Light-hearted conversation with callers from all over about new words, old sayings, slang, family expressions, language change and varieties, as well as... more
The phrase old as Methuselah describes someone quite advanced in years. In ancient scripture, Methuselah was a man who somehow... more
What's it like to hike the Pacific Crest Trail all the way from Mexico to Canada? You'll end up with... more
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... more
Astronauts returning from space say they experience what's called the overview effect, a new understanding of the fragility of our... more
Scientists have named some recently discovered species of tree frogs after characters from Star Trek. Why? Because of the boops... more
In the 15th century, the word respair meant "to have hope again." Although this word fell out of use, it's... more
Do people who work together sound alike? Yes! Over time, they may begin to develop similar patterns of speech, or... more
Asthenosphere, a geologist's term for the molten layer beneath the earth's crust, sparks a journey that stretches all the way... more
How and why do words from one language find their way into another? Vietnamese, for instance, includes lots of words... more
Amid court-ordered busing in the 1970s, a middle-school teacher tried to distract her nervous students on the first day of... more