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A Way with Words - language, linguistics, and callers from all over

Light-hearted conversation with callers from all over about new words, old sayings, slang, family ex

Episodes

Total: 775

If you catch your blue jeans on a nail, you may find yourself with a winklehawk. This term, adapted

Queen Bee - 13 July 2020

2020/7/13

An artist asks strangers to write haiku about the pandemic and gets back poetic, poignant glimpses o

Perfect sentences and slang that tickles your mind! A new book of writing advice says a good sentenc

In 1971, when a new public library opened in Troy, Michigan, famous authors and artists were invited

In 1803, a shy British pharmacist wrote a pamphlet that made him a reluctant celebrity. The reason?

Silence comes in many forms. Writer Paul Goodman says there is, for example, the noisy silence of “r

There was a time when William Shakespeare was just another little 7-year-old in school. Classes in h

A clever pun can make the difference between a so-so phrase and a memorable one. The phrase “the las

A stereotype is a preconceived notion about a person or group. Originally, though, the word stereoty

Sometimes it's a challenge to give a book a chance: How many pages should you read before deciding i

Book recommendations, including a collection of short stories inspired by dictionaries, and a techno

The game of baseball has alway inspired colorful commentary. Sometimes that means using familiar wor

In this episode: How colors got their names, and a strange way to write. The terms blue and orange a

The adjectives canine and feline refer to dogs and cats. But how does English address other groups o

There’s a proverb that goes “beloved children have many names.” At least, that’s true when it comes

Cat hair may be something you brush off, but cat hair is also a slang term that means "money." In th

Malamute, kayak, and parka are just some of the words that have found their way into English from th

Have you ever googled your own name and found someone else who goes by the very same moniker? There'

Funny cat videos and cute online photos inspire equally adorable slang terms we use to talk about th

One secret to writing well is . . . there is no secret! There's no substitute for simply sitting dow