You're Saying It Wrong - TopPodcast.com

Getting a D on the SAT Feb 15, 2025

We return to our series looking at the most devilish words ever found on the SAT.

We'll Never Give You the Cold Shoulder Feb 08, 2025

We celebrate the season by looking at some winter-related idioms.

Canadian English Feb 01, 2025

We've tackled the differences between American and British English, but let's not forget Canadians also have a language of their own.

The Norman Conquest of the English Language Jan 25, 2025

The year is 1066: William the Conqueror lands upon the shores of England and changes the course of the English language forever. So what does that mean for us?

Idioms: They're Not Rocket Science Jan 18, 2025

We take a look at some modern-day idioms, where they came from, and what they could possibly mean.

Get These Words Outta Here! Jan 11, 2025

We look at a list of words people want to banish in this new year. Some of them we agree with, some of them we won't let go without a fight!

Getting a C on the SAT Jan 04, 2025

We continue our alphabetical trip through the most challenging words from the SAT.

The Words of 2024 Dec 28, 2024

We'll run through the various dictionaries' selections for the words of the year and offer up a few of our own.

A Plethora of Plurals! Dec 21, 2024

What could be more fun for the holidays than digging into the bizarre world of Latin and Greek plurals? Nothing! That's what!

Is This Socially Acceptable?? Dec 14, 2024

We wade into the social media wars as we take a look at some of the most common language mistakes people make when they're posting online.

Grab-bag Day Dec 07, 2024

We hit a number of language-related topics this week, kicked off by a listener question about what the heck a participle actually is.

It's All Relative Nov 30, 2024

This week, Kathy and Ross quiz Fletcher on words that are surprising relatives– and some that are surprisingly not.

ENCORE: These Names Have Snob Appeal Nov 23, 2024

We look at some names of famous people that, when you pronounce them correctly, can let people know you're an expert... or a snob.

Getting a B on the SAT Nov 16, 2024

The letter of the week is "B," as we move on to the second part in our series looking at the hardest words on the SAT.

A Little Stress Relief Nov 09, 2024

This week, we're here to help you relax a little bit by telling you that some of those little language mistakes that raise your blood pressure might not actually be mistakes.

Electoral Confusion Nov 02, 2024

With the U.S. election upon us, Kathy and Ross quiz Fletcher on the pronunciation and origins of some words related to our democratic process.

It's Getting Spoooooky Again Oct 26, 2024

Just in time for Halloween, we're talking about some of the creepy parts of the language world, including ghost words and some horrifying hyphens.

Italian Food! Oct 19, 2024

We're looking at the differences between what people in Italy call their food and what they call it in one very specific place in the world (here's a hint: Tony Soprano has a lot to say about this).

Make No Mistake Oct 12, 2024

We return to one of our favorite topics: mistakes that aren't really mistakes, even though a whole lot of people will tell you they're mistakes.

The "Most" Words Oct 05, 2024

A Merriam-Webster poll sets off our conversation today as we make our picks for the most overrated word, the most underrated word, the most pleasant word to say, and a number of other mosts, bests, and worsts.

Of Course! A Mere Trifle. Sep 28, 2024

There are a whole lot of things you can say when someone thanks you for something... But what do they all really mean?

The Hidden World of Syllable Stress Sep 21, 2024

We continue our fascination with rules we don't know we know with a look at the importance of where we put the stress when we say words out loud.

Let's Hop Across the Pond Sep 14, 2024

Jump in your estate car and head to the chemist, this week we're looking at some British equivalents of American English words.

Getting an A on the SAT Sep 07, 2024

The letter of the day is "A"! We're getting you (or your kids) ready for the SATs with some tricky vocabulary from the beginning of the alphabet.

We Simply Must Talk About Modal Verbs Aug 31, 2024

Must, could, should, shall, might, may... We dig into the weird, wiggly, weaselly world of modal verbs.

