Great conversation with listeners about language examined through culture, history, and family.
The new Downton Abbey movie is a luscious treat for fans of the public-television period piece, but how accurate is the script when it comes to the vocabulary of the early 20th century? It may be jarring to hear the wordĀ swag, but it was already at least 100 years old. And no, itās not an acronym. Also, a historian of science sets out to write a book to celebrate semicolons ā and ends up transforming her views about language. Plus, one teacherās creative solution to teen profanity in the classroom. Two words for you:Ā moo cow. Also, demonyms, semicolons,Ā neke neke, a brain teaser about the Greek alphabet,Ā go-aheads,Ā zoris, how to pronounceĀ zoology, andĀ everythingās duck but the bill.
ļ»æPlease fill out our listener survey! It will help us understand you, our audience, which helps make the show better! https://gum.fm/words
Read full show notes, hear hundreds of free episodes, send your thoughts and questions, and learn more on theĀ A Way with WordsĀ website:Ā https://waywordradio.org/contact. Be a part of the show: callĀ 1 (877) 929-9673Ā toll-free in the United States and Canada; worldwide, call or text/SMSĀ +1 (619) 800-4443. EmailĀ [email protected]. Copyright Wayword, Inc., a 501(c)(3) corporation.
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So youāve long dreamed of writing fiction, but donāt know where to begin? There are lots of ways to get started ā creative writing classes, local writing groups, and books with prompts to get you going. The key is to get started, and then stick with it. And: which part of the body do surgeons call theĀ goose? Hint: you donāt want a bite of chicken caught in your goose. Also, the nautical origins of the phraseĀ three sheets to the wind. This term for āvery drunkā originally referred to lines on a sailboat flapping out of control. Plus, a brain teaser about shortened phrases,Ā toolies, linguistic false friends,Ā skookum, how to pronounce the wordĀ bury, whatĀ now nowĀ means in South Africa, and a whole lot more.
ļ»æPlease fill out our listener survey! It will help us understand you, our audience, which helps make the show better! https://gum.fm/words
Read full show notes, hear hundreds of free episodes, send your thoughts and questions, and learn more on theĀ A Way with WordsĀ website:Ā https://waywordradio.org/contact. Be a part of the show: callĀ 1 (877) 929-9673Ā toll-free in the United States and Canada; worldwide, call or text/SMSĀ +1 (619) 800-4443. EmailĀ [email protected]. TwitterĀ @wayword. Copyright Wayword, Inc., a 501(c)(3) corporation.
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When an international team of scientists traveled to a research station in Antarctica for six months, the language they all shared was English. After six months together, their accents changed ever so slightly ā a miniature version of how language evolves over time. Plus, the esoteric lingo from another rarefied environment: the world of contemporary art. And where in the world would you find aĀ stravenue? Itās a mix ofĀ avenueĀ andĀ street. Also,Ā dingle day,Ā booty,Ā clambake, a quiz with answers that form a conga line of syllables,Ā going to the salt mines,Ā like death eating a cracker,Ā daffodilĀ vs.Ā jonquil, helpful new books about language,Ā I go to the foot of the stairs, andĀ #30#.
Please fill out our listener survey! It will help us understand you, our audience, which helps make the show better! https://gum.fm/words
Read full show notes, hear hundreds of free episodes, send your thoughts and questions, and learn more on theĀ A Way with WordsĀ website:Ā https://waywordradio.org/contact. Be a part of the show: callĀ 1 (877) 929-9673Ā toll-free in the United States and Canada; worldwide, call or text/SMSĀ +1 (619) 800-4443. EmailĀ [email protected]. TwitterĀ @wayword. Copyright Wayword, Inc., a 501(c)(3) corporation.
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Unwrap the name of a candy bar, and you just might find a story inside. For instance, one chewy treat found in many a checkout lane is named after a familyās beloved horse. And: 50 years ago in the United States, some Latino elementary students were made to adopt English versions of their own names and forbidden to speak Spanish. The idea was to help them assimilate, but that practice came with a price. Plus, who is Riley, and why is their life a luxurious one? Also: a brain-busting quiz about synonyms, salary, dingle-dousie, strong work, a leg up, it must have been a lie, donāt get into any jackpots, and lots more.
