The Macquarie Dictionary recently announced its winners of word (or phrase) of last year. Those chosen by the selection committee and the general public to represent the zeitgeist reflected a similar theme. The committee’s choice was phantom vibration syndrome, or ...

Colloquial words that come from nowhere can be redeployed and radically redesigned in different times and places. Dinkum is one such, which probably originated in C19 Northern English dialects, though in Australia it's sometimes thought to consist of two Chinese ...

The recent death of former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher has given rise to a spate of articles about the Iron Lady’s legacy. This famous nickname was first given to her by the Soviet army magazine Red Star in 1976. ...

The word self-image is usually understood as someone’s mental construction of themself, which may or may not correspond with their looks and social behaviour.  Compare the newly-coined selfie, which is definitely a physical image of oneself, taken by oneself on ...

The practice of astroturfing involves an interested party creating the illusion of public support, to push a particular agenda. For example, the Alliance of Australian Retailers was set up in 2010 as a front for tobacco companies to campaign against ...

Colloquial words that come from nowhere can be redeployed and radically redesigned in different times and places. Dinkum is one such, which probably originated in C19 Northern English dialects, though in Australia it's sometimes thought to consist of two Chinese ...

The recent death of former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher has given rise to a spate of articles about the Iron Lady’s legacy. This famous nickname was first given to her by the Soviet army magazine Red Star in 1976. ...

The word self-image is usually understood as someone’s mental construction of themself, which may or may not correspond with their looks and social behaviour.  Compare the newly-coined selfie, which is definitely a physical image of oneself, taken by oneself on ...

The term meme, or more particularly internet meme, has become a buzzword to describe any concept or idea that spreads very quickly via the internet or social media. Examples of these can range from a catchy phrase, to a video, ...

The vehicle that looks like a railway carriage on wheels charging down the highway is a reminder of the rapid evolution of vehicle design priorities. The last Hummer rolled off the production line in 2010, its fate sealed by being ...