A Way with Words - language, linguistics, and callers from all over
Episodes
Good Juju (Rebroadcast) - 15 April 2013
12 Apr 2013
Contributed by Lukas
Imagine a time when heroin was marketed for the whole family. It really happened! Also, how Twitter, M&M’s, and Hallmark cards got their names. Pl...
What’s a Hipster? (Rebroadcast) - 8 April 2013
07 Apr 2013
Contributed by Lukas
Get out your skinny jeans and pass the PBR! Martha and Grant discuss the definition of the word hipster. Also, what happens when you pull a brodie? A...
A Hole to China - 1 April 2013
31 Mar 2013
Contributed by Lukas
Have a question about objective pronouns? Whom ya gonna call? Wait–is that right? Or would it be “who ya gonna call”? “Whom” may be technica...
Crazy Crossword Clues (Rebroadcast) - 25 March 2013
24 Mar 2013
Contributed by Lukas
Should youngsters learn cursive handwriting in school? Plus, someone can be ruthless, but can that same person be ruthful? Which word refers to someth...
Whistling Dixie - 18 March 2013
17 Mar 2013
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s most popular dog names are Max and Bella. In the Middle Ages, though, dogs would answer to names like Amiable. Or Nosewise. Or even …...
Gnarly Foot - 11 March 2013
11 Mar 2013
Contributed by Lukas
It’s the Up Goer Five Challenge! Try to describe something complex using only the thousand most common words in English. It’s a useful mental exe...
Bump and Grind - 4 March 2013
03 Mar 2013
Contributed by Lukas
Remember a few years ago when Amazon introduced that mysterious device called a Kindle? People worried that electronic readers would replace tradition...
Two Shades of Grey (Rebroadcast) - 25 February 2013
24 Feb 2013
Contributed by Lukas
You’ve noticed work seems to expand to fill the time given to complete it. But did you know there’s a term for that? Also this week, the New Engla...
Raining Cats and Dogs (Rebroadcast) - 18 February 2013
17 Feb 2013
Contributed by Lukas
Get out your umbrellas — it’s raining pitchforks and … bullfrogs? This week, it’s odd expressions that mean “a heavy downpour.” Also, h...
Gracious Plenty - 11 February 2013
10 Feb 2013
Contributed by Lukas
When somebody sneezes, we say bless you or gesundheit. But suppose that person coughs. Are you supposed to say something — or are they? Plus, Me...
Cute As a Button - 4 February 2013
03 Feb 2013
Contributed by Lukas
Did you ever wonder why we capitalize the pronoun “I,” but not any other pronoun? Also, the romantic story behind the term halcyon days, the orig...
South End of a Chicken - 28 January 2013
27 Jan 2013
Contributed by Lukas
Are your nightstand books all over the place? Why not stack ’em into a bookmash? A bookmash is a kind of found poetry formed from book titles! And ...
Like a Bad Penny (Rebroadcast) - 21 January 2013
20 Jan 2013
Contributed by Lukas
What did you call the cliques in your high school? Were you a member of the nerds, the jocks, or maybe the grits or the heshers? Also, what’s the me...
The Horse You Rode In On (Rebroadcast) - 14 January 2013
13 Jan 2013
Contributed by Lukas
What colorful language do you use to when you’re angry and tempted to use a four-letter word? There’s a difference between cursing and cussing:...
The Shank of the Evening (Rebroadcast) - 7 January 2013
07 Jan 2013
Contributed by Lukas
What time is it if it’s the crack of chicken? When exactly is the shank of the evening? How do you pronounce the word spelled H-O-V-E-R? Did Warr...
Rock, Paper, Scissors (Rebroadcast) - 30 December 2012
30 Dec 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Does the thought of going without your cellphone fill you with separation anxiety? Grant and Martha coin some monikers for this modern-day phobia. Als...
Clean As a Whistle - 24 December 2012
24 Dec 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Finding that special bottle of wine can be tough, and even tougher if you’re not fluent in winespeak. “Strawberries, rhubarb, and hints of leather...
Help support A Way with Words today
21 Dec 2012
Contributed by Lukas
This year, generous gifts from people like you made a difference: We're producing more new episodes than ever. We're taking our mission into communit...
Pie in the Sky - 17 December 2012
16 Dec 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Looking for a book to read with the kids, or maybe a guide to becoming a better writer? Why are leg cramps called charley horses? And where’d we ge...
Little Pitchers - 10 December 2012
10 Dec 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Did you know reading poetry improves your prose? That includes hip-hop lyrics, too. Also, how linguist can guess where you come from based on how yo...
