Word Matters
Episodes
'Scofflaw' and Inventing Words for Money
26 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It's nothing personal, but most of the time, the word you invented won’t make it into the dictionary. Except, on occasion, when it does. Today, we t...
How do you even pronounce 'antennae' anyway?
19 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
After a job well done, you might receive kudos. But today we ask: can you ever receive just one? Or is it just the sound of one hand clapping? Then, w...
A Collection of Obscure Words That You Might Find Useful
14 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Few parts of the English language fascinate its users more than obscure and obsolete words. Today, our in-house collector of errant words Ammon Shea b...
Ice Tea and Semantic Drift
13 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Terrific. Fantastic. Wonderful. Can we properly use these words without referring to terror, fantasy, or wonder? Today our editors look at one of the ...
'Irregardless': You Don't Have to Like It
12 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Word Matters! In our first episode, we ask a simple but surprisingly complex question: when is a meal supper and when is it dinner? Is ther...
Introducing Word Matters
04 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
From the editors at Merriam-Webster, Word Matters is a show for readers, writers, and anyone who ever loved their English class. Hosted by Emily ...