What in tarnation is “tarnation?” Why do people in old books exclaim “zounds!” in moments of surprise? And what could a professor of linguistics possibly have against “duck-loving crickets?” I’ll get ...

I grew up in the buckle of the Bible Belt. Although Norman, Okla., is home to a large state school (Boomer Sooner!), the area is steeped in religious tradition. As a child, I wasn’t allowed to cuss, ...

CHEESE AND RICE (56A: "Oh my gosh!") CHEESE AND RICE – when used as an exclamation, and not the name of a possibly delicious casserole – is an example of a minced oath. A minced oath is a euphemism ...

Recent columns have dealt with minced oaths, expressions that substitute mild or innocuous words for words that some might consider vulgar, obscene, sacrilegious or otherwise objectionable. A ...

I grew up in the buckle of the Bible Belt. Although Norman, Oklahoma is home to a large state school (Boomer Sooner!), the area is steeped in religious tradition. As a child, I wasn’t allowed to cuss, ...