Light-hearted conversation with callers from all over about new words, old sayings, slang, family expressions, language change and varieties, as well as... more
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Episodes
There are eight major planets, but more than a million minor ones, including asteroids. If you discover one, you get... more
She sells seashells by the seashore. Who is the she in this tongue twister? Some claim itâs the young Mary Anning, who... more
When youâre distracted by trying to get the perfect photo at a wedding or fiddling with your camera during a... more
A hundred years ago, suffragists lobbied to win women the right to vote. Linguistically speaking, though, suffrage isnât about âsuffering.â Itâs from... more
Language from inside a monastery. A Benedictine monk in the Episcopal Church shares terms from his world: For example, corporate prayer refers... more
One of the most powerful words youâll ever hear â and one of the most poignant â isnât in dictionaries... more
You may have a favorite word in English, but what about your favorite in another language? The Spanish term ojalå is especially... more
Ribbon fall. Gallery forest. You wonât find terms like these in most dictionaries, but they and hundreds like them are discussed... more
Is there something inherent in English that makes it the linguistic equivalent of the Borg, dominating and consuming other languages... more
Books were rare treasures in the Middle Ages, painstakingly copied out by hand. So how to protect them from theft?... more