A Way with Words - language, linguistics, and callers from all over

Funny Papers (Rebroadcast) - 20 April 2026

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 07:00:00 -0000

There are word nerds, and then there’s the woman who set up a folding chair on sidewalks throughout the country, cheerfully dispensing tips about grammar. She recounts her adventures in a new book. And the story of the brilliant pioneer of computing language whose name lives on in a familiar term. Plus, when you get a new haircut, beware of anyone yelling Rinktums! Noogies may follow! Also, slobgollion and slumgullion, comb graves, tearing up Jack, paging Dr. Armstrong, a brain teaser about book and movie titles, swotting up your Klingon, Parva sed apta mihi, a clever way to end a long phone conversation, and words worth inscribing in stone. See you in the funny sheet!

Hear hundreds of free episodes and learn more on the A Way with Words website: https://waywordradio.org. Be a part of the show: call or text 1 (877) 929-9673 toll-free in the United States and Canada; elsewhere in the world, call or text +1 619 800 4443. Send voice notes or messages via WhatsApp 16198004443. Email words@waywordradio.org. Copyright Wayword, Inc., a 501(c)(3) corporation.

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Buttons on Ice Cream - 13 April 2026

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 07:00:00 -0000

How do dictionaries define colors? And why are some of those definitions so confusing, like “stronger than carmine” and “bluer than fiesta”? Dictionary editor Kory Stamper explains it all in her new book. Plus, the story behind the expression more bang for your buck goes back to World War II. And did you know there’s a term for those pieces of green plastic fringe in supermarket displays that makes things look more appetizing? Keep an eye out for parsley runners! Also: brolic, more bang for your buck, feeling dingy, mirabiliary, a brain teaser about verbal misunderstandings, between the mustard and the mayo, liminal, the German disease, and the sayings It’s an ill wind that blows nobody any good and Hay is for horses, straw is cheaper, grass is free, marry a farmer, and you have all three.

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Go Bananas (Rebroadcast) - 6 April 2026

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 07:00:00 -0000

A caller wonders if she’s being hypersensitive about the way her boss addresses her in emails. Can the use of an employee’s first name ever reflect a power differential? And: a community choir director wants a term for “the act of gathering to sing for the pure joy of it, without ever preparing for a performance.” For her, the word rehearsal doesn’t really fit. Plus, what’s so funny about bananas, anyway? Why do we say That’s bananas!? Also glacial erratic, a Swahili riddle, defenestration, overmorrow, funny names for Greek gods, enchantment, accent, etui, a puzzle about similes, Kirchenfenster, Följa John, Mal comune mezzo gaudio, and El que no llora, no mama.

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What in Tarnation (Rebroadcast) - 30 March 2026

Mon, 30 Mar 2026 07:00:00 -0000

Language is always evolving, and that’s also true for American Sign Language. A century ago, the sign for “telephone” was one fist below your mouth and the other at your ear, as if you’re holding an old-fashioned candlestick phone. Now you can sign “phone” with a one-handed gesture. Plus, colorful restaurant slang from the hit TV show The Bear inspires a quiz about the language of the kitchen. And looking for a new way to say “It’s hot outside”? How about “It’s glorgy [GLOR-ghee] out there!” Plus, pothery, laugh to see a pudding crawl, capitalizing the first-person pronoun, silver thaw, the devil’s beating his wife, diaeresis, trema, brogans, barge it, Las conejas están pariendo, claggy, janky, mafting, a brain teaser about restaurant slang, and more.

Hear hundreds of free episodes and learn more on the A Way with Words website: ⁠https://waywordradio.org⁠. Be a part of the show: call or text ⁠1 (877) 929-9673⁠ toll-free in the United States and Canada; elsewhere in the world, call or text ⁠+1 619 800 4443⁠. Send voice notes or messages via ⁠WhatsApp 16198004443.⁠ Email ⁠words@waywordradio.org⁠. Copyright Wayword, Inc., a 501(c)(3) corporation.

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Tip of the Iceberg - 23 March 2026

Mon, 23 Mar 2026 07:00:00 -0000

Why does the term vegetarian cause so much confusion? Some people assume it means avoiding red meat but still eating chicken. And is there a term for a vegetarian who also eats fish and poultry? Plus, screwball comedies from the 1930s mix slapstick humor and clever dialogue. But how’d they get the name screwball? And if you’ve ever wondered when exactly pigs fly, how about… on Saint Never’s Day! Also, ahead of the curve vs. ahead of the curb, cute aggression, That burns my onions and That frosts my cookies, drinking black cows and brown cows, another take-off quiz, pollopescatarian, skutch, avellaneous, and I had one gunch, but the eggplant over there.

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Blue Streak (Rebroadcast) - 16 March 2026

Mon, 16 Mar 2026 07:00:00 -0000

How long can a newly married woman be called a bride? Does bride apply only as long as her wedding day, or does it extend right on through the couple’s silver anniversary and beyond? Plus, insightful advice about writing from a Pulitzer winner: Observe carefully, find what you’re uniquely qualified to say, and give voice to your own astonishment. And names of minor-league baseball teams are often a playful combination of nearby industries and a formidable animal. For example, where do the locals root for the Iron Pigs? Also, frunk and froot, left in the lurch, a riddle from Leonardo da Vinci, an onomastic puzzle, Pepper Alley, grocery store vs. food store, get the goody out, and lots more.

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Color Me Surprised - 9 March 2026

Mon, 09 Mar 2026 07:00:00 -0000

Over the centuries, the meaning of happiness has traveled a long way. Today we speak of the pursuit of happiness, but it used to be that the word happiness suggested something that occurs only by chance–something that simply… happens. Plus, the joys and challenges of learning a new language in adulthood. And: Ready for an adventure? Then prepare for some boondocking. Or wallydocking. Or maybe even some crackerdocking. You’ll want to know those terms and more if you travel in an RV. Plus, stinky slinky, mishap, fubsy, meckle, dogwalkers’ slang, a consonant-heavy puzzle, som plommen i egget, collect the pearls, Genussstille, companionable silence, gassers, coffee soup, sliding pond vs. slide, duffel bag, and lots more.

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I Don't Have the Spoons (Rebroadcast) - 2 March 2026

Mon, 02 Mar 2026 08:00:00 -0000

Whether it’s a Rubik’s cube or a round of Wordle, why do so many of us find puzzles irresistible? A new book celebrates the allure and psychological benefits of brain teasers. Plus, powerful language for talking about the chronic illnesses and invisible disabilities that sap a person’s energy and focus. And what would you wear to a wet dress rehearsal? (Hint: You’ll need a helmet.) Plus ditloid, eat a peck of dirt before you die, a game to make you sigh, apologizing to fellow drivers, how to pronounce aunt, why we call a qualifying race a heat, prejudice about dialects, and age-old advice about delegating responsibilities. It’s so good, it’ll make your tongue slap your brains out!

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Turn on a Dime - 23 February 2026

Mon, 23 Feb 2026 08:00:00 -0000

Every subculture has its own secret lingo, whether you’re talking about surfers, cab drivers, or coffee-shop baristas. A new book uncovers the slang of everyone from stunt performers to department-store Santas and more. Plus, why is English so darn weird? Those odd spellings and weird pronunciations form a fascinating fossil record. And: a quiz where the actual object of the game is to spell words Incorrectly! Also, clabberhead, eating me out of house and home, can of sugar vs. canister of sugar, prototype theory, a clever Puerto Rican phrase, an orthographic brain teaser, turn on a sixpence, Chef Mike, and more.

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Excuse the Hogs (Rebroadcast) - 16 February 2026

Mon, 16 Feb 2026 08:00:00 -0000

When a teenager went a week without talking as part of a school project, he noticed a surprising side effect: Instead of rehearsing a response to what other people were saying to him, he was focused on listening — and feeling smarter as a result. Plus, a flight attendant is irritated by a certain term she has to use frequently with passengers. Might there be a better word than de-plane? And how do you pronounce the name of the Show-Me State? The answers you’ll hear are as variable as Midwest weather. Also, cryptic crossword puzzle clues, jabroni, Chatham House rule, railroad slang, dress the bed, nuces relinquere, You can give them books and give them books, but they just chew the covers right off, and lots more.

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Sweet Science - 9 February 2026

Mon, 09 Feb 2026 08:00:00 -0000

Why is boxing called the sweet science when it’s obviously such a bruising sport? Also, a mother of five is baffled when her Gen Z kids use words she thought she knew. For example, they call sweatshirts sweaters, and declare that’s so aesthetic. Recording that vocabulary in a journal now could make for amusing reading for the grandkids later. And: the person on your block who’s always the first to put out their trash and recycling bins? That’s your binfluencer! Plus jammies vs. jommies, open one’s budget, an extraterrestrial puzzle from a strange planet, cracking foxy, epigastric fossa and heartspoon, giacca civetta, shammick and shummick, ragamuffin, I feel like a cracker, and lots more.

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All That and a Bag of Chips (Rebroadcast) - 2 February 2026

Mon, 02 Feb 2026 08:00:00 -0000

We tend to take the index of a book for granted, but centuries ago, these helpful lists were viewed with suspicion. Some even worried that indexes would harm reading comprehension! A witty new book tells the story. Plus, the Latin term bona fides was adopted into English to mean “good faith” or “authentic credentials.” But there’s more than one way to pronounce it. And: say you’re off at summer camp, and there’s a container in the dining hall labeled ort bucket. What will you find if you look inside? Also: crisp, with one foot in the milk bucket, a brain teaser about nicknames, French gestures, Dutchman, million-dollar family, dungarees, scared water, and nuking food.

