MORE WORDS FOR DUST BUNNIES.

MORE WORDS FOR DUST BUNNIES. Jennifer Schuessler had an article in the New York Times (February 24) which celebrated the forthcoming edition of DARE (the Dictionary of American Regional English). It added some more regional words for dust bunnies to the ones I listed here: “curds, fooskies, ghost manure, gollywogs, reebolees and ‘somebody either comin’ or goin.'” Some of the linguists who have worked on the book express concern that with the internet some of the regionalisms are spreading to other regions in the country. However, William Kretzschmar, a prominent linguist, is quoted that: “Instead of the language narrowing and becoming more standard, it’s actually becoming more various.” New regionalisms are still being formed. Schuessler gives an example: “’slug,’ is used around Washington, D.C., to refer to a commuter who lines up near high-occupancy vehicle lanes to carpool with a stranger.”

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