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Rare books, burned letters, and Johnson’s dictionary, with John Overholt
Episode 1149
1149. This week, we look at the life and legacy of Samuel Johnson, the man behind the 1755 Dictionary of the English Language. We talk with John Over…
2 months, 1 week ago
Penny idioms that are still legal tender. The linguistic history of procrastination. Tanner tour.
Episode 1148
1148. This week, we look at penny idioms that are still "legal tender" in our language even as the U.S. penny is retired. We look at the history of p…
2 months, 1 week ago
The Goth letters: why the alphabet goes off the rails after T, with Danny Bate
Episode 1147
1147. In this bonus segment that originally ran in October, we look at the fascinating history of the "new letters" of the alphabet — V, W, X, Y, and…
2 months, 2 weeks ago
War of the dots. Why we say 'pitch black.' Pitch hot.
Episode 1146
1146. This week, we look at the history of Braille, from the tragic accident that inspired Louis Braille's six-dot system to the "War of the Dots"—a …
2 months, 2 weeks ago
How a long-lost yearbook revealed the origin of 'hella,' with Ben Zimmer
Episode 1145
1145. In this bonus segment from October, I talk with Ben Zimmer about "hella" and how even yearbook messages can be digitized to help preserve the l…
2 months, 2 weeks ago
The origin of X in algebra. Why we say ‘how come’ for ‘why.’ Water handles.
Episode 1144
1144. This week, we look at the origin of the letter X as the variable for the unknown in algebra. Then, we look at the phrase "how come," explaining…
2 months, 3 weeks ago
2025 Words of the Year, with Jess Zafarris and Danny Hieber
Episode 1143
1143. This week, we look at the 2025 words of the year with Jess Zafarris and Danny Hieber. We look at viral slang like "six seven" and cultural term…
2 months, 3 weeks ago
'Pride and prejudice' before Jane Austen. Was Parson Brown a real person? Happy Panda.
Episode 1142
1142. This week, we look at the history of the phrase "pride and prejudice," which was used frequently before Jane Austen’s 1813 novel. Then, we look…
3 months ago
The 'sheeple' incident, with Stefan Fatsis
Episode 1141
1141. We look at the controversy that caught Stefan Fatsis by surprise when he defined the word "sheeple" for Merriam-Webster, leading to public comp…
3 months ago
The rise of the 'hamster wheel.' The many names of Santa Claus. Unattractive turtles.
Episode 1140
1140. This week, we look at the difference between the modern phrase "hamster wheel" and the older "rat race," and why the former gained popularity. …
3 months, 1 week ago