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Use Your Noodle - 26 January 2026

Mon, 26 Jan 2026 08:00:00 -0000

An acclaimed poet’s tender poem about holding a newborn for the first time reflects a complex swirl of emotions. And: A caller finds that in her workplace, the expression out of pocket can mean very different things: either “being unavailable” or “acting out of line.” Which is correct? Plus, if you plan on a long evening at a pub, better make sure you’re zebra striping! All that, and poosley, noodle, Black Beauty, verschluck, a letter-splitting brain teaser, eating off the mantel, 50 cents vs. 50 cent, quotation marks, fat lighter, and lots more.

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Familiar Strangers (Rebroadcast) - 19 January 2026

Mon, 19 Jan 2026 08:00:00 -0000

If you take up texting and social media late in life, there’s a lot to learn! A twenty-something wants advice getting her dad up to speed on memes, Instagram, and animated images. Plus, when you’re on a long road trip, what do you call that one driver you keep passing on the freeway, or who sets the pace for your car mile after mile? Road buddy? Some call them Follow Johns. Plus, the linguistic reason why some people say “SANG-wich” instead of “SAND-wich.” It’s a mouthful — literally! And: thalweg, stick season, quare, jimmycane, the many Spanish words that derive from the Nahuatl language, camera and camaraderie, cada chango en su mecate, a puzzle all about the letter E, the connection between dollar and Neanderthal, umarell, and menos burros, más elotes.

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Word Hoard (Rebroadcast) - 12 January 2026

Mon, 12 Jan 2026 08:00:00 -0000

Ever wonder what medieval England looked and sounded like? In Old English, the word hord meant “treasure” and your wordhord was the treasure of words locked up inside you. A delightful new book uses the language of that period to create a vivid look at everyday life. Plus, a shotgun house is long and narrow with no hallway — just one room leading into the next. It’s an architectural style with a long history stretching from Africa to Haiti and into the American South. And: say you accidentally cut someone off in traffic, and you know it’s your fault. What’s a quick, clear way to communicate that you’re sorry? NO texting allowed! All that, and feaking, feather merchant, gradoo, spondulicks, echar un zorrito, tocayo and cuate, a take-off quiz, and an onomatopoeic Old English word for “sneeze.”

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You Talk Like a Sausage (Rebroadcast) - 5 January 2026

Mon, 05 Jan 2026 08:00:00 -0000

Do you refer to your dog or cat as “somebody”? As in: When you love somebody that much, you don’t mind if they slobber. In other words, is your pet a somebody or a something? Also, for centuries, there was little consistency in the way many English words were spelled. But long before the printing press helped to standardize spelling, powerful historical forces were already shaping how those words looked on the page. Plus, Irish words that are as handy as they are fun to say: bockety, which describes something wobbly, and segotia, a fond term for “friend.” And ship vs. yacht, rope vs. line, The New Yorker vs. the The New Yorker, evening vs. afternoon, how to pronounce hammock, a wild and woolly animal quiz, “talking cheese” in German, and an Iranian-American playwright on the challenges of learning another language.

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Pushing the Envelope (Rebroadcast) - 29 December 2025

Mon, 29 Dec 2025 08:00:00 -0000

Sure, there’s winter, spring, summer, and fall. But the seasons in between have even more poetic names. In Alaska, greenup describes a sudden, dramatic burst of green after a long, dark winter. And there are many, many terms for a cold snap that follows the first taste of spring: blackberry winter, redbud winter, onion snow, and whippoorwill storm, to name a few. Plus, the family that plays trivia games at home may end up cheering for their teen in high-school competitions. Also, playful prayers at the dinner table: Amen, Brother Ben! Pass the butter, let’s begin! All that, plus retten up, push the envelope, with bells on, self-deprecating vs. self-depreciating, taffy pockets, pigeon pair, the end of pea time, a puzzle about pairs of words, and more. Here we go, laughing and scratching!

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Safe as Houses - 22 December 2025

Mon, 22 Dec 2025 08:00:00 -0000

Temperature blankets are a visual and tactile mirror of the day’s weather. Knitters use specific shades of yarn to match daily temperatures, creating a colorful, cozy record of weather across time. Plus, a new book chronicles the history and uncertain future of modern dictionaries. And: try replacing the term bucket list with bliss list. It’s a great strategy to help you focus on finding joy in small, meaningful moments every single day. Also, your epidermis is showing, a puzzle about funny pronunciations, efficacy vs. effectiveness, voiceless labial-velar approximants, gig economy, the meaning of 73 among ham radio operators, go gunnybags, to Elmer someone, the historical present, and better than snuff, but not near as dusty.

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Minicast Bonus: Cocktail

Fri, 19 Dec 2025 11:23:00 -0000

In this bonus A Way with Words minicast, Martha and Grant look into the myriad stories behind the word cocktail. Does the drink name come from feathers? Horses? Something up a horse’s rump? It’s a weird wandering down etymology lane…

Hear hundreds of free episodes and learn more on the A Way with Words website: ⁠⁠https://waywordradio.org⁠⁠. Be a part of the show: call or text ⁠⁠1 (877) 929-9673⁠⁠ toll-free in the United States and Canada; elsewhere in the world, call or text ⁠⁠+1 619 800 4443⁠⁠. Send voice notes or messages via ⁠⁠WhatsApp 16198004443.⁠⁠ Email ⁠⁠words@waywordradio.org⁠⁠. Copyright Wayword, Inc., a 501(c)(3) corporation.

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Potatoes and Point - 15 December 2025

Mon, 15 Dec 2025 08:00:00 -0000

If there’s a logophile on your gift list, you have lots of choices, including a new trivia game for language-lovers and a murder mystery for the word-obsessed. Plus, if someone calls you a schmoozer, should you be flattered or insulted? And if you’re on a road trip, there’s one place you definitely don’t want to get stuck, and that’s out where God lost his galoshes! Also, go around the Wrekin, kibitz, chemin des écoliers, grob, gundeck, a gift-giving game, allegro vs. lento in linguistics, bread and skip, send to Coventry, why a car might be called a whip, and lots more.

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Minicast Bonus: Down Bucket

Thu, 11 Dec 2025 20:43:00 -0000

In this bonus A Way with Words minicast, Martha and Grant step into the historic streets of Marblehead, Massachusetts, where the simple cry of “Down bucket!” could serve as a kind of local password. After they ponder that and other language of “Headers,” you’ll cry “Up for air!”

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Primary Colors (Rebroadcast) - 8 December 2025

Mon, 08 Dec 2025 08:00:00 -0000

Centuries ago, monks who took a vow of silence developed their own hand signs, with hundreds of gestures, that are still in use today. Plus, how do speakers of different languages distinguish similar shades and tints of colors such as red, yellow, and blue? It’s complicated! And: you don’t really need those little rivets on your blue jeans, do you? There’s a word for decorative elements that no longer serve a practical purpose: skeuomorphs. All that, along with butter of antimony, vein vs. vain, sugar of lead, euchred figs, two bits, mess and gaum, an apt nickname for a garbage disposal, a quiz about family secrets, and lots more.

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Minicast Bonus: Picketwire

Thu, 04 Dec 2025 14:46:00 -0000

In this bonus A Way with Words minicast, Martha and Grant explore the ways foreign place names transform on official maps and in local slang. Discover the stories behind names like “Picketwire” and “Key West,” showing how history and mishearings reshape the names we give our world.

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Drop in the Bucket - 1 December 2025

Mon, 01 Dec 2025 08:00:00 -0000

A sumptuous new collection of poems about specific photographs shows how the moment in time captured by camera can inspire a verbal work of art as well. Also, why do we say that a quarterback got sacked? Plus, If you’re planning to vacation at a textile-free resort, you probably don’t have to pack much. Non-textile means “clothing-optional”—or even “clothing-free”! Also, the phrase turned off cold, a puzzle about funny irregular plurals, finifugal, got the bots, leveling, Weltschmerz, chiffarobe, words of encouragement from Hong Kong English, and more. Add oil!

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Deep Fried Air (Rebroadcast) - 24 November 2025

Mon, 24 Nov 2025 08:00:00 -0000

Eels, orts, and Wordle! Sweden awarded its most prestigious literary award to a book about…eels. The Book of Eels reveals the mysterious life cycle of this sea creature and its significance for famous figures from Aristotle to Sigmund Freud. Plus, what’s an ort? It’s the last bit of food left on a dinner plate — and whether or not you finish it can be a matter of manners. Also, an audio puzzle inspired by the popular game Wordle. Harder than it sounds! Plus ginnels, twittens, nerds, Not on your tintype!, piling Pelion upon Ossa, things to say after a sneeze, and a lovely poem about elevators. Ta-da!

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No Bones - 17 November 2025

Mon, 17 Nov 2025 08:00:00 -0000

Whippoorwills, bob whites, and chickadees. How do we decide the names of birds and what to call their calls? Plus, the last syllables of Arkansas and Kansas are pronounced differently, but they come from the same etymological root. And: What’s the best word to describe your relationship with someone who’s less than a friend but closer than an acquaintance. Is that person one of your friendlies? Also, knobbly monster, cuate, to have one’s bum in the butter, the meaning of confirming, Kelly days, a quiz about common bonds, to have a goat’s mouth, antidisestablishmentarianism, a Tex-Mex casserole dish, and more. Make no bones about it!

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East Overshoe (Rebroadcast) - 10 November 2025

Mon, 10 Nov 2025 08:00:00 -0000

Some people work hard to lose their accent in order to fit in. Others may be homesick for the voices they grew up with and try to reclaim them. How can you regain your old accent? Also, a compelling book about scientific taxonomy shows how humans use language to try to divide up and impose order on the word. And Uff-dah! is an expressive word that means “Gee whiz!” or “Oy vey!” It’s also handy when lifting heavy objects. Plus, pigloos, pine shatters vs. pine needles, channel fever, a quiz about common bonds, idioms involving stinginess, nicknames, possible baths, verbing nouns, East Jesus and South Burlap, and affirmative semantics with negative morphosyntax.

