Podcast Episodes
Back to Search811 - Inigo Montoya and Coining Phrases. 'Dose' or 'Dosage'?
Episode 811
Coin a phrase? It does not mean what you think it means. And get your dose (or dosage?) right.
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5 years, 1 month ago
810 - Words out of Time. Why 'OK' Is OK.
Episode 810
Would words and phrases like "operative" and "pump him for information" be out of place in a novel set in the 1800s? We investigate! And we also look…
5 years, 1 month ago
809 - Rethink Descriptions Like 'Diabetic.' The Wonderful World of Italics,
Episode 809
Should you call someone a diabetic or a person with diabetes? Also, are you confused about when to use italics? We have the basics (and something tha…
5 years, 1 month ago
808 - 6 Latin Abbreviations You Should Know. 'Imply' or 'Infer'?
Episode 808
6 Latin Abbreviations You Should Know. 'Imply' or 'Infer'?
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5 years, 1 month ago
807 - Why We Call Them Sea 'Shanties.' A Trick to Remember How to Spell 'Conscience'
Episode 807
If you're enjoying sea shanties these days, have you wondered why they're called "shanties"? Plus, I always have a hard time remembering how to spell…
5 years, 2 months ago
806 - Why You Should Try Fanfiction. How to Find Tricky Pronunciations.
Episode 806
Why writing fanfiction can make you a better overall writer. Plus, my tricks for figuring out tricky pronunciations.
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5 years, 2 months ago
805 - 'Acedia': the lost name for the emotion we're all feeling right now
Episode 805
"Acedia": the lost name for the emotion we're all feeling right now. Plus, when does "thank you" need a hyphen?
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5 years, 2 months ago
804 - Another Think/Thing Coming. 'Sanction,' 'Cleave,' 'Dust,' and More
Episode 804
Are Americans ruining the put-down "You've got another think coming," or was it the British band Judas Priest? Also, everyone loves Janus words like …
5 years, 2 months ago
803 - Pandemic, COVID, anderhalvemetersamenleving: 2020 Words of the Year
Episode 803
It's the Oscars of the language world: word-of-the-year data analysis and voting! A spirited conversation with Merriam-Webster's Emily Brewster about…
5 years, 2 months ago
802 - Brandon Sanderson on Writing, Character and Place Names, and the Future
Episode 802
Brandon shares funny stories about character and place names gone wrong, his writing struggles, and what the future holds for his work.
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5 years, 3 months ago