Please fill out our listener survey! It will help us understand you, our audience, which helps make the show better! https://gum.fm/words
Read full show notes, hear hundreds of free episodes, send your thoughts and questions, and learn more on theĀ A Way with WordsĀ website:Ā https://waywordradio.org/contact. Be a part of the show: callĀ 1 (877) 929-9673Ā toll-free in the United States and Canada; worldwide, call or text/SMSĀ +1 (619) 800-4443. EmailĀ [email protected]. TwitterĀ @wayword. Copyright Wayword, Inc., a 501(c)(3) corporation.
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How can you kick the verbal habit of saying you know and um so many times in a sentence? For one thing, get comfortable with pauses. Thereās no need to fill every silence during a conversation. Also, a doctor who treats patients in Appalachia shares their colorful vocabulary. If you have a rising in your leader or a misery in your jaw, you may want medical attention. Speaking of ailments, have you ever suffered from warbler neck? Birding enthusiasts get it from searching for hard-to-find species perched in treetops. Plus, mouthfeel, pan-pan, inkhorn terms, Hollywood anachronisms, dout, Werner Herzogās new memoir, an abecedarian puzzle, latibulate, agelastic, a word that means āto lick dishes,ā ordering a blue dolphin neat, and more.
Please fill out our listener survey! It will help us understand you, our audience, which helps make the show better! https://gum.fm/words
Read full show notes, hear hundreds of free episodes, send your thoughts and questions, and learn more on theĀ A Way with WordsĀ website:Ā https://waywordradio.org/contact. Be a part of the show: callĀ 1 (877) 929-9673Ā toll-free in the United States and Canada; worldwide, call or text/SMSĀ +1 (619) 800-4443. EmailĀ [email protected]. TwitterĀ @wayword. Copyright Wayword, Inc., a 501(c)(3) corporation.
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Itās hard to imagine now, but there was a time when people disagreed over the best word to use when answering the phone. Alexander Graham Bell suggested answering with ahoy! but Thomas Edison was partial to hello! A fascinating new book about internet language says this disagreement is worth remembering when we talk about how greetings are evolving today ā both online and off. Plus, a Los Angeles teacher asks: What are the rules for teen profanity in the classroom? Finally, why some people mimic the accents of others. It might be simple thoughtlessness, but it might also be an earnest, if awkward, attempt to communicate. Plus, a puzzle about specialty cocktails, mafted, fair game, dial eight, commander in chief, Rooseveltās eggs, Charlieās dead, and lots more.
Please fill out our listener survey! It will help us understand you, our audience, which helps make the show better! https://gum.fm/words
Read full show notes, hear hundreds of free episodes, send your thoughts and questions, and learn more on theĀ A Way with WordsĀ website:Ā https://waywordradio.org/contact. Be a part of the show: callĀ 1 (877) 929-9673Ā toll-free in the United States and Canada; worldwide, call or text/SMSĀ +1 (619) 800-4443. EmailĀ [email protected]. TwitterĀ @wayword. Copyright Wayword, Inc., a 501(c)(3) corporation.
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In her sumptuous new memoir, Jamaican writer Safiya Sinclair describes her escape from a difficult childhood ruled by her tyrannical father. For Sinclair, poetry became a lifeline. Plus: that fizzy chocolate drink called an egg cream contains neither eggs nor cream ā but why? And what do you call a cute dimple in someoneās chin? A listener calls it a chimple. Also, arrested sternutation, nonplussed, slatch, the Gruen effect, tinker, barnburner, up the wooden hill to Bedfordshire, and how lakes are named.
Please fill out our listener survey! It will help us understand you, our audience, which helps make the show better! https://gum.fm/words
Read full show notes, hear hundreds of free episodes, send your thoughts and questions, and learn more on theĀ A Way with WordsĀ website:Ā https://waywordradio.org/contact. Be a part of the show: callĀ 1 (877) 929-9673Ā toll-free in the United States and Canada; worldwide, call or text/SMSĀ +1 (619) 800-4443. EmailĀ [email protected]. TwitterĀ @wayword. Copyright Wayword, Inc., a 501(c)(3) corporation.
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One way to make your new business look trendy is to use two nouns separated by an ampersand, like Peach & Creature or Rainstorm & Egg or ā¦ just about any other two-word combination. A tongue-in-cheek website will generate names like that for you. And: In the traditions of several African countries, names for babies are often inspired by conditions at the time of their birth, like a period of grief or wedding festivities, or the babyās position when leaving the womb. In Zambia, for example, some people go by the name Bornface, because they were born face up. Also, slang from a rock-climber, who warns not to go near rock thatās chossy. Plus: a proverbial puzzle, loaded for bear, pizey, helter-skelter and other reduplicatives, shirttail relative, counting coup, just a schlook, a brainteaser, and lots more.
