Hey, Dr. Science-Patterson! First, I want to give you a shout out about your new show “Science or (Sigh) Whatever” on PBS. It’s good, as far as I can tell. Also, I was wondering: why does President Bush say “terroristsssss” instead of just “terrorists”? - Knowledge Lover in Nome, AK

Dear Knowledge Lover in Nome, AK - Well, “terrorists” is the plural of “terrorist.” This is a given. But our president, in his attempts to articulate policy in an era in which more people are doing terror than ever before, has obviously run up against the fact that we have had no way of articulating the plural of the plural of “terrorist” (i.e., when there is more than one terrorists). I believe the word he’s invented, “terroristssss,” is as good a solution as any.

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