Light-hearted conversation with callers from all over about new words, old sayings, slang, family ex
The dilemma continues over how to spell dilemma! Grant and Martha try to suss out the backstory of w
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It’s hard enough to get a new word into the dictionary. But what happens when lawmakers get involved
Can language change bad behavior in crowded places? The Irish Railway system has launched an ad camp
What’s in a mascot name? Maybe you’re a fan of the Banana Slugs, or you cheer for the Winged Beavers
The slang coming out of Victorian mouths was more colorful than you might think. A 1909 collection o
First-century graffiti. People in ancient times could be just as bawdy and colorful as we are today.
When it comes to learning new things, what’s on your bucket list? A retired book editor decided to t
Books for sale, books for free, and wisdom passed down through the ages. Libraries aren’t just repos
If you don’t have anything nice to say, say it like Shakespeare: Thou unhandsome smush-mouthed mush-
Right off the bat, it’s easy to think of several everyday expressions that derive from America’s pas
Ever try to write a well-known passage in limerick form? It’s harder than you think. How about this
In deafening workplaces, like sawmills and factories, workers develop their own elaborate sign langu
If you’re serious about writing a memoir, what topics should you include, and what can you leave out
Sharing a secret language. Did you ever speak in gibberish with a childhood pal, adding extra syllab
Sensuous words and terms of endearment. Think of a beautiful word. Now, is it simply the word’s soun
How often do you hear the words campaign and political in the same breath? Oddly enough, 19th-centur
Would you rather live in a world with no adjectives … or no verbs — and why? Also, who in the world
We often hear that English is going to hell in a handbasket. Actually, though, linguistic handwringi
