“Dr. Nunberg’s day jobs were in academia and in a Silicon Valley think tank, but his deepest preoccupation was in understanding how human beings communicate through words, from slang and vulgar slurs to political messaging and professional jargon. … He published several books, including essay collections and The Ascent of the A-Word, about the popularity of a certain seven-letter term applied to annoying bosses or people who used to be called heels and jerks … and, for more than 30 years, provided commentaries on language for the NPR program Fresh Air.” – The Washington Post