Podcast Episodes
Back to Search
New Words from WWII. How Places Like Featherstonehaugh Get Their Names. Uncoming.
Episode 849
WWII was a rich source of new words for the English language. Before the 1940s, you couldn't tell an eager beaver to shut his pie hole while you were…
4 years, 9 months ago
Editing an Anthology: 'Wild Tongues Can't Be Tamed'
Episode 848
Today, I talked with Saraciea Fennell, who works in publishing, is behind the Bronx Book Festival, and is also the editor of a new anthology, "Wild T…
4 years, 9 months ago
Is That a Tombstone, Gravestone, or Headstone? Why Is the Sound of a Human Scream So Terrifying?
Episode 847
The words tombstone and gravestone used to refer to large stone slabs that served as a lid for a tomb or covering for a grave. Also, the human scream…
4 years, 10 months ago
Using Present Tense in a Story About the Past. Beck and Call. Tie-Dye Trees.
Episode 846
Have you noticed people switching to the present tense when they're telling stories? It actually has a name: It's called the "historical present tens…
4 years, 10 months ago
Surprise! These Names Are Trademarks. How to Write 'Dos and Don'ts' (or Is That 'Do's and Don'ts'?). Wording Your Mixes.
Episode 845
Many words we use every day are actually trademarks. Did you know about all the words we talked about today? Plus, we talk about some really weird sp…
4 years, 10 months ago
The Hedonometer and Your Feelings. What Does 'Schnozz' Mean?
Episode 844
Researchers and companies are harnessing computers to identify the emotions behind our written words. While sentiment analysis is far from perfect, i…
4 years, 10 months ago
How Do You Pronounce 'Tomato'? Why Is 'Chiropractic' Singular. Fish.
Episode 843
In the world of great debates, there is one that has been long enduring and still keeps language prescriptivists awake at night: Is it "tom-ay-to" or…
4 years, 11 months ago
The Power of Very Specific Words, with Joel Schwartzberg
Episode 842
The author of "The Language of Leadership," Joel Schwartzberg, explains how you can make small tweaks to your language to make a big difference in yo…
4 years, 11 months ago
How to Really Talk Like a Pirate. When Do You Need a Comma Before 'Because'?
Episode 841
Based on the history of who was sailing the high seas, it's a good bet pirates sounded a lot more multicultural than Ol’ Long John Silver would have …
4 years, 11 months ago
Why and When 'Very Unique' Is Wrong. Capitalizing 'Delta Variant' (or Not). Happy to You.
Episode 840
Instead of grinding your teeth about "very unique," pat yourself on the back for recognizing a widespread case of lexical broadening. Plus, we talk a…
4 years, 11 months ago