Podcast Episodes

What is the 'Nocebo Effect'? | MEDICAL TERMS EXPLAINED

Episode 70

Rob and Jess are taking a surgical look at words from the world of medicine.
💊 What is the Nocebo Effect?
🩺 Are doctors named after leeches (or the ot…

2 months, 3 weeks ago

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What does 'chupacabra' literally mean? | CRYPTIDS & MYTHICAL BEASTS

Episode 69

Jess and Rob are exploring the etymological origins of mythical beasts and cryptids.
🐺 What does "Chupacabra" mean?
🦑 Why are we getting the name "Krak…

3 months, 2 weeks ago

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Why do we say 'bury the hatchet'? | SAYINGS EXPLAINED

Episode 68

In this episode, Rob and Jess explore the stories behind a host of common sayings.

🪓 Does anyone actually 'bury the hatchet'?
😈 Was there ever a 'de…

3 months, 3 weeks ago

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Vulgar language and criminal slang

Episode 67

This episode of Words Unravelled is not for the easily offended, as Rob and Jess explore dictionaries dedicated to underground slang. 

Focusing first …

3 months, 4 weeks ago

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Is English a Germanic language?

Episode 66

It's sometimes said that English has taken on so many Latin and French words that it is now a Romance language. Rob and Jess believe this is false, a…

4 months ago

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Getting quizzed on the quirks of English (with Joshua Blackburn)

Episode 65

What is the Baader-Meinhof effect? How many quotes are wrongly attributed to Churchill? What's Jess's funniest linguistics joke?

These questions answe…

4 months, 1 week ago

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Which was the original 'football'? | SPORTS WORDS

Episode 64

In this episode, Jess and Rob get sporty as they trace the origins of the words behind our favourite games. 
⚾️ What is the word "sport" short for?
🏉 W…

4 months, 2 weeks ago

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What does your name mean? | FIRST NAMES EXPLAINED

Episode 63

Rob and Jess are exploring the origins of first names. 
👩 Are all MARYS actually MIRIAMS?
🕵️‍♀️ How can JAMES, IAGO and JACOB be the same?
💡 What do …

4 months, 3 weeks ago

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Are pets called 'pets' because we pet them? | PET WORDS

Episode 62

In this episode, Rob and Jess dig into the origins of the words we use for our furry, feathered, and occasionally scaly companions. 

🐕 Where does the …

5 months ago

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Can a hill be taller than a mountain? | GEOGRAPHY WORDS

Episode 61

From mountain high to valley low, Rob Watts and Jess Zafarris are exploring the origins of geography words.

🐻‍❄️ Why are the poles called 'poles'?
🗻…

5 months, 1 week ago

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