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Herd of Turtles (Rebroadcast) - 3 November 2025

Mon, 03 Nov 2025 08:00:00 -0000

Some college students are using the word loyalty as a synonym for monogamy. Are the meanings of these words now shifting? Plus, a biologist discovers a new species of bat, then names it after a poet he admires. Also, warm memories of how a childhood library card becomes a passport to new worlds. And: for a spell vs. cast a spell, thaw vs. unthaw, twice-cooked cabbage, a brain teaser in celebration of the great Stephen Sondheim, Dankie op’n plankie, right as rain, a turd of hurtles, a revolving s.o.b., tips for writing historical fiction, and plenty more.

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Chow Line - 27 October 2025

Mon, 27 Oct 2025 07:00:00 -0000

Does language acquisition correspond with being ambidextrous? A woman notices her polyglot husband takes notes with his right hand for certain languages, then switches to his left for other ones. And: What’s the difference between an orchard and a grove? Is it correct to speak of an apple grove or an orange orchard? Also, some fun slang from Newfoundland: Sit too long on a hard seat, and your badonkadonk will wind up dunch. Plus: duckish, woo-woo, a puzzle about werewolves, waxing eloquent about whiskey, muldoon, names coined by famous authors, huerta and horticulture, zerbert, a hundred feet of chow line, and more.

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Big as a Breadbox - 20 October 2025

Mon, 20 Oct 2025 07:00:00 -0000

The Hawaiian word aloha is both a greeting and a goodbye, as well as a profound acknowledgement of the oneness with all living things. Plus, what’s a lemur ball? A new book will leave you marveling over the mysteries of lemurs, wombats, and other creatures. And: If you’re exhausted after a long day, and you get tired of saying you’re tired, you can always say you’re forswunk. Also, sweating buckets, sudar como un pollo, a game featuring imaginary national anthems, fair to middling, sirop de poteau, se cree la mamá de Tarzán, dilly-dally, cackermander, jassum, swink, skunked, and a five-year-old’s hilarious misunderstanding.

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Mittens in Moonlight (Rebroadcast) - 13 October 2025

Mon, 13 Oct 2025 07:00:00 -0000

Need a slang term that can replace just about anynoun? Try chumpie. If you’re from Philadelphia, you may already know this handy placeholder word. And there’s Queens, Brooklyn, Staten Island, Manhattan, and … The Bronx — why do we add the definite article to the name of that New York borough? The answer lies in the area’s geography and local family lore. Plus, an Australian bullfrog that sounds like a banjo called a pobblebonk. Also: get the pips, down your Sunday throat, jubous, dinor vs. diner, stepped out of a bandbox, a Carl Sandburg poem, quemacocos, sirsee, a punny puzzle about doing well, and more.

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Diamond Dust (Rebroadcast) - 6 October 2025

Mon, 06 Oct 2025 07:00:00 -0000

Diamond dust, tapioca snow, and sugar icebergs — a 1955 glossary of arctic and subarctic terms describes the environment in ways that sound poetic. And a mom says her son is dating someone who’s non-binary. She supports their relationship, but still struggles to use their preferred pronouns in a way that feels natural to her. Plus, A Way with Words is a show about language, right? How the word “right” contains a multitude of meanings. And: echar un coyotito, voluntold, autological words, stay interview, eyesights and farsees, a brain-busting quiz about hidden words, nieve penitente, cutting cots, and rhyming ways to say a casual goodbye in other languages, like the Dutch one that translates as “Bye, umbrella!”

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Brass Tacks - 29 September 2025

Mon, 29 Sep 2025 07:00:00 -0000

Why would some Spanish speakers use adaptations of certain English words when perfectly good Spanish words for the same thing already exist? Plus, handy terms in a dictionary of the Sussex dialect from 150 years ago: Back then, a dezzick was “a day’s work” and January butter was another term for “mud.” And: you can’t judge a book by its cover, but the outer sides of its pages may impress you. A new trend in publishing features colorful patterns and images that look gorgeous when the book is closed. These decorations are called spredges, from the words “sprayed” and “edges.” Also: brass tacks, beevers, a punning puzzle for cinephiles, shmutzing, lonche, go chalk, archaic names for ladybugs, close-toe vs. close-toed vs. closed-toe, denominalization, mucksig, God Almighty’s cow, and more.

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Sleepy Winks (Rebroadcast) - 22 September 2025

Mon, 22 Sep 2025 07:00:00 -0000

It was a dark and stormy night. So begins the long and increasingly convoluted prose of Edwards Bulwer-Lytton’s best-known novel. Today the annual Bulwer-Lytton Contest asks contestants for fanciful first sentences that are similarly convoluted and over-the-top — often with hilarious results. Plus: George Orwell’s prescient novel 1984 gave us the terrifying image of Big Brother and helped popularize words like doublespeak and Orwellian. And is there a word for fallen snow while leaves still remain on the trees? Also: motor vs. engine, capitol vs. capital, wannabe vs. wannabee, scrape acquaintance, a quiz about words that link other words, Tutivillis, skell gel, complementary alternation discourse constructions, and words for “eye boogers” in Hungarian, French, German, Portuguese, Turkish, Scots, and English.

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Cat Bristle - 15 September 2025

Mon, 15 Sep 2025 07:00:00 -0000

How do social media algorithms shape the way we communicate? A new book argues that the competition for clicks is changing the way we speak and write, from the so-called “YouTube accent” to the surprising evolution of the word preppy. Also: A Massachusetts woman complains that a digital highway sign that says Use Ya Blinkah is well-intentioned, but goes too far in making fun of the local dialect. Plus, if you’re puzzling over something—no problem. Just use your Clyde! Also, squatcho and squatchee, wuzzle and fuzzle, juke and jook, gnurr and oosse, the millennial pause and the Gen Z shake, eye dialect, an adverbial brain teaser, the Coanda effect, how to ask for rooiboos tea, and a clever neologism that means “dread.”

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Made from Scratch (Rebroadcast) - 8 September 2025

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 07:00:00 -0000

Enthusiastic book recommendations! Martha’s savoring the biography of Alexander von Humboldt, the 19th-century explorer, polymath, and naturalist who revolutionized our understanding of nature and predicted the effects of human activity on climate. Grant’s enjoying A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived, about how the study of DNA is rewriting our understanding of history itself. And a customer is startled when a salesperson waves goodbye with a friendly Preesh! Is Preesh really a word you might use to say you appreciate someone’s business? Plus, where would you hunt for a tizzy? All that, and whang, sloomy, abbiocco, receipt vs. recipe, scorn vs. scone, the language of emotions, poronkusema, a brain-tickling puzzle about the letter P, and the story behind the unit of distance called a smoot.

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Good Egg, Bad Apple - 1 September 2025

Mon, 01 Sep 2025 07:00:00 -0000

If you like to use emojis, you have some 3800 to choose from—and the organization that approves them is about to announce even more. But do we really need a purple splatter emoji? Or one that looks like Sasquatch? Plus: If you’re retired in the US, you may jokingly call yourself a “geezer.” In the UK, though, the term is more derogatory. Also, why good eggs make much better company than bad apples. And, how to pronounce macabre, the difference between mass nouns and count nouns, an Italian phrase about foolishness, alight from the front, Japanese pager slang, a brain teaser for bookworms, vermilion, crimson, carmine, cochineal, You thought like Nelly, and more.

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Salad Days (Rebroadcast) - 25 August 2025

Mon, 25 Aug 2025 07:00:00 -0000

A documentary film called My Beautiful Stutter follows youngsters at a summer camp specifically for stutterers. It’s a place for finding acceptance, support, and confidence for navigating the larger world. And:, “The High Priestess of Soul,” Nina Simone, was one of the most beguiling performers of all time. A beautiful new picture book for children tells her inspiring story. Plus: burritos! Why do those savory stuffed tortillas have a name that literally translates as “little donkey”? Also, gobble hole, live catch, and other pinball jargon, salad days, a take-off puzzle, devious licks, gumshoe, plat, pencil colors, not today, Josephine!, and more.

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Tall Drink of Water - 18 August 2025

Mon, 18 Aug 2025 07:00:00 -0000

Why is it harder to talk if we don’t move our hands? Even when we’re talking on the phone we feel the need to gesture to aid communication. A new book offers a look at the relatively new field of gesture studies. And: Ever wonder why we describe the American flag as “red, white, and blue?” Why not “blue, white, and red?” Plus, everyone should have a hellbox for tossing their discards! But where exactly would you find one? Also: a tall glass of water, since dirt was young, since King Hatchet was a hammer, since Hector was a pup, a brain teaser about multiple letters, sold down the river, an alliterative drinking game, upper-case vs. lower-case, how to pronounce pecan, and lots more.

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Your Imaginary Boyfriend (Rebroadcast) - 11 August 2025

Mon, 11 Aug 2025 07:00:00 -0000

We use the term Milky Way for that glowing arc across the sky. But how people picture it varies from culture to culture. In Sweden, that starry band goes by a name that means “Winter Street,” and in Hawaii, a term for the Milky Way translates as “fish jumping in shadows.” And: the history of naming rooms in a house. Some old houses have a room off the kitchen with only a sink and cabinets. It’s not a kitchen, exactly — but what’s it called? Plus, the colorful flag of one European town features a visual pun on its name. It’s a drawing of a hand holding a heart. All that, and head over teacups, humpty-twelve, lowdown, chockablock, overhaul, Desperate Ambrose, honyock, an imaginary boyfriend named Raoul, so mad I could spit nickels, and more.