Kissed Her on the Stairs - 3 December 2012
02 Dec 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Do Americans use the same sign language as the British? And what do Japanese people use instead of umm? Plus, why do we vote at polling places? Wha...
Mute Point (Rebroadcast) - 26 November 2012
26 Nov 2012
Contributed by Lukas
What do you call it when you roll past a stop sign without coming to a complete stop? A California stop, a Michigan stop — or something else? And...
A Dancer Who Walks for a Living - 19 November 2012
18 Nov 2012
Contributed by Lukas
You dream of writing the great American novel, but to make ends meet, you spend your days writing boring corporate reports. There’s a difference bet...
Make a Train Take a Dirt Road - 12 November 2012
11 Nov 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Remember the classic films Dogumentary and $3000? Those were their working titles, before they became Best In Show and Pretty Woman....
The One Who Brung You - 5 November 2012
05 Nov 2012
Contributed by Lukas
You’ve been reading a book but you’re just not into it. How do you quit it, guilt-free? How do you break up with a book? Also, what do you ask for...
Fake English - 29 October 2012
28 Oct 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Everyone knows you don’t start a sentence with but. But why? Also, how voice recognition technology is changing the way we think and write and what...
Can Of Worms - 22 October 2012
21 Oct 2012
Contributed by Lukas
What do you call a guy with a bald pate? A chrome dome? Maybe the lucky fellow is sporting a solar panel for a sex machine. Also, which would you ra...
Nothing to Sneeze At - 15 October 2012
15 Oct 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Forensic linguists use what they know about speech and writing to testify in courtrooms. And get out your hankies! Martha and Grant are talking about ...
Gone Pecan - 8 October 2012
07 Oct 2012
Contributed by Lukas
How did the word gay go from meaning lighthearted to homosexual? Also, why are elementary schools sometimes called grammar schools? Plus, imeld...
Dog-and-Pony Show - 1 October 2012
30 Sep 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Remember getting caught sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G? Grant and Martha wax nostalgic on some classic schoolyard rhymes. What do you call your offs...
Good Juju - 24 September 2012
23 Sep 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Imagine a time when heroin was marketed for the whole family. It really happened! Also, how Twitter, M&M’s, and Hallmark cards got their names. Pl...
The Uncanny Valley (Rebroadcast) - 17 September 2012
16 Sep 2012
Contributed by Lukas
The disturbing sensation you feel when almost-human characters seem downright creepy is called the uncanny valley. Speaking of creepy, do you know so...
Kissing Games (Rebroadcast) - 10 September 2012
10 Sep 2012
Contributed by Lukas
What’s the best way to help your child learn to speak a foreign language? One option is an immersion school, where teachers avoid speaking English. ...
The Rubber Match - 3 Sept. 2012 (rebroadcast)
03 Sep 2012
Contributed by Lukas
What’s the antidote to living in a sound-bite world? How about unwinding with luxuriously expressive prose? Also, the cloak-and-dagger world of edit...
Strange Spelling Bee Words (Rebroadcast) - 27 August 2012
26 Aug 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Why do spelling bees include such bizarre, obsolete words as cymotrichous? Why is New York called the Big Apple? Also, the stinky folk medicine trad...
Secret Gibberish (Rebroadcast) - 20 August 2012
19 Aug 2012
Contributed by Lukas
What do pigs have to do with piggyback rides? We get a lesson from a listener in the fine art of speaking gibberish. What’s the correct way to prono...
By Jingo (Rebroadcast) - 13 August 2012
12 Aug 2012
Contributed by Lukas
If your friend says she’s coming to town Sunday week, exactly when should you expect to see her? What do you call those typographical symbols carto...
Like a Boss (Rebroadcast) - 6 August 2012
06 Aug 2012
Contributed by Lukas
It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s witches’ knickers! What do you call stray plastic bags that litter the landscape? Also, what it means to do so...
A Murmuration of Starlings (Rebroadcast) - 30 July 2012
30 Jul 2012
Contributed by Lukas
If you’ve eaten crispy chicken, you might also have had jo-jo potatoes. Speaking of chicken, ever wonder why colonel isn’t pronounced KOH-loh-nel...
Not Those Thongs (Rebroadcast) - 23 July 2012
22 Jul 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Is it cool for parents to use their children’s slang? What’s wrong with the term illegal alien? Grant and Martha discuss possible alternatives. ...
The Whole Kit and Caboodle (Rebroadcast) - 16 July 2012
16 Jul 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Nothing brightens up an email like an emoticon. But is it appropriate to include a smiley face in an email to your boss? Also, what do time management...
