dannosowitz's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
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pop culture

Whether You Say Freakin', Friggin', Or Frickin' Depends On Where You’re From

F-word substitutes vary by region.
December 15, 2016
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linguistics

Are 'Semester Abroad Accents' Real or Fake?

That suspicious new London lilt may not be as put-on as it seems.
November 29, 2016
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south

Why Justin Timberlake Sings 'May' Instead of 'Me'

Linguistics and vocal styling converge in this late '90s pop trend.
November 10, 2016
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linguistics

How a Fake British Accent Took Old Hollywood By Storm

The story behind the strange way Katharine Hepburn (and others) spoke.
October 27, 2016
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united states

Y’all, You’uns, Yinz, Youse: How Regional Dialects Are Fixing Standard English

The real enemy? "You guys."
October 13, 2016
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jews

Why Linguists Are Fascinated by the American Jewish Accent

The linguistic field of prosody, the story of melody, pitch, and other hard-to-study verbal traits, is suddenly hot.
September 26, 2016
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american south

Why Northerners Think All Southerners Have One Accent

A small North Carolina island shows how different the Southern accent can be.
September 1, 2016
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america

Is There a Place in America Where People Speak With Neutral Accents?

Newscasters and Stephen Colbert seem to think the standard American accent exists.
August 23, 2016
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hangovers

The Strange World of Japanese Hangover Cures

It's a $178 million industry, and no one knows if it works.
July 28, 2016
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underwater week

Meet Waterbod, the David Attenborough Of Instagram

You'll see L.A.'s animal kingdom in a whole new way.
July 21, 2016
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design

How Dirt Houses Became Beloved By The Tiny House Movement

Meet the wondrous cob.
July 14, 2016
Gastro Obscura
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burning questions

What Do You Call the Corner Store?

Bodega, deli, offy, party store, and more.
July 7, 2016
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vaquita

Why It's So Hard to Find, Let Alone Save, the World's Cutest Porpoise

The tiny mammal is facing imminent extinction after only being discovered in 1987.
July 6, 2016
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brain

I Asked Leading Entomologists: 'What’s The Smartest Bug In The World?'

Some insects can count, recognize human faces, even invent languages.
June 23, 2016
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fashion

In A City Of Murals, The Simplest One Stands Out

The bright pink wall of this L.A. clothing store has become an Instagram icon.
June 16, 2016
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sports

What It's Like to Run a Fan Site For the Arguably Worst Team in NBA History

The Philadelphia 76ers have brought shame to the City of Brotherly Love.
June 9, 2016
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canada

What's Going On With the Way Canadians Say 'About'?

It's not pronounced how you think it is.
June 1, 2016
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canada

The Delightful Perversity of Québec's Catholic Swears

The Canadian province has expletives like no other.
May 26, 2016
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evil plants

Do Not Eat, Touch, Or Even Inhale the Air Around the Manchineel Tree

Meet America's deadliest tree. Found in Florida, of course.
May 19, 2016
Gastro Obscura
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mexico

Everything You Know About Mole Sauce Is A Lie

If what you know is that mole's most important ingredient is chocolate.
May 12, 2016
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olympics

The Story Behind the Incredible Obstacle Course Video That Went Viral

It turns out that military competitions are especially nuts.
May 5, 2016
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nba playoffs

The Fascinating Local Color from Illegal NBA Playoff Streams

It's not legal, advisable or convenient, but you can learn a lot about a place from its halftime shows.
April 28, 2016
Gastro Obscura
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judaism

Let Them Eat Corn! The New Rules of Passover

The eons-old fight over whether eating bread should be punishable by death.
April 20, 2016
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relationships

There's Only One State Where You Can Marry Without God as a Witness

The surprisingly sweet and tolerant uses of a 330-year-old law.
April 14, 2016