Podcast Episodes
Back to Search711 - Misheard Song Lyrics and Eggcorns. The Ampersand.
Episode 711
When you mishear song lyrics, the resulting (often funny) error is called a mondegreen. We have the story about why and the run-down on similar funny…
6 years, 7 months ago
710 - Vacay. Why Some People Call Green Peppers 'Mangoes'
Episode 710
It's time to take off, and we have 10 words to describe it. Also, we dig in to an interesting mystery: Why some people call green peppers "mangoes."
…6 years, 7 months ago
709 - Surprise! The History of Semicolons Is Exciting.
Episode 709
I talked with Cecelia Watson, author of the new book "Semicolon" about how grammar writers in the 1800s became fabulously wealthy, struggled to creat…
6 years, 7 months ago
708 - Why Alcohol Is 'Hard.' 'Phenomena' or 'Phenomenon'?
Episode 708
A listener asked why we call some kinds of alcohol hard drinks and spirits, so we found the answer! Also, I'll help you remember the difference betwe…
6 years, 7 months ago
707 - How and Why the Internet Is Changing Language
Episode 707
Gretchen McCulloch studies how people use language on the internet, and today we talked about her new book, "Because Internet." I bet you'll recogniz…
6 years, 8 months ago
706 - Sometimes It's Not a Bad Idea to Dumb Down Your Language.
Episode 706
Why sometimes it's not a bad idea to dumb down your language.
LINKS AND SPONSORS |
True & Co: http://trueandco.com/grammar code:GRAMMAR |
Grammar Gir…
6 years, 8 months ago
705 - 'Blue Collar,' 'Bluestocking,' and 'the Blue Hair Brigade.' 'Oral' Versus 'Verbal.'
Episode 705
We talk about the origins of the phrases "blue collar," "bluestocking," and "blue hair," and discuss whether you should follow a rule you may not hav…
6 years, 8 months ago
704 - Present Tense When Writing About Fiction. The Poop Emoji and Eggcorns.
Episode 704
If you're writing about fiction, especially time-shifting fiction, it can be tricky figuring out whether to use present tense or past tense. We have …
6 years, 8 months ago
703 - Why There Are 9 Different Ways to Pronounce the Letter T
Episode 703
We count nine different allophones of the letter T. Odds are good you'll recognize them all (and some of them may annoy you).
LINKS AND SPONSORS |
Ba…
6 years, 8 months ago
702 - ‘All of a Sudden’ or ‘All of the Sudden’? ‘Baited’ or ‘Bated’ Breath?
Episode 702
I had a listener insist the wrong way of saying "suddenly" was right, so I had to look into it. Also, I'll help you spell "bated breath" properly (an…
6 years, 8 months ago