Why Do Auctioneers Talk So Fast (Rebroadcast) - 9 July 2012
08 Jul 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Why do auctioneers talk so fast? Martha and Grant discuss the rapid-fire speech of auctioneers, and how it gets you to bid higher. Also, why so many b...
Things Parents Say (Rebroadcast) - 2 July 2012
02 Jul 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Ever drop a reference that just makes you sound, well, of a certain age? Grant and Martha discuss slang that's often lost on a younger or older genera...
What's a Hipster?
24 Jun 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Get out your skinny jeans and pass the PBR! Martha and Grant discuss the definition of the word hipster. Also, what happens when you pull a brodie? An...
Crazy Crossword Clues - 18 June 2012
17 Jun 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Should youngsters learn cursive handwriting in school? Plus, someone can be ruthless, but can that same person be ruthful? Which word refers to someth...
Lousy with Diamonds - 11 June 2012
11 Jun 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Can children adopted from other countries easily re-learn their native languages as adults? And if you’re invited to an old-fashioned pound party, w...
Two Shades of Grey - 4 June 2012
03 Jun 2012
Contributed by Lukas
You’ve noticed work seems to expand to fill the time given to complete it. But did you know there’s a term for that? Also this week, the New Engla...
Raining Cats and Dogs - 28 May 2012
28 May 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Get out your umbrellas — it’s raining pitchforks and … bullfrogs? This week, it’s odd expressions that mean “a heavy downpour.” Also, h...
Why Do Girls Wear Pink (Rebroadcast) - 21 May 2012
21 May 2012
Contributed by Lukas
We all know that the color pink is for boys and the color blue is for girls — at least, that’s how it was 100 years ago. Grant and Martha share th...
Books With a Letter Missing (Rebroadcast) - 14 May 2012
14 May 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Remember those children’s classics, the Velveteen Rabbi and The Little Price? The Twitterverse is abound with these books with a letter missing. ...
Like a Bad Penny - 7 May 2012
07 May 2012
Contributed by Lukas
What did you call the cliques in your high school? Were you a member of the nerds, the jocks, or maybe the grits or the heshers? Also, what’s the me...
The Horse You Rode In On - 30 April 2012
30 Apr 2012
Contributed by Lukas
What colorful language do you use to when you’re angry and tempted to use a four-letter word? There’s a difference between cursing and cussing:...
Shank of the Evening - 23 April 2012
23 Apr 2012
Contributed by Lukas
What time is it if it’s the crack of chicken? When exactly is the shank of the evening? How do you pronounce the word spelled H-O-V-E-R? Did Warr...
Going All City (Rebroadcast) - 16 April 2012
16 Apr 2012
Contributed by Lukas
On the menu: necessity mess, potato bargain, and other tasty regional foods that won’t break the bank. Plus, what’s a doomaflatchie? And what d...
College Slang Party (Rebroadcast) - 9 April 2012
09 Apr 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Ever been to an ABC party? How about a darty? The hosts discuss these and other slang terms heard around campus. They also talk about mulligrubs and c...
Him and I or Him and Me? (Rebroadcast) - 2 April 2012
02 Apr 2012
Contributed by Lukas
If someone offered you a croaker with an old man’s face, would you accept? You should! Croaker is a slang term for a hundred dollar bill. Did you ...
Rock Paper Scissors - 26 March 2012
26 Mar 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Does the thought of going without your cellphone fill you with separation anxiety? Grant and Martha coin some monikers for this modern-day phobia. Als...
Mute Point - 19 March 2012
19 Mar 2012
Contributed by Lukas
What do you call it when you roll past a stop sign without coming to a complete stop? A California stop, a Michigan stop — or something else? And...
The Uncanny Valley - 12 March 2012
12 Mar 2012
Contributed by Lukas
The disturbing sensation you feel when almost-human characters seem downright creepy is called the uncanny valley. Speaking of creepy, do you know so...
The Bees Knees (Rebroadcast) - 5 March 2012
05 Mar 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Let’s put the moose on the table: You have questions, and Grant and Martha have answers. For example, why would someone have an albatross around t...
Put That in Your Pipe and Smoke It (Rebroadcast) - 27 February 2012
27 Feb 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Which came first, orange the color or orange the fruit? And what’s a busman’s holiday? Martha and Grant talk about bumbershoots, brollies, ...
Kissing Games - 20 February 2012
20 Feb 2012
Contributed by Lukas
What’s the best way to help your child learn to speak a foreign language? One option is an immersion school, where teachers avoid speaking English. ...
