below. The definitions...

Thomas Mann said, "Speech is civilization itself." A common knowledge of words and their meanings is necessary for a culture to survive and flourish. English, it is believed, already has more words than any other language. As our society evolves, so do words and their usages. Dictionaries track such changes. A few weeks ago a new edition of Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, a perennial bestseller, was published. At roughly the same time, the prestigious Oxford English Dictionary added hundreds of new words to its online version. Some of the words appear fairly common. Brewski (a beer), chin music (an inside pitch...

A revised and condensed version of The Lexicon of FreeRepublic, culled from the original thread. Thanks to the many Freepers who contributed! FreeRepublic Glossary Anti-Freeper - See Freeper Lore. Arkancide = Mysterious death that somehow manages to happen to former friends of Bill and Hillary Clinton. Usually ruled a "suicide" by the "controlling legal authorities" that happen to be conducting the investigation. Usually the body is found with all the fixin's; suicide note (in two or more handwriting styles), unregistered handgun (sometimes in a different caliber than the one the "suicide" was accomplished using), and "air-tight" alibis passed around like...

Spending: Having spent themselves into a hole, politicians are trying to make us feel sorry for them as they devise ways to climb out with anything but real cuts. Watch your wallet and listen up. The terms used as they work through their problems are right out of Alice in Wonderland. Herewith, a short though incomplete list. cuts, n. Reductions not in dollars spent but in the rate at which spending is allowed to increase. The University of California budget, up 68% in eight years, is said to face "extraordinarily significant cuts," though it's scheduled for a 4.9% increase. Draconian,...

The Vatican is planning to publish a dictionary of words it says have been hijacked by feminists, abortion advocates and the UN General Assembly. The 1,000-page text will give interpretations sanctioned by the Roman Catholic Church to such terms as "gender," "reproductive rights" and other words commonly used in discussions of the family, life and ethics. The publication is necessary, said Alfonso Cardinal Lopez Trujillo, head of the Pontifical Council on the Family, because several terms pertaining to the family are under threat from "cultural manipulation." He told 30 Giorni, an Italian Catholic magazine, the lexicon will clarify the meaning...

The modern antiwar movement is like one of those 500-page sword-and-sorcery novels by J.R.R. Tolkien. It's based on mythology. The story began in a time long, long ago (Vietnam). And to understand it, you need a glossary to figure out the difference between an aging hippie hobbitt and a 20-something anti-American elf. Those who try to sort it out without the code can get as hopelessly lost as Frodo in Mordor. So here are some helpful translations: Unilateralism: Often used as an insult to President Bush, it actually means “leadership.” Multilateralism: Waiting for permission from France, China, Paraguay and...

Terms from science fiction classics Star Wars and Star Trek have crossed the final frontier by being included in the latest Oxford English dictionary. The compendium, officially known as the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary, has added 3,500 new words, including famed Star Wars terms Jedi, the dark side and the force. From Star Trek Klingon, warp drive, warp factor and dilithium have now been added to the English language guide. The Millennium Dome will also be enshrined in history by becoming another new dictionary entry. Slang terms newly introduced include shedload, wedgie and get real. Another potential new word for...

Fifth Edition of The Lexicon of FreeRepublic, culled from the original thread and subsequent editions. Thanks to the many Freepers who contributed! FreeRepublic Glossary Alpha Freeper - Top tier Freeper who can post most anything and draw dozens of replies from other alpha Freepers. Anti-Freeper - See Freeper Lore. Arkancide = Mysterious death that somehow manages to happen to former friends of Bill and Hillary Clinton. Usually ruled a "suicide" by the "controlling legal authorities" that happen to be conducting the investigation. Usually the body is found with all the fixin's; suicide note (in two or more handwriting styles), unregistered...

Editor’s note: Ruth Wood joins the American News editorial page today as an occasional columnist. Election campaigning time is here again. How can we tell? Count the number of times you hear the words “liberal” and "conservative.” From the sound of the political advertisements, the perception seems to be that conservative is good and liberal is bad. There are some candidates who seem to judge the power of their campaign ads by how many times they can use the word conservative. Since I am a retired teacher, I always go to the dictionary. What on earth is being said? The...

Based on recent events, I'm sure that millions of Americans are getting ready for a vacation to Palestine. To help you enjoy your trip, here some local terms and their meanings. PEACE- real Estate Scam involving the PLO, palestinian terrorist, the UN, and Jews. The sequence of the scam is as follows: palestinian terrorist blow up Jews. The UN tells the Jews and PLO they need to stop. The PLO says it will stop the palestinian terrorist if Jews give up land. UN says Jews can only have peace if they give up land. Jews give up land. palestinian terrorist...