Commentary

President Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron pose for a "selfie" with Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning Schmidt during the memorial service for Nelson Mandela.

Arts

Narcissistic Or Not, 'Selfie' Is Nunberg's Word Of The Year

11:48am December 20, 2013

by Geoff Nunberg

Linguist Geoff Nunberg says he feels a little defensive about choosing "selfie" — a word that wears its ephemerality on its outstretched sleeve — as the word of 2013. But not only was this a year when we couldn't stop posting photos of ourselves online; we couldn't stop talking about it either.

Queue Listen Now

Sophie Varon loves to shop. But lately, she's been wondering if her shopping habit has become a shopping problem.

I Love To Shop, But Do I Have A Shopping Problem?

10:36am December 19, 2013

by Sophie Varon

Sophie Varon loves to shop. The store Forever 21 is her weakness. And lately, she's been wondering if her shopping habit has become a shopping problem.

Queue Listen Now

Nelson Mandela and Walter Sisulu raise their fists in 1990, one day after Mandela was released from jail.

World News

As We Memorialize Mandela, Remember Those Who Stood With Him

3:36pm December 08, 2013

by Scott Simon

By the time he died, Nelson Mandela was considered one of the few giants on the world stage. As NPR's Scott Simon remembers, Mandela was not alone in offering his life for freedom, so the acclaim justly heaped upon Mandela is also a credit to those who worked, served and led with him.

Queue Listen Now

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., talks to reporters at the U.S. Capitol on Sept. 3.

Was Rand Paul's Plagiarism Dishonest Or A Breach Of Good Form?

4:31pm November 12, 2013

by Geoff Nunberg

The flap over the Kentucky senator's articles and speeches is just the latest in a series of cases of plagiarism by high-profile journalists and politicians. Linguist Geoff Nunberg looks at the way the word plagiarism has been used since it was invented by the Romans and wonders if it's always immoral or just bad form.

Queue Listen Now

Many Rooting For Down-On-Its-Luck Detroit And Its New Mayor

6:55pm November 09, 2013

by Don Gonyea

Detroit this week elected Mike Duggan as its new mayor. The longtime county official and successful businessman, hard-charging and pugnacious, will lead a city rich in history and culture — and which just filed for bankruptcy. Don Gonyea, who calls the city home, ponders the challenges facing Duggan and Detroit.

Queue Listen Now

Sitting At Her Son's Bedside, A Mother Re-Defines Religious Nut

8:08pm November 08, 2013

by Nancy S. Aronie

Writer Nancy Slonim Aronie recalls how another mom in the hospital with a sick child helped reveal something about herself.

Queue Listen Now

Sports

You Asked For It: Frank Deford's Top 12 List

12:35pm October 16, 2013

by Frank Deford

Commentator Frank Deford responds to suggestions of things he should comment on. Here, he takes on the Washington Redskins' name; high school football games on national TV; hockey fights; Pete Rose and the Baseball Hall of Fame; and the tradition of pouring Gatorade on winning coaches.

Queue Listen Now

More Than Average: Dow Jones Adds The 'Swoosh'

4:01pm September 18, 2013

by Frank Deford

Nike made the leap onto the stock averages index when Hewlett-Packard, Bank of America and Alcoa were dropped because of their low stock prices. Yes, says, commentator Frank Deford, a mere sporting goods company has joined the wealthy elite.

Queue Listen Now

Arts

The Internet's 'Twerk' Effect Makes Dictionaries Less Complete

5:45pm September 12, 2013

by Geoff Nunberg

When dictionaries add trendy words like "twerk," they're prioritizing the fleeting language habits of the young, says Geoff Nunberg. And our fascination with novel words tends to eclipse subtle changes in the meanings of old ones — "which are often more consequential," he says.

Queue Listen Now

Is There Any Meaning In Poet Seamus Heaney's Last Text?

5:20pm September 10, 2013

by Andrei Codrescu

Commentator Andrei Codrescu reflects on the text message written by poet Seamus Heaney just before he died. In Latin he wrote to his wife "do not be afraid." The 74-year-old Heaney died in a Dublin hospital last week. Codrescu says no great meaning should be implied — it was just a personal message to his wife.

Queue Listen Now