Author

Valerie Fridland

Valerie Fridland

Valerie Fridland is a professor of linguistics at the University of Nevada in Reno and author of the book, "Like Literally, Dude: Arguing for the Good in Bad English." She also writes a monthly blog called “Language in the Wild” for Psychology Today, is a regular guest writer for the popular Grammar Girl podcast and has a lecture series, Language and Society, available with The Great Courses. Her popular facing work has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Nature, Entrepreneur Magazine, Psychology Today Magazine, LitHub and The Conversation.

Commentary

Santa, maybe? Why we have different names for who ‘hurries down the chimney’ on Christmas

By: - December 25, 2024

Everyone has heard of Santa Claus, that chubby, white-bearded, red-suited guy who delivers Christmas presents via a reindeer-powered sleigh. But have you never wondered how he became a man of so many names? From St. Nick to Santa to Kris Kringle, it’s a marvel that Rudolph isn’t completely confused about whom exactly he is working […]