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Mox Nix - 4 August 2025

Mon, 04 Aug 2025 07:00:00 -0000

You might be surprised to learn that a “hoosier” isn’t necessarily from Indiana. Around the St. Louis, Missouri, area, the term hoosier has a whole other meaning. And: Scotland is the home of the Golden Spurtle world championship, but what exactly is a spurtle? Some of the finest kitchens are stocked with spurtles. Plus, a love poem from a now-extinct language still echoes through the centuries. Also, boire en wifi and other synonyms for airsipping, an anagrammatic word challenge, thivel, good times at the hosie, Proto-Indo-European, sprit, bully pulpit, the vocabulary of Schuylkill County in Pennsylvania, water sommelier, a punny riddle, and more.

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Beefed It (Rebroadcast) - 28 July 2025

Mon, 28 Jul 2025 07:00:00 -0000

The words tough, through, and dough all end in O-U-G-H. So why don’t they rhyme? A lively new book addresses the many quirks of English by explaining the history of words and phrases. And: have you ever been in a situation where a group makes a decision to do something, only to discover later that no one really wanted to do that thing in the first place? There’s a term for that! Plus, the sounds we make when we’re simply passing the time or waiting a few seconds for something to happen. It can sound like a “whoosh” or barely audible humming or even the theme from Jeopardy! Also, toe the line vs. tow the line, Dirty Gertie, one Mississippi vs. one Piccadilly, cardboard dog vs. rubber duck, sand-hundred, beefed it, a rhyming puzzle, and doofus, and more. All that for under a buck three-eighty!

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Imaginary Friends - 21 July 2025

Mon, 21 Jul 2025 07:00:00 -0000

Alright, alright, alright! How do some catchphrases become part of the larger vernacular—to the point where people don’t always know the original reference? And the island of Ocracoke off the coast of North Carolina has a distinctive dialect all its own. A new book shows how tourism is changing how the locals talk. Plus: Are you binge-watching or stinge-watching? If you’re stinge-watching your favorite TV series, you’re savoring it over a long period of time. Also, smearcase, names for imaginary friends, a disem-voweled puzzle, steen o’clock, the rocky origin of cloud, dreepy, nicknames for days of the week, bag raising, and how to pronounce the word mobile when it refers to that toy that hangs above a crib.

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Forty Eleven Zillion (Rebroadcast) - 14 July 2025

Mon, 14 Jul 2025 07:00:00 -0000

When there’s no evening meal planned at home, what do you call that scramble to cobble together your own dinner? Some people apply acronyms like YOYO — “you’re on your own” — or CORN, for “Clean Out your Refrigerator Night.” Plus, when a barista hands you hot coffee in a paper cup, you may get a zarf to put it in — but what is that? And, the ongoing search for an alternative to the term senior citizen, and lots more.

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Mystery Date (Rebroadcast) - 7 July 2025

Mon, 07 Jul 2025 07:00:00 -0000

A librarian opens a book and finds a mysterious invitation scribbled on the back of a business card. Another discovers a child’s letter to the Tooth Fairy, tucked into a book decades ago. What stories are left untold by these forgotten, makeshift bookmarks? Also: a “cumshaw artist” is the wily member of a military unit who knows the shortcuts of procuring something for all their buddies, whether it’s food or a borrowed vehicle for the evening. Plus, a handy Russian saying translates as “the circus left, the clowns remain.” Also, scroll the window down, case quarter, Johnny pump, getting on the binders, telltale sign, maximums vs. maxima, shm-reduplication, and a funny 19th-century saying about the local know-it-all. Wishing you many happy returns of the day!

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Eat My Hat - 30 June 2025

Mon, 30 Jun 2025 07:00:00 -0000

Have you lived in your home so long that you don’t notice its flaws? In Sweden, they have a name for this condition: It’s hemmablind—literally, “home blind.” A popular Swedish TV program shows what you can do about it. Plus, unlocking the mysterious word conclave. And: How did the expression “throw in the towel” come to mean “give up”? Also, pully, visiting firemen, the origin of conclave, how to pronounce grimace, the reason to substitute a different word for substitute, a word challenge involving the letter Y, shiver me timbers!, kiss the dealer! and more.

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Sour Pickle (Rebroadcast) - 23 June 2025

Mon, 23 Jun 2025 07:00:00 -0000

You know that Yogi Berra quote about how Nobody ever comes here; it’s too crowded? Actually, the first person to use this was actress Suzanne Ridgeway, who appeared in several movies with The Three Stooges. A new book shows that many well-known quotes were first spoken by women, but misattributed to more famous men. Also: a handy scientific word that should become mainstream: aliquot. And no, it’s not a kind of hybrid fruit. Plus, an astronomical question: What’s the collective noun for a group of black holes? A sink of black holes? A baffle? A vacancy? All that, plus Old Arthur, biffy, bowery, mikka bozu, Sauregurkenzeit, out of heart, vergüenza, and how to talk with children about a painful topic.

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Straight and Narrow - 16 June 2025

Mon, 16 Jun 2025 07:00:00 -0000

English spelling is a hot mess, even for native speakers. But as a new book shows, would-be spelling reformers, including Benjamin Franklin and Theodore Roosevelt, eventually just gave up. Also, what do you call your fellow parent in front of the children? Do you use the same word when the kids aren’t around? And: baseball announcers may refer to a fastball as high cheese, but the reason has nothing to do with dairy products. Plus, “Mairzy Doats,” straight and narrow vs. straightened arrow, a puzzle about sound switcheroos, cuando la rana crie pelos, a cute kid coinage, geehaw, quid, teknonomy, books with great opening lines, and lots more.

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Not My Circus (Rebroadcast) - 9 June 2025

Mon, 09 Jun 2025 07:00:00 -0000

Throwing cheese and shaky cheese are two very different things. In baseball, hard cheese refers to a powerful fastball, and probably comes from a similar-sounding word in Farsi, Urdu, and Hindi. Shaky cheese, on the other hand, is the grated Parmesan cheese you might dispense from can onto pasta. Also, why is a movie preview called a trailer when it comes at the beginning of a film, not the end? And: if you want to say that something’s not your responsibility, there’s always the handy phrase Not my circus, not my monkey. Plus, cocktail party effect, all my put-togethers, bedroom suite vs. bedroom suit, Alles in Butter, pes anserinus, fastuous, bursa, bummer, and too much sand for my little truck, and more.

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The Other Shoe - 2 June 2025

Mon, 02 Jun 2025 07:00:00 -0000

So you think you can spell? Youngsters in modern spelling bees are expected to memorize a wide range of words, from chemical processes to names of rare animals. Also: In many languages, the word for “mother” begins with the letter M — but not in all of them. And where are you from, eh? If you phrase a question that way, it’s pretty clear where you’re from. Plus, saltigrade and tardigrade, bite the dust and buy the farm, Hoofddorp, a family euphemism, pilkunviilaaja, a letter-lopping brain teaser, sacar la garra, and a whole lot more.

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Scooter Pooting (Rebroadcast) - 26 May 2025

Mon, 26 May 2025 07:00:00 -0000

Old. Elderly. Senior. Why are we so uncomfortable when we talk about reaching a certain point in life? An 82-year-old seeks a more positive term to describe how she feels about her age. And: a linguist helps solve a famous kidnapping case, using the vocabulary and spelling in a ransom note. Plus, old library books often contain inscriptions and other notes scribbled in the margins. A new book details an effort to reveal and preserve this “shadow archive” of the relationship between readers and the books they love. Plus, bus bunching, devil strip, fiddlesticks, scooter pooping vs. scooter-tooting, too clever by half, knucklehead, passenger, along with bet and bet bet and bet bet bet. We’re not selling wolf tickets!

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Bean Counting - 19 May 2025

Mon, 19 May 2025 07:00:00 -0000

In the 1920’s, Americans were warned of a new danger sweeping across the country. This menace that harmed people’s health, ruined minds, and threatened marriages. The culprit? The national obsession with a new form of entertainment: crossword puzzles. Plus: why are accountants referred to as bean counters? And an old-fashioned way to describe a noisy, new restaurant: You can’t hear your ears in this place! Also, alcoholic, vacuum vs. sweeper, swarping and sworping, hove and heave, a quiz about funny surnames, objet trouvé, Wunderkammer, a punny school mascot, and debubiate.

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Gold Dance (Rebroadcast) - 12 May 2025

Mon, 12 May 2025 07:00:00 -0000

People who hunt treasure with metal detectors have a lingo all their own. Canslaw means the shreds of aluminum cans left after a lawnmower ran over them. And gold dance? That's what you do if you turn up something far more valuable than parts of an old beer can. Plus, a splendid new dictionary offers an in-depth look at the rich language of Southern Appalachia, from parts of West Virginia to Georgia. And why do television announcers greet viewers with the phrase "Welcome back" after a commercial break? Weren't they the ones who went away? Plus, coinball, bacon bats, Katzensprung, quote unquote vs. quote end quote, a quiz about synonyms, joke tags, dials and smiles, low sick, took a dump, and Get out of my bathtub!

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Honor Bright - 5 May 2025

Mon, 05 May 2025 07:00:00 -0000

A baby’s first word is often a cherished milestone, but some cultures pay more attention to other firsts, like a baby’s first laugh. A fascinating new book by a linguist examines language at the beginning and the end of life. Plus, the expression Murphy’s Law reflects the idea that “anything that can go wrong will go wrong.” But is the term a slur against the Irish? And an old word for new life: the verb to whicken involves daylight hours growing longer in springtime. Also, breard, honor bright and honour bright, the long history of groceries, a brain teaser about pig Latin, sea painter, give someone down the road, give someone down the banks, a different way to write AI, plurale tantem, how to pronounce rhetoric, and lots more.