The Rubber Match - 13 February 2012
12 Feb 2012
Contributed by Lukas
What’s the antidote to living in a sound-bite world? How about unwinding with luxuriously expressive prose? Also, the cloak-and-dagger world of edit...
Strange Spelling Bee Words - 6 February 2012
06 Feb 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Why do spelling bees include such bizarre, obsolete words as cymotrichous? Why is New York called the Big Apple? Also, the stinky folk medicine trad...
Secret Gibberish - 30 January 2012
30 Jan 2012
Contributed by Lukas
What do pigs have to do with piggyback rides? We get a lesson from a listener in the fine art of speaking gibberish. What’s the correct way to prono...
By Jingo - 23 January 2012
22 Jan 2012
Contributed by Lukas
If your friend says she’s coming to town Sunday week, exactly when should you expect to see her? What do you call those typographical symbols carto...
Like a Boss - 16 January 2012
16 Jan 2012
Contributed by Lukas
It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s witches’ knickers! What do you call stray plastic bags that litter the landscape? Also, what it means to do so...
Pickles and Ice Cream (rebroadcast) - 9 January 2012
09 Jan 2012
Contributed by Lukas
How about some wind pudding with a dollop of air sauce? What’s in a tavern sandwich? Do pregnant women really crave pickles and ice cream? Grant a...
Who You Calling a Jabroney? (rebroadcast) - 2 January 2012
02 Jan 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Yo! Who you callin’ a jabroni? And what exactly is a jabroni, anyway? Also, what do vintage school buses and hack writers have in common? Grant a...
You Bet Your Sweet Bippy (Rebroadcast) - 26 December 2011
25 Dec 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Why do some puns strike us as clever, while others are plain old groaners? Martha and Grant puzzle over this question. Also, the difference between b...
Bah Humblebrag - 19 December 2011
19 Dec 2011
Contributed by Lukas
What’s your choice for the 2011 word of the year? Grant shares some of his picks. Speaking of picks, why do football commentators seem to love the t...
Special Request! -- Help Support A Way with Words
15 Dec 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Give Now for the $25,000 Fundraising Challenge Dear friends and listeners, As we near the end of our biggest year yet, we must raise $25,0...
A Murmuration of Starlings - 12 December 2011
12 Dec 2011
Contributed by Lukas
If you’ve eaten crispy chicken, you might also have had jo-jo potatoes. Speaking of chicken, ever wonder why colonel isn’t pronounced KOH-loh-nel...
Not Those Thongs - 5 December 2011
05 Dec 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Is it cool for parents to use their children’s slang? What’s wrong with the term illegal alien? Grant and Martha discuss possible alternatives. ...
Cathead Biscuits (Rebroadcast) - 28 November 2011
28 Nov 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Ever eaten golden catheads for breakfast? Yum! A listener shares this Southern term for big, fluffy biscuits. Also, how did people greet each other ...
Heads Up! It's a Meteor! (rebroadcast) - 21 November 2011
14 Nov 2011
Contributed by Lukas
“Well, Butter My Buns and call me a biscuit!” Martha and Grant talk about great catch phrases from old-time radio comedies. Also, why do we speak ...
The Whole Kit and Caboodle - 14 November 2011
14 Nov 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Nothing brightens up an email like an emoticon. But is it appropriate to include a smiley face in an email to your boss? Also, what do time management...
Why Do Auctioneers Talk So Fast? - 7 November 2011
07 Nov 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Why do auctioneers talk so fast? Martha and Grant discuss the rapid-fire speech of auctioneers, and how it gets you to bid higher. Also, why so many b...
You Sound Old - 31 October 2011
31 Oct 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Ever drop a reference that just makes you sound, well, of a certain age? Grant and Martha discuss language that’s lost on other generations. Why is ...
Why Do Girls Wear Pink? - 24 October 2011
23 Oct 2011
Contributed by Lukas
We all know that the color pink is for boys and the color blue is for girls — at least, that’s how it was 100 years ago. Grant and Martha share th...
Don't Take Any Wooden Nickels (rebroadcast) - 19 September 2011
19 Sep 2011
Contributed by Lukas
If you say to someone the Spanish equivalent of “you’re giving me green gray hairs” (me sacas canas verdes), it means that person is making you ...
Burrito Baby (rebroadcast) - 12 September 2011
11 Sep 2011
Contributed by Lukas
More and more college students are getting pregnant — with burrito babies. Grant talks about new terms for “a full stomach” and other examples ...
