Podcast Episodes
Back to SearchBig words we actually kind of like
We've been a little bit cranky lately, so we thought we'd dig up some big-sounding words we're actually fond of. How deliquescent! (wait, that's not …
3 years ago
The twisted world of bureaucracy
Having tried to wrap our heads around the world of academic language, we now take a stab at trying to untangle the meaning of phrases bureaucracies a…
3 years ago
In the hells of academia
A listener question prompts us to try to translate some nearly impenetrable examples of academic writing.
3 years, 1 month ago
Mailbag day!
We head back to the mailbag to answer some listener questions, including one about the origins of "woke," and another about the power of the bossy R.
3 years, 1 month ago
That still doesn't mean what you think it means, part 2
We continue to look back at some words from Kathy and Ross' book "That Doesn't Mean What You Think It Means", and we start to wonder if words actuall…
3 years, 2 months ago
That still doesn't mean what you think it means
We revisit Kathy and Ross' 2018 book That Doesn't Mean What You Think It Means (now out on audiobook!) and some of the words they wrote about that st…
3 years, 2 months ago
The Staying Power of Slang
A lot of slang words only last a year or two, but others stick around. We take a look at some that have stood the test of time, and it turns out a bu…
3 years, 3 months ago
Searching for meaning in Gen Z slang
The old people try their hand at sussing out the meanings of Gen Z slang words, although we all remain skeptical that actual people in Gen Z use any …
3 years, 3 months ago
The most mispronounced words of 2022
It's an episode we look forward to each January, as we take a look back at the most mispronounced words of the previous year. Even the dinosaurs said…
3 years, 4 months ago
Wait, THESE are the words of the year??
Kathy and Ross take major issue with various choices for words of the year for 2022. What makes for a good word of the year? Can anyone please our ex…
3 years, 4 months ago