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By a Long Shot (Rebroadcast) - 28 April 2025

Mon, 28 Apr 2025 07:00:00 -0000

Imagine telling someone how to get to your home, but without using the name of your street, or any other street within ten miles. Could you do it? We take street names for granted, but these words are useful for far more, like applying for a job or bank loan — and they’re a powerful record of who and what we value. Plus, a third-grader asks why the first episode of a TV series is often called a “pilot.” And: the story of the word “dashboard,” from muddy roads to computer screens. All that, plus nanomoon, not by a long shot vs. not by a long chalk, layovers to catch meddlers, proc, don’t buy the hype, do it for the hywl, and a cheesy quiz flecked with puns, and more.

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Real Corker - 21 April 2025

Mon, 21 Apr 2025 07:00:00 -0000

Samantha Harvey’s novel Orbital is a sensuous, exhilarating meditation about the strangeness of life on a space station, with its mix of tedious tasks and jaw-dropping views. And: a musician who rode the rails in his youth shares the slang he picked up along the way. For example, the word spanging is a blend of the words spare and changing, and means “panhandling.” Plus, what does the doggie say? The sound of a dog barking is often written as bow wow. But why? Doesn’t barking sound more like ruff ruff? Plus, slang on the ski slopes, boodling, a jazzy pangram, larruping good food, avoir le moral dans les chaussettes, a quiz about puzzling store names, ride or die, a clever answer for when someone inquires as to how you’re doing, and lots more.

Hear hundreds of free episodes and learn more on the A Way with Words website: https://waywordradio.org. Be a part of the show: call or text 1 (877) 929-9673 toll-free in the United States and Canada; elsewhere in the world, call or text +1 619 800 4443. Send voice notes or messages via WhatsApp 16198004443. Email words@waywordradio.org. Copyright Wayword, Inc., a 501(c)(3) corporation.

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When Pigs Fly (Rebroadcast) - 14 April 2025

Mon, 14 Apr 2025 07:00:00 -0000

Don’t move my cheese! It’s a phrase middle managers use to talk about adapting to change in the workplace. Plus, the origin story of the name William, and why it’s Guillermo in Spanish. And a five-year-old poses a question that puzzles a lot of people: Why is the letter Q so often followed by a U? All that, and adynaton, an assonant quiz, do it up brown, salt of the earth, haven’t grown gills yet, wooling, a silly joke about the number one, a poem about regret, and hide-and-seek calls, such as Ole Ole Olson all in free!

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Cool Beans (Rebroadcast) - 7 April 2025

Mon, 07 Apr 2025 07:00:00 -0000

If you speak a second or third language, you may remember the first time you dreamed in that new tongue. But does this milestone mean you’re actually fluent? And a couple’s dispute over the word regret: Say you wish you’d been able to meet Albert Einstein. Can you regret that the two of you never met, or is there a better word for a situation over which you have no control? Can the word regret include simply longing for something? Plus, a sixth-grader wonders about a weird word on her spelling bee study list. It’s spelled X-Y-L-Y-L — and it’s not just for Scrabble players. Plus, hot as flugens, to play Box and Cox, twack and twoc, a quiz for canine lovers, an eloquent appreciation of libraries, a widow’s moving thank-you note, a punny gardening joke, a funny newspaper correction, a trick with a hole in it, and lots more. Cool beans!

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A Cool Million - 31 March 2025

Mon, 31 Mar 2025 07:00:00 -0000

So many books and so little time—it’s a challenge to choose what to read next! It helps to remember that so-called “reading mortality” is a fact of life—you’ll never get to them all, but you can curate your own to-read list that speaks to you. Plus, the sneaky story behind the expression slip someone a mickey, and a new word for walking your dog: let’s go on a sniffari! And: favorite first lines of books, Bohemian, a brain teaser about song titles, how to pronounce aioli, jo-jo potatoes, a cool million, and lots more.

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Love Bites (Rebroadcast) - 24 March 2025

Mon, 24 Mar 2025 07:00:00 -0000

The word filibuster has a long and colorful history, going back to the days when pirates roamed the high seas. Today it refers to hijacking a piece of legislation. Plus, the language of yoga teachers: When doing a guided meditation, you may hear your instructor speaking in a kind of continuous present, with phrases like sitting comfortably and breathing deeply instead of simple imperatives to sit comfortably and breathe deeply. These are participles with a purpose, and linguists have a term for it: the politeness progressive. Finally, why can’t you have your cake and eat it, too? Also: Book it!, the language of falconry, acronames, how to pronounce brooch, broach the subject, at loggerheads, a brain-teasing game for science fans and another one for gardeners, the many meanings of hickey, and more. And hey, don’t go visiting with one arm as long as the other!

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Wicked Good - 17 March 2025

Mon, 17 Mar 2025 07:00:00 -0000

To grok something means “to understand it completely.” The word grok comes from a language spoken on the planet Mars—well, at least according to the science fiction writer who coined the term! Also, we know the meaning of the word trauma, but is there a word that denotes “the opposite of trauma”? Plus, if someone describes something as “wicked good,” they mean it’s extremely good, especially if they’re from New England. All that, plus cut to the chase, more super-short town names, a puzzle that involves lopping off letters, an Ethiopian proverb, hell strip vs. devil strip, words from the Norn language, corny, and more. This wicked good show’s as cool as 4-55 air conditioning!

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Lasagna Hog (Rebroadcast) - 10 March 2025

Mon, 10 Mar 2025 07:00:00 -0000

Understanding the varieties of conversational styles can mean the difference between feeling you’re understood and being insulted. “High-involvement” speakers interrupt or talk along with someone else to signal their enthusiasm, while “high-considerateness” speakers tend more toward thoughtful pauses and polite turn-taking. Adjusting your speaking style accordingly may improve not only your communication, but also your relationships. Plus, when you read a text message from someone, does it seem weird if they use ellipses? And: a delightful new documentary about the World Palindrome Championships will leave you with just one palindromic thought: Wow! Also, boo-boo and boo-hoo, prune and plum, grass widow and widows weeds, a rig and a half, barefoot tea, funny names for birds, a puzzle for movie lovers, and more.

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Kiss the Cow (Rebroadcast) - 3 March 2025

Mon, 03 Mar 2025 08:00:00 -0000

An anadrome is a word that forms a whole new word when you spell it backwards. For example, the word “stressed” spelled backwards is “desserts.” Some people’s first names are anadromes. There’s the girl named Noel in honor of her father Leon, and the woman named Edna who adopted the name Ande. Speaking of names, know anybody whose occupation fits their name? Maybe a college administrator named Dean, or a breadmaker named Baker? Well, there’s a name for that concept: nominative determinism. Plus, a conversation about how hard it can be to gracefully end… a conversation. Also: a puzzle about famous names, Wellerisms, kaffedags and fika, a kissing game, moco, greissel, twacking, the plural of computer mouse, and more.

Read full show notes, hear hundreds of free episodes, send your thoughts and questions, and learn more on the A Way with Words website: https://waywordradio.org/contact. Be a part of the show: call 1 (877) 929-9673 toll-free in the United States and Canada; worldwide, call or text/SMS +1 (619) 800-4443. Email words@waywordradio.org. Copyright Wayword, Inc., a 501(c)(3) corporation.

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Smack Dab - 24 February 2025

Mon, 24 Feb 2025 08:00:00 -0000

A flashlight emits a steady beam of light. So what’s the flash part of that word about? Also, if you’re a nervous Nellie, you’re skittish and indecisive—both characteristics of an American politician who earned that nickname in the 1920s. And, rhinestone: The name of this sparkly fake gem has a history that involves a famous river in Europe. Plus, the many names for toilet paper rolls and the sounds you can make with them, pull a seam, a puzzle all about the word it, a blessing and a curse, hitten vs. hit, idea vs. ideal, shaving yak hair vs. shaving gnat hair, daylo, knocking something galley-west, the evolving meaning of dab, and the role of cultural context in learning languages. All of which you should listen to right smack now!

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Lead on, Macduff (Rebroadcast) - 17 February 2025

Mon, 17 Feb 2025 08:00:00 -0000

For rock climbers, skiers, and other outdoor enthusiasts, the word send has taken on a whole new meaning. You might cheer on a fellow snowboarder with Send it, bro! — and being sendy is a really great thing. Plus: a nostalgic trip to Willa Cather’s’ Nebraska home inspires a reading from one of her classic books about life on the American prairie. And what do they call a sudden, heavy rain where you live? A gully-washer? A frog-strangler? Or maybe even a bridge-lifter? All that, and the flowery language of seed catalogs, rank and file, cut me a husk, I am sat down vs. I am sitting down, Lead on, MacDuff! vs. Lay on, MacDuff!, a hematological puzzle, and a popular Spanish-language refrain about an extremely long goodbye.

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Holy Toledo - 10 February 2025

Mon, 10 Feb 2025 08:00:00 -0000

In 1944, an Italian scientist discovered a drug that he later named for his wife. His wife’s name was Marguerite, but she went by Rita — which is why this now familiar drug is known as Ritalin. Plus, a poem about churning butter shows how a writer can draw astonishing beauty out of the most everyday of tasks. And the exclamation holy Toledo! probably refers to a city thousands of miles from the one in Ohio. Also: anapodoton, white sepulchre, why various languages have different words for with, a heart-healthy quiz, naming litters of puppies, no siree Bob!, nuthouse and nutty, deadpool and death pool, coagulated sunlight, and I feel like I’m going to hell on a scholarship.

