Episode 1395 • • 17:42 - 25:27
1395: Inflation Demon
Merriam-Webster Dictionary, New Words and Pandemic Terminology
Merriam-Webster added 455 new words to its dictionary in 2021, heavily featuring pandemic-related terminology such as "long COVID," "vaccine passport," and "breakthrough." The update also codified internet culture terms including "de-platform," "digital nomad," and "copypasta," alongside the political term "vote-a-rama." A discussion of the term "small ball" highlighted its origins in 1970s baseball strategy under manager Billy Martin before its modern adoption in basketball and general goal-setting contexts.