Light-hearted conversation with callers from all over about new words, old sayings, slang, family ex
An Alabama high-school teacher observes that one of his fellow teachers tends to write words that sh
[This episode first aired March 21, 2009.] Sure, there's 'Grandma' and 'Grampa,' but there's also '
[This episode first aired March 14, 2009.] If English isn't your first language, there are lots of
A caller wonders why some versions of The Lord's Prayer include the phrase 'forgive us our trespasse
What's the deal with using the two-letter postal code abbreviations for states, instead of the longe
[This episode first aired February 23, 2009.] Does your 'handwriting' look like chicken scratches,
Are serial commas always necessary? An English teacher says she was surprised to learn that she and
[This episode first aired February 14, 2009.] Martha and Grant share a couple of favorite online so
How can the word 'friend' possibly describe both the people you went to school with *and* the people
'Great Googly Moogly!' A caller wonders where that exclamation comes from. Here's the Snickers comme
A special message for podcast listeners. Also, this just in: The term gunny sack is a pleonasm! Who
[This episode first aired February 7, 2009.] Are fairy tales too scary for children? A survey of pa
Why do we say someone is 'on the wagon' when they abstain from drinking alcohol? -- Get your langu
[This episode first aired January 24, 2009.] President Barack Obama hopes to boost the economy by p
Welcome to another minicast from A Way with Words. Iâm Grant Barrett. [Music] Hip-hop is high art.
Martha muses about the language of falconry, and in the process, reveals the origins of several word
Humorist Roy Blount Jr. sits down with Grant for a conversation about the controversy over writers'
This week, we're going through the e-mail bag. Here's a savory, sensuous one. It's from Stacey in Bo
What's a 'Hobson's Choice'? If you're facing a Hobson's choice, you don't really have much to choos
What The Cluck, Part 2 What does the expression egg on have to do with chickens? Nothing, actually.