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Tribble Trouble (Rebroadcast) - 3 February 2025

Mon, 03 Feb 2025 08:00:00 -0000

In Cockney rhyming slang, apples and pears is a synonym for "stairs," and dustbin lids means kids. Plus, sniglets are clever coinages for things we don't already have words for. Any guesses what incogsneeto means? It's the act of trying to hide your sneeze while wearing a face mask. Also, how the vocabulary of science fiction influences our everyday conversation, from the tribble on your hat to vaccine development at warp speed! Plus unkempt vs. unkept, erase vs. delete, tribbles vs. pompoms, placid, meuf, a cryptic quiz, a tasty pangram, Barney for "trouble," earthborn, apple-dancing, dirtsider, one hand washes the other and both hands wash the face, and You must be holding your mouth wrong!

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Ring-Tailed Tooter (Rebroadcast) - 27 January 2025

Mon, 27 Jan 2025 08:00:00 -0000

National Book Award winner Barry Lopez had wise advice for young writers. First, read widely and follow your curiosity. Second, travel or learn a foreign language. And third, find out what you truly believe, because if you’re not writing from your beliefs, then you’re just passing along information. And: if someone says they’re going to plant flags at a gravesite, they may not mean what you think. That’s because the word flag is also the name for a certain flower. Plus, if helicopter parents hover protectively around their kids … what do golf parents do? All that, along with in a brown study, pitcher-proud, ring-tailed ripsnorter, gleepers, clackers, a brain-busting take-off puzzle, thing like that and all, and there are no bones in ice cream. Ye gods and little fishes!

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Potato Wagon - 20 January 2025

Mon, 20 Jan 2025 08:00:00 -0000

Thunderstorms might sound scary, but playful explanations for all those booms can help reassure little ones: How about the potato wagon’s rolling over the bridge? Or the angels are going bowling? Plus, if you just finished enjoying an audiobook, you might say you’ve read it, but a listener asks if there’s a better word. And: towns with names that are three letters long — or less. They’re fun to say, and super easy to spell! The town of Eek, Alaska, for example. Plus, the use of humming to mean “stinking,” slashfic and shipping, woodshedding, ratcatcher, bib and tucker, a memoir that features recipes handed down through a Black Appalachian family, a “buzzling” puzzle or a puzzling “buzzle,” I had one of those, but the wheels came off, and lots more.

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What the Blazes (Rebroadcast) - 13 January 2025

Mon, 13 Jan 2025 08:00:00 -0000

What kind of book do people ask for most often in prison? Romance novels? No. The Bible? No. The most requested books by far are … dictionaries! A number of volunteer organizations gather and distribute used dictionaries to help inmates with reading, writing, and schoolwork. Plus: For some low-tech family fun, how about egg-tapping? Traditionally played after on Easter, the game involves smacking a hard-boiled egg against an opponent’s. The person who ends up with an uncracked egg wins. And: Just how common is it to give a goofy name to a household appliance? Even your garbage disposal might get a moniker! Also, chelidon, knock the stink off, pony keg, pineapple posture, sprunny, wash-ashores, trailblazer, a punny puzzle about song titles, a Norwegian idiom that means “empty-headed,” a bagpipe serenade, and more. Dinna fash!

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Mudlarking (Rebroadcast) - 6 January 2025

Mon, 06 Jan 2025 08:00:00 -0000

Twice a day the River Thames recedes, revealing a muddy shoreline. Hobbyists known as mudlarks stroll the surface searching for objects that have found their way into the river over the centuries, everything from ancient Roman jewelry to modern wedding rings. A new book about mudlarking describes the irresistible appeal of searching for treasures and the stories behind them. Also, why do performers whisper the phrase toi, toi, toi to wish each other well backstage before a show? And, what’s the plural of octopus? Octopuses? Octopi? Something else? Plus, schniddles vs. schnibbles, visiting vs. talking, fotched a heave, creature comforts, trade-last, a timely pangram, Doves Type, a brain teaser about malapropisms, and more.

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Snaggletooth (Rebroadcast) - 30 December 2024

Mon, 30 Dec 2024 08:00:00 -0000

Many of us struggled with the Old English poem “Beowulf” in high school. But what if you could actually hear “Beowulf” in the English of today? There’s a new translation by Maria Dahvana Headley that uses contemporary language and even internet slang to create a fresh take on this centuries-old poem — right down to addressing the reader as Bro! Also, what’s a word for feeling desperately lonely, but also comfortable in your solitude? And: the story of the word nickname. Plus laundry list, snaggletooth, breakfast, desayuno, circus lingo, gaffle, a search-engine brain teaser, hogo, logomachy, Waldeinsamkeit, and a book about book burning that’s bound in asbestos!

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Honkus Bonkus - 23 December 2024

Mon, 23 Dec 2024 08:00:00 -0000

The phrase old as Methuselah describes someone quite advanced in years. In ancient scripture, Methuselah was a man who somehow lived to the ripe old age of 969. Plus, a heartwarming book for children tells the story of how a Puerto Rican family adapted their traditions to fit their new life in the Midwest. And if you say this ain’t my first rodeo, it simply means you’ve seen it all before. Plus, barn find, scrumbunctious, neamhchinnte, got melon, a three-way puzzle, Old Edderd sayings, a childhood misunderstanding, your mother wears Army boots! and lots more.

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Like a Boiled Owl (Rebroadcast) - 16 December 2024

Mon, 16 Dec 2024 08:00:00 -0000

What’s it like to hike the Pacific Crest Trail all the way from Mexico to Canada? You’ll end up with sore muscles and blisters, and great stories to tell. Along the way, you’ll also pick up some slang, like NoBo, SoBo, Yo-yo and Hike Naked Day, an annual event that’s pretty much what it sounds like. Plus, which came first, the color orange or the fruit? And if you have a pain in the pinny, what part of your body hurts? Also, a brain-busting puzzle, qualtaagh, media naranja, tougher than a boiled owl, zero day, nero day, trail names, how to pronounce caramel, not a Scooby Doo, a cloud of whale dust, and lots more.

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Price of Tea - 9 December 2024

Mon, 09 Dec 2024 08:00:00 -0000

The words cushy, cheeky, and non-starter all began as Britishisms, then hopped across the pond to the United States. A new book examines what happens when British words and phrases migrate into American English. Also, if you speak a language besides English, how should you pronounce words and names from that language when you’re currently speaking in English? And: in the 13th century, the verb to kench meant “to laugh loudly.” Just saying it out loud is fun. So why not revive it? Plus: smarmy, devil strip, whifflement, katish, school butter, spider web vs. cobweb, aught vs. zero vs. 0, on the season, and earrings for an elephant. This episode ate and left no crumbs.

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Your Two Cents (Rebroadcast) - 2 December 2024

Mon, 02 Dec 2024 08:00:00 -0000

Astronauts returning from space say they experience what’s called the overview effect, a new understanding of the fragility of our planet and our need to reflect on what humans all share as a species. A book about the end of the universe offers a similar change in perspective — along with some fascinating language. Plus, different names for a delicious drink: one part lemonade, one part sweet tea. A famous golfer loved it. And why do we say that’s my two cents after offering an opinion? Would it be better to say that’s my one cent? Also, GUTs vs. TOEs, how to pronounce buoy, pore over vs. pour over, wally, a surprising pronunciation of prestige, piker, is all, a brain-teaser about orphan syllables, and more.

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Space Frogs - 25 November 2024

Mon, 25 Nov 2024 08:00:00 -0000

Scientists have named some recently discovered species of tree frogs after characters from Star Trek. Why? Because of the boops and trills and other sounds that these frogs make. And: naming your children with the virtues you hope they’ll develop as adults, like Patience and Hope. But in Puritan and Quaker tradition, so-called virtue names were often far more elaborate. Plus, the phrase fight the good fight may seem modern, but it goes all the way back to biblical times. Also: meteoric rise, One side or a leg off!, polyptoton, a hugger-mugger of a puzzle, main strength and stupidity, pronouncing sixth as “sikth,” omadhaun, the marvel of lachryphagy, and walking in tall cotton.

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Sock it to Me (Rebroadcast) - 18 November 2024

Mon, 18 Nov 2024 08:00:00 -0000

In the 15th century, the word respair meant “to have hope again.” Although this word fell out of use, it’s among dozens collected in a new book of soothing vocabulary for troubled times. Plus, baseball slang: If a batter doesn’t pour the pine,” an outfielder may snag a can of corn, or “an easily caught fly ball.” And the 1960s TV show “Laugh-In” spawned lots of catchphrases, such as Sock it to me and You bet your sweet bippy. Don’t know them? Well, Look that up in your Funk & Wagnalls! Plus tiffin, worldcraft, cultellation, backslash vs. forward slash, come-heres, bi-weekly, a witty word game that’s much ado about nothing, and more.

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Cut the Mustard - 11 November 2024

Mon, 11 Nov 2024 08:00:00 -0000

Do people who work together sound alike? Yes! Over time, they may begin to develop similar patterns of speech, or what might be called an “occupational accent” that helps them communicate efficiently. Also, lots of familiar words in English got their start not in the languages of Europe, but in Asia — words including bungalow, ketchup, and avatar. And: what’s that snowbird on the basketball court? All that, plus an Olympic-style word game, Buxtehude, the many ways to pronounce onion, cut the mustard vs. pass muster, Der Bus hält an jeder Milchkanne, how pet names evolve, a punny joke about being addicted to seaweed, and why you might say someone who’s clueless is bored, punched, drilled, or countersunk, and lots more.