Please fill out our listener survey! It will help us understand you, our audience, which helps make the show better! https://gum.fm/words
Read full show notes, hear hundreds of free episodes, send your thoughts and questions, and learn more on theĀ A Way with WordsĀ website:Ā https://waywordradio.org/contact. Be a part of the show: callĀ 1 (877) 929-9673Ā toll-free in the United States and Canada; worldwide, call or text/SMSĀ +1 (619) 800-4443. EmailĀ [email protected]. TwitterĀ @wayword. Copyright Wayword, Inc., a 501(c)(3) corporation.
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Whatās the best thing to say to someone who is grieving? Choosing the right words is far less important than just showing up. Also, a family from Russia shares their recipe for something they call hot tamales, that are very un-Mexican. And: if someoneās trying to be philosophical about a situation, they might say sometimes you eat the bear, sometimes the bear eats you. Plus, horsengoggling, a fragrant 16th-century simile, might as well, canāt dance, a puzzle about cryptic crosswords, Trevlac, QuĆ©bĆ©cois French, Pearl at the picnic, avoir lāair dāune vache qui regarde passer un train, a messy pangram, the big bird, and how to pronounce labret.
Please fill out our listener survey! It will help us understand you, our audience, which helps make the show better! https://gum.fm/words
Read full show notes, hear hundreds of free episodes, send your thoughts and questions, and learn more on theĀ A Way with WordsĀ website:Ā https://waywordradio.org/contact. Be a part of the show: callĀ 1 (877) 929-9673Ā toll-free in the United States and Canada; worldwide, call or text/SMSĀ +1 (619) 800-4443. EmailĀ [email protected]. TwitterĀ @wayword. Copyright Wayword, Inc., a 501(c)(3) corporation.
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āWhat has a head like a cat, feet like a cat, a tail like a cat, but isnāt a cat?ā Answer: a kitten! A 1948 childrenās joke book has lots of these to share with kids. Plus: an easy explanation for the difference between immigrate with an i, and emigrate with an e. And: The ancient Greeks revered storks for the way they cared for each other. They even had a legal requirement called the Stork Law, which mandated that Greek adults look after their elderly parents. Much later, the same idea inspired a rare English word that means āreciprocal love between children and parents.ā All that, plus a brain-busting quiz about scrambled words, Mrs. Astorās pet horse, dissimilation when pronouncing the word forward, tap āer light, allopreening, raise the window down, why we call a zipper a fly, and lots more.
Please fill out our listener survey! It will help us understand you, our audience, which helps make the show better! https://gum.fm/words
Read full show notes, hear hundreds of free episodes, send your thoughts and questions, and learn more on theĀ A Way with WordsĀ website:Ā https://waywordradio.org/contact. Be a part of the show: callĀ 1 (877) 929-9673Ā toll-free in the United States and Canada; worldwide, call or text/SMSĀ +1 (619) 800-4443. EmailĀ [email protected]. TwitterĀ @wayword. Copyright Wayword, Inc., a 501(c)(3) corporation.
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In Japan, if you want to order a corndog, you ask for an Amerikan doggu (ć¢ć”ćŖć«ć³ććć°). These types of coinages are called wasei-eigo , or āJapanese-made English,ā and there are lots of them. Plus, thereās an atmospheric optical phenomenon that looks somewhat like the aurora borealis, but has a much friendlier name. Scientists refer to these ribbons of color as ā¦ Steve. And: need a synonym for the word āconspicuousā? Thereās always kenspeckle . Also, nitnoy , faire la grasse matinĆ©e , sunday-to-meeting , sana, sana, colita de rana, a codebreaker who solves a years-long mystery, a brain teaser about action-packed metaphors, ghostie , ganderās arch , fluffle , and more.
Read full show notes, hear hundreds of free episodes, send your thoughts and questions, and learn more on theĀ A Way with WordsĀ website:Ā https://waywordradio.org/contact. Be a part of the show: callĀ 1 (877) 929-9673Ā toll-free in the United States and Canada; worldwide, call or text/SMSĀ +1 (619) 800-4443. EmailĀ [email protected]. TwitterĀ @wayword. Copyright Wayword, Inc., a 501(c)(3) corporation.
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