One Space or Two (rebroadcast) - 5 September 2011
05 Sep 2011
Contributed by Lukas
SUMMARYIs typing two spaces after a period "totally, completely, utterly, and inarguably wrong?" Martha and Grant disagree. Also, is the language of t...
Seeing The Elephant (rebroadcast) - 29 August 2011
29 Aug 2011
Contributed by Lukas
SUMMARYThis week on "A Way with Words": If you've "seen the elephant," it means you've been in combat. But why an elephant? Also, Martha and Grant dis...
Eastern Seaboard West Coast (rebroadcast) - 22 August 2011
22 Aug 2011
Contributed by Lukas
SUMMARYShadowdabbled. Moon-blanched. Augusttremulous. William Faulkner often used odd adjectives like these. But why? Grant and Martha discuss the poe...
Red Light, Green Light (minicast) - 17 Aug. 2011
17 Aug 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Hot traffic talk! A caller is looking for a word for the point at which you have to reach in order to make it through a stoplight before it turns red....
Nerd vs Geek (rebroadcast) - 15 August 2011
15 Aug 2011
Contributed by Lukas
SUMMARYWhat do the words marathon, paisley, and bikini have in common? They're all words that derive from the names of places. Martha and Grant talk t...
Of Pupae and Pupils (minicast) - 10 Aug. 2011
10 Aug 2011
Contributed by Lukas
A question from a listener on the “A Way with Words” Facebook page has Martha musing about the entomological and etymological connections between ...
Infix is Just Another Word for Fanfreakintastic (minicast) - 3 Aug. 2011
03 Aug 2011
Contributed by Lukas
What's the one word that comes to mind when you hear the name J. D. Salinger? "Masterpiece"? "Recluse"? How about the "F-word"? An Indianapolis l...
Cannibal Sandwich Anyone (rebroadcast) - 1 August 2011
01 Aug 2011
Contributed by Lukas
SUMMARY Ready for some crazy crossword clues? The hosts discuss some clever ones, like "Hula hoop?" (3 letters). Also, is the correct term jury-rigged...
Guess What (rebroadcast) - 25 July 2011
25 Jul 2011
Contributed by Lukas
SUMMARYEnglish is full of unusual terms, both old (eleemosynary, favonian) and new (flyway, catio). Also, the Swahili term that means "sleep like a lo...
Beanplating the Lunatic Fringe (rebroadcast) - 18 July 2011
18 Jul 2011
Contributed by Lukas
SUMMARYIn this week's episode, "It was bright cold day in April and the clocks were striking thirteen." Martha and Grant discuss their favorite first ...
Who is Chester Drawers - 11 July 2011
08 Jul 2011
Contributed by Lukas
SUMMARYSome of the world's most famous writers had to support themselves with day jobs. Martha and Grant discuss well-known authors who toiled away at...
A Yankee Dime - 4 July 2011
01 Jul 2011
Contributed by Lukas
SUMMARYRemember misunderstanding certain words as a child? Maybe you figured "cat burglars" only stole cats, or assumed guerrilla fighters must be ang...
Tweet Nothings - 13 June 2011
13 Jun 2011
Contributed by Lukas
SUMMARYHow much humor and personality can you pack into a 140-character update? A lot, it turns out. Martha and Grant talk about funny Twitter feeds. ...
Tend to the Rat-Killin' - 6 June 2011
06 Jun 2011
Contributed by Lukas
SUMMARYAnagrams, rebuses, cryptograms, Jumble -- Martha and Grant swap stories about the games that first made them realize that playing with words an...
Everything is Tickety-Boo - 9 May 2011
09 May 2011
Contributed by Lukas
SUMMARYNews reports that the makers of Scrabble were changing the rules to allow proper names left some purists fuming. The rumors were false, but the...
The Ultimate Slang Dictionary - 2 May 2011
02 May 2011
Contributed by Lukas
When it comes to language, who’s the decider? Grant explains how grammar rules develop. Also, what’s tarantula juice, and what’s the difference...
Like Death Eating a Cracker (rebroadcast) - 25 Apr. 2011
25 Apr 2011
Contributed by Lukas
[This episode first aired May 1, 2010.] SUMMARY Digital timepieces may be changing the way we talk, at least a little. There's Bob o'clock (8:08), B...
A Pickle Short of a Jar (rebroadcast) - 20 Apr. 2011
20 Apr 2011
Contributed by Lukas
[This episode first aired April 10, 2010.]SUMMARYA few pickles short of a jar, a few peas short of a casserole, two French fries short of a Happy Meal...