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Good Vibrations (Rebroadcast) - 4 November 2024

Mon, 04 Nov 2024 08:00:00 -0000

Asthenosphere, a geologist’s term for the molten layer beneath the earth’s crust, sparks a journey that stretches all the way from ancient Greece to the author of Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Plus: What the heck is a dogberg? It’s when a dog runs into you and knocks you over. This bit of slang was inspired by a professional wrestler who finished off his opponents in a similar fashion. And, if you’re vibing with someone, you’re getting along just great. The idea of vibing goes way back in history, and is well worth the effort to suss out. All that, pretty eggs, Rhode Island dressing, how to pronounce biopic, multiple modals, Mr. Can vs. Mr. Can’t, jawn, moded, a brain teaser for movie lovers, and more.

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Kitten Britches - 28 October 2024

Mon, 28 Oct 2024 07:00:00 -0000

How and why do words from one language find their way into another? Vietnamese, for instance, includes lots of words borrowed or adapted from French. Such linguistic mixing often happens when languages brush up against each other and speakers reach for a word that feels more useful. Plus: “unparalleled misalignments” are pairs of phrases in which the words in one phrase are synonyms of words in the other, but the phrases themselves mean different things. Here’s an example: blanket statement and . . . cover story. Also, fulguration, dehisce, remote control vs. clicker, why we call a great speech a stemwinder, husky, upscuddle, a take-off quiz, advice for observing while traveling, and more.

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Mystery Drawer (Rebroadcast) - 21 October 2024

Mon, 21 Oct 2024 07:00:00 -0000

Amid court-ordered busing in the 1970s, a middle-school teacher tried to distract her nervous students on the first day of class with this strange assignment: find a monarch caterpillar. The result? A memorable lesson in the miracle of metamorphosis. Plus, the story behind the slang interjection word!, meaning “believe me!” The original version involved the idea that a person’s word was their bond. And the expression empty wagons make the most noise suggests that the person who boasts the loudest may actually be the least knowledgeable. It’s a phrase that’s had many versions over the centuries — including one that goes all the way back to ancient Rome! All that, and nebby, beat-feeting, red-headed stepchild, corotole, undermine, fankle, a wacky puzzle about Greek names, and more.

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Deviled Eggs (Rebroadcast) - 14 October 2024

Mon, 14 Oct 2024 07:00:00 -0000

Some TV commercials launch catchphrases that stick around long after the original ads. The exclamation Good stuff, Maynard! is still a compliment almost 40 years after it was used in a commercial for Malt-O-Meal hot cereal. And: what do you call that room where the whole family gathers? The family room? The den? The TV room? Names for that part of a home go in and out of fashion. Also, if you’re suffering from writer’s block, try going easy on yourself for a while. Sometimes a writer’s imagination needs to lie fallow in order to become fertile again. Plus, a trivia test about domain names, criminently and other minced oaths, pure-D vs. pure-T, deviled eggs vs. dressed eggs, pixelated vs. pixilated, how to pronounce aegis, and I got the Motts!

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Navel-Gazing (Rebroadcast) - 7 October 2024

Mon, 07 Oct 2024 07:00:00 -0000

In 1971, when a new public library opened in Troy, Michigan, famous authors and artists were invited to write letters to the city’s youngest readers, extolling the many benefits of libraries. One of the loveliest was from E.B. White, author of Charlotte’s Web. Plus, you may think navel-gazing is a relatively new idea — but it goes back at least to the 14th century, when meditating monks really did look like they were studying their bellies! Also, why don’t actors in movies say goodbye at the end of a phone conversation? For that matter, why don’t some people answer their smartphones with “Hello”? Plus, a poetic puzzle, duke’s mixture, small as the little end of nothing, Chesapeake Bay crabbing lingo, omphaloskepsis, nightingale, light a shuck, bumpity-scrapples, the big mahoff, and if a bullfrog had wings, he wouldn’t bump his butt.

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Midnight Oil - 30 September 2024

Mon, 30 Sep 2024 07:00:00 -0000

What exactly is a planet? Controversy over this question led to Pluto’s redefinition, along with a brand-new English word. And: Some people now use the phrase all the things! to mean and whatnot or you know what I mean. This new sense of all the things comes from a hilarious cartoon in which someone approaches daily tasks with exceptional vigor. Speaking of which, if you’re working hard and burning the midnight oil, what kind of oil are you burning, anyway? Plus curfew, shoo it away!, a kibitzing quiz, Irish wristwatch, quemar las pestañas, the Hawk that’s a cold wind, hot as brinjer, virar a noite, and sigma male.

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Yak Shaving (Rebroadcast) - 23 September 2024

Mon, 23 Sep 2024 07:00:00 -0000

There was a time when William Shakespeare was just another little seven-year-old in school. Classes in his day were demanding — and all in Latin. A new book argues that this rigorous curriculum actually nurtured the creativity that later flourished in Shakespeare’s writing. Plus, why do we refer to an unpredictable person as a loose cannon? The answer lies in the terrifying potential of a large weapon aboard a warship. And when a delivery driver’s wife teases him about cavorting with strumpets, he asks: What exactly is a strumpet? All that, plus picayune, sit on a tack, the many meanings of fell, a Spanish idiom about oysters and boredom, pickthank, a puzzle about rhyming words, a terrifying passage from Victor Hugo, tacos called mariachis, the juice was worth the squeeze, and more.

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Easy as Pie - 16 September 2024

Mon, 16 Sep 2024 07:00:00 -0000

How hot is it? Well, poet Dylan Thomas found lots of memorable ways to describe a heat wave. In one letter to a friend, he wrote that it was so hot “My brains are hanging out like a dog’s tongue.” And: pestering country music stars for selfies is a big no-no in Nashville. In fact, the locals even have a word for it. Also, why do we say something’s easy as pie? After all, baking a pie is a whole lot of work! Plus, nunatak, dwadle, Zaunkönig, a Greek-inspired brain teaser, icing vs. frosting vs. filling, gherm, behead vs. decapitate, manavalins, and more! Have a dingle day!

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Cabin Fever (Rebroadcast) - 9 September 2024

Mon, 09 Sep 2024 07:00:00 -0000

The adjectives canine and feline refer to dogs and cats. But how does English address other groups of animals? Plus, cabin fever has been around much longer than the current pandemic. That restless, antsy, stir-crazy feeling goes back to the days when you could find yourself literally cooped up all winter in a cabin on the wild frontier. And, in Hungarian, there’s a whole genre of silly jokes that involve a character called the aggressive piglet, with a punchline screamed in your most obnoxious voice. What did the aggressive piglet say when he fell into a well? Listen in for that answer, a brain teaser about names hidden inside phrases, and questions and answers about apple box, lie bump, possum vs. opossum, flat as a flitter vs. flat as a flivver, vespertilian, asinine, how to pronounce tinnitus, and more.

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Toad in the Hole - 2 September 2024

Mon, 02 Sep 2024 07:00:00 -0000

An ambitious effort to install poetry in national parks around the United States features the work of beloved poets in beautiful spots. It’s a reminder that “Nature is not a place to visit. Nature is who we are.” Also, Google Translate has expanded its offerings with 110 more languages. And: what’s an oatsmobile? Hint: it has four legs. Plus, bushwhack, POSSLQ, disappoint, an anagrammatic puzzle, King Kong vs. Godzilla, scudding, ary, eustress, chuck a sickie, toad-in-the-hole, and how to pronounce route. Be there or be square!

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Singing Sand (Rebroadcast) - 26 August 2024

Mon, 26 Aug 2024 07:00:00 -0000

Cat hair may be something you brush off, but cat hair is also a slang term that means “money.” In the same way, cat beer isn’t alcoholic — some people use cat beer as a joking term for “milk.” And imagine walking on a beach with a long stretch of shoreline. With each step, the ground makes a squeaking sound under your feet. There’s a term for the kind of sand that makes this yip-yip-yip sound. It’s called barking sand. Plus, a listener describes some of the English she heard in a small Alaskan coastal town. It’s a rich mixture of fishermen’s slang, along with the speech of Native people, and the Norwegians who settled there. All that, and a triple-threat puzzle, paternoster lakes, barely vs. nearly, comprised of vs. composed of, cark, kittenball, the pokey, happy as a boardinghouse pup, close, but no tomato, and plenty more.

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Make a Beeline - 19 August 2024

Mon, 19 Aug 2024 07:00:00 -0000

If you make a beeline for something, you’re taking the shortest route possible. You’re also mimicking bee-havior! After a bee has visited enough flowers to gather nectar, she flies straight back to the hive. And: Even a word like throttlebottom looks gorgeous if a calligrapher gets hold of it. Plus, the Oxford English Dictionary added the word babyccino. It’s a hot, frothy drink for kids — all milk and caffeine-free. Also, I don’t care to, a quiz about imaginary schools, how to pronounce species, how to guess someone’s dialect, joner and jonered, ejectamenta, snout-fair, and it’s dark under the table.

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Baby's Breath (Rebroadcast) - 12 August 2024

Mon, 12 Aug 2024 07:00:00 -0000

Have you ever googled your own name and found someone else who goes by the very same moniker? There’s a word for that: googleganger. Plus, the language of hobbyists and enthusiasts: If you’re a beekeeper, perhaps you call yourself a beek, and if you’re an Adult Fan of Lego you may refer to yourself as an AFOL. Also: what will you get if you order a bag of jo jos? In parts of the United States, you may just get a blank look — but in others, ask for some jo jos and you’ll get a bag of tasty fried potato wedges. Topping it off, a sunny-side-up puzzle, pulchritude, a bridge in Brooklyn to sell you, baby’s breath, synanthrope, antidisestablishmentarianism, believe you me, and you cannot cover the sun with a finger, and more.

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Pickled Peppers - 5 August 2024

Mon, 05 Aug 2024 07:00:00 -0000

Names don’t always mean what you think they mean. Main Street in San Francisco is named after businessman Charles Main, and Snowflake, Arizona, honors two guys named Snow and Flake. Plus, big words for small people: A colorful new book introduces kids to colossal words (including the word colossal!). And limber up those muscles — we have a trove of terrible tongue twisters to try! Also, invoice, a delicious quiz about food, stilliform, crepuscular, make the cheese more binding, skycap, scofflaw, rutschy, epizootic, and wrongs of passage.

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Hog on Ice (Rebroadcast) - 29 July 2024

Mon, 29 Jul 2024 07:00:00 -0000

One secret to writing well is . . . there is no secret! There's no substitute for simply sitting down day after day to practice the craft and learn from your mistakes. Plus, childhood mixups around word definitions can lead to some funny stories. After all, if you didn't know any better, why wouldn't you assume a thesaurus is a prehistoric creature? Finally, the word groovy wasn't always positive. In the 1880s, it meant just the opposite: someone stuck in a rut or in a groove. Plus: in the meantime, jetty, thick as inkle-weavers, keg of nails, sauna, sofa vs. couch, chirurgeon, fat chance, and a newfangled brain teaser about archaic words.

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Minor Planets - 22 July 2024

Mon, 22 Jul 2024 07:00:00 -0000

There are eight major planets, but more than a million minor ones, including asteroids. If you discover one, you get the honor of naming it. The Dictionary of Minor Planet Names includes minor planets named for rock bands, jazz musicians, poets, and more. Plus, if you’re waaaaaaaaaay interested in something, you can say so in writing: just add lots of A’s to the word way. This linguistic trick is called expressive lengthening. Also, where can you find pinkletinks? Hint: Listen for their high-pitched peeps. All that, and describing the voice of Alice B. Toklas with an evocative simile, all stove up, footloose and fancy-free, a punny quiz, gray vs. grey, how to pronounce mayonnaise, tinkletoes and pink-winks, Diamond Loop, and Humpty-Bump Pull Top

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Goody Two-Shoes (Rebroadcast) - 15 July 2024

Mon, 15 Jul 2024 07:00:00 -0000

She sells seashells by the seashore. Who is the she in this tongue twister? Some claim it’s the young Mary Anning, who went on to become a famous 19th-century British paleontologist. Dubious perhaps, but the story of her rise from seaside salesgirl to renowned scientist is fascinating. Also: countless English words were inspired by Greek and Roman myth. Take for example the timeless story of Narcissus and Echo. The handsome Narcissus was obsessed with his own reflection, and Echo was a nymph who pined away for this narcissistic youth until nothing was left but her voice. And … how do you write a fitting epitaph for someone you love? Plus jockey box, goody two-shoes, a quiz based on the OK boomer meme, goldbricking, barker’s eggs, lowering, nose wide open, bonnaroo, and lots more.

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Pinking Shears - 8 July 2024

Mon, 08 Jul 2024 07:00:00 -0000

When you’re distracted by trying to get the perfect photo at a wedding or fiddling with your camera during a solar eclipse, you’re missing out on some of the experience itself. There’s a term for this: It’s called overshadowing. Plus one of Lionel Hampton’s old bandmates recalls hearing him greet fellow musicians with “How you doing, gates?” It may be because good jazz swings, and so does a gate if you give it a push! Also, what is a brickfielder? Don’t look for one in a baseball stadium. And: unta, schnuff for the “nose” at the end of a loaf of bread, a “take-off” quiz, chimping, catch a crab, vocabulary from Utah, pinking shears, steady by jerks, uncaptured, and how to pronounce in situ. Oh, my stars and garters!

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Baby Blues (Rebroadcast) - 1 July 2024

Mon, 01 Jul 2024 07:00:00 -0000

A hundred years ago, suffragists lobbied to win women the right to vote. Linguistically speaking, though, suffrage isn’t about “suffering.” It’s from a Latin word that involves voting. Plus: military cadences often include Jody calls, rhyming verses about the mythical guy who steals your sweetheart while you’re off serving the country. But just who is Jody, anyway? And, maybe you’ve resolved to read more books this year. But how to ensure your success? Maybe start by rearranging your bookshelves for easier viewing. And think of reading like physical fitness: Sneak in a little extra activity here and there, and you’ll reach your goal before you know it. Also, bless your heart, baby blue, a brain teaser about the words no and not, wall stretcher, desire path, neckdown, sneckdown, and can’t dance, and too wet to plow, and more.

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Sleeve Island - 24 June 2024

Mon, 24 Jun 2024 07:00:00 -0000

Language from inside a monastery. A Benedictine monk in the Episcopal Church shares terms from his world: For example, corporate prayer refers to praying as a group. And did you know there’s a term of art for those annoying add-on costs when you buy tickets online? It’s called drip pricing. Plus: Why do we hear the word Perfect! when we’ve answered the most mundane of questions? Say you order chicken fajitas, and the server says “Perfect!” . . . What was so perfect about the order? All that, plus knitting slang, yuppies and hippies, mixtape vs. mixed tape, rubber jungle, as the crow flies, desire lines, mommick and mammock, mumble-squibble, squishy mail, a devilish quiz, hebdomadary, querfeldein, perrijo, and zhuzh.

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Walkie Talkie (Rebroadcast) - 17 June 2024

Mon, 17 Jun 2024 07:00:00 -0000

One of the most powerful words you’ll ever hear — and one of the most poignant — isn’t in dictionaries yet. But it probably will be one day. The word is endling, and it means “the last surviving member of a species.” The surprising story behind this word includes a doctor in a Georgia convalescent center, a museum exhibit in Australia, the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, and much more. Also: how important is linguistic accuracy when it comes to a movie? Does it detract from your enjoyment if a fictional character utters a word or phrase that you suspect was not in use at that point in history? Finally: what’s the first big word you remember using — the one you just couldn’t wait to show off to your family and friends? Plus: a rhyming puzzle, fulano, in the soup, bedroom suit vs. bedroom suite, swarf, boondocks, good people, and tons more.

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Tiger Tail (Rebroadcast) - 10 June 2024

Mon, 10 Jun 2024 07:00:00 -0000

You may have a favorite word in English, but what about your favorite in another language? The Spanish term ojalá is especially handy for expressing hopefulness and derives from Arabic for “God willing.” In Trinidad, if you want to ask friends to hang out with you, invite them to go liming. Nobody’s sure about this word’s origin, although it may indeed have to do with the tart green fruit. And: a story about a traveler who finds that children in Siberia use different words to say the sound an animal makes. English speakers imitate a rooster with cock-a-doodle-doo, but in Siberia, children learn to say something that sounds like “koh-kock-a-REE!” The sounds we attribute to other creatures vary from language to language, even if they’re all the same to the animals. Plus, a brain teaser about subtracting letters, saditty, bundu, potpie, the famous bubbler, words misheard, the plural of squash, a poem about slowing down and paying attention, and a whole lot more.

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Clever Clogs (Rebroadcast) - 3 June 2024

Mon, 03 Jun 2024 07:00:00 -0000

Ribbon fall. Gallery forest. You won’t find terms like these in most dictionaries, but they and hundreds like them are discussed by famous writers in the book Home Ground: A Guide to the American Landscape. The book is an intriguing collection of specialized vocabulary that invites us to look more closely at the natural world — and delight in its language. Also, how and why the Southern drawl developed. Plus, the phrase It’s a thing. This expression may seem new, but It’s a thing has been a thing for quite a long time. How long? Even Jane Austen used it! And: hourglass valley, thee vs. thou, bitchin’, a word game inspired by Noah Webster, Willie off the pickle boat, who did it and ran, Powder River! Let ‘er buck!, and shedloads more.

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Bug in Your Ear (Rebroadcast) - 27 May 2024

Mon, 27 May 2024 07:00:00 -0000

Is there something inherent in English that makes it the linguistic equivalent of the Borg, dominating and consuming other languages in its path? No, not at all. The answer lies with politics and conquest rather than language itself. Plus: a new baby may be lovingly placed in a giraffe and spend time in the Panda room, but where is that? And: it’s not easy to learn how to roll your Rs. In fact, even some native Spanish speakers have trouble with it. Yes, there’s a word for that, too! All that, plus a crossword-puzzle puzzle, a bug in your ear, the origin of slob, long johns vs. maple bars, mentor, stentorian, You can put your boots in the oven, but that don’t make ’em biscuits, and lots more.

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The Black Dog (Rebroadcast) - 20 May 2024

Mon, 20 May 2024 07:00:00 -0000

Books were rare treasures in the Middle Ages, painstakingly copied out by hand. So how to protect them from theft? Scribes sometimes added a curse to the first page of those books that was supposed to keep thieves away — and some were as vicious as they were creative! Also: if you spot a typo in a published book, should you contact the publisher? Maybe, but your first step is to make sure you’re right! Finally, learning another language may make you question whether you’re speaking your own correctly — but there are strategies to fix that. Plus y’all, a Venn diagram brain teaser, 11 o’clock number, pronouncing the word measure, and you’ll die bull-headed.

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Animal Crackers - 13 May 2024

Mon, 13 May 2024 07:00:00 -0000

Images of birds flutter inside lots of English words and phrases, from “nest egg” and “pecking order,” to proverbs from around the world—including a lovely Spanish saying about how birds sense light just before dawn. Plus, how do you define “fun”? Outdoor enthusiasts divide fun into three distinct categories, the last of which is something you’ve tried once but never want to do again. And, writing and editing advice from the great Toni Morrison. Also, posing for animal crackers, madder than a peach orchard boar, placeholder words, memorizing poetry, racing for pinks, a tricky quiz about eye rhymes, I’ll be John Browned, footercootering, why some people pronounce both as “bolth,” and more.