Let's Hit the Beach Aug 24, 2024

Grab your swimsuit! Or your bathing suit. That's up to you. We're heading to the beach for a look at the language of tides, waves, and other things beachy.

Now is the winter of our discontent made brat summer Aug 17, 2024

With Charli XCX sparking a summer phenomenon, we take a look at the nature of slang: who uses it, why we use it, and how we need to be very careful with it.

Back-formations Aug 10, 2024

Today we look at words that came from other words even though we think the second word should have come first.

Silly Rules (Or, the Unpredictability of the English Language) Aug 03, 2024

Today, we look at language rules that are rules sometimes, and rules that don't make sense. Well, they make some sense. Whatever. They're rules, anyway.

The Etymology Olympics Jul 27, 2024

With the world's greatest sporting event upon us, we look at the origins of some sports-related words.

Is This a Fossil? Or Just Some Dumb Old Rock? Jul 20, 2024

A listener question prompts us to think about words like rehabilitate, revamp, and nonplussed, and whether we can be plussed about habilitating and vamping, or if we're just talking nonsense.

The Ambiguity of English (Is the Name of My Jazz Band) Jul 13, 2024

This week, we're talking ambiguous words and ambiguous phrases– sometimes we think we know what we're saying and sometimes we're really wrong.

It's a Dead Language, I Always Say Jul 06, 2024

Latin may be dead, but we still use it every day. This week we look at some common Latin phrases and what they actually mean.

Cranberry Morphemes Jun 29, 2024

We know what a berry is, we know what a cranberry is, but what the heck is a "cran?" We enter the sometimes murky world of the cranberry morpheme...

Final Exams Jun 22, 2024

As we head into summer, we'll take a look back to see if we can remember what we've learned over the past year.

The Defining Words of the Spelling Bee Jun 15, 2024

After this year's thrilling spell-off in the National Spelling Bee, we try to tease out the definitions of some of the words that won the contest.

The Oldest of Old Words Jun 08, 2024

This week, we're talking about some of the very oldest words in the English language, and how little some of them have changed over thousands of years.

Smooshed-up Words Jun 01, 2024

We're looking at words that were made by smooshing together other words, but it all happened so long ago that we completely forgot about it.

The Rheturn of Rhetoric May 25, 2024

We're dipping back into common rhetorical devices today, and talking about how they can be used to win people to your side... or at least make them laugh a little bit.

Ye Olde Fossil Words May 18, 2024

We look at some very old words that used to mean something, but that we now only see in very specific instances.

If I Were To Talk About The Subjunctive... May 11, 2024

Some of us (Fletcher) can never keep straight what, exactly, the subjunctive is, so fortunately Kathy and Ross are here to remind us!

We are all rhetoricians now May 04, 2024

We have fun with rhetoric and some commonly used rhetorical devices, including how we might be using them even when we don't realize it.

These Names Have Snob Appeal Apr 27, 2024

We look at some names of famous people that, when you pronounce them correctly, can let people know you're an expert... or a snob.

Shakespeare: He made up a lot of words Apr 20, 2024

This week, Kathy and Ross quiz Fletcher on a list of words that may or may not have been coined by Shakespeare. You might be surprised by which ones we still use today.

British-isms Apr 13, 2024

We look at why Americans love to talk like our friends from across the pond— or like to think that's what we're doing.

The Good Kind of Stress Apr 06, 2024

Today we're looking at sentence stress and how the meaning of a sentence can completely change depending on which words you emphasize.

A message from You're Saying It Wrong Mar 30, 2024

Ouch! Unfortunately, we won't have an episode this week, because even more unfortunately, one of us had an accident and sustained a not-insignificant personal injury. Everything's basically ok, but, you know, it hurts, so we need a week off. Sorry about that, and we'll see you next week!

Return of the Confusables Mar 23, 2024

We get back to one of our favorite topics: Words that sound a lot like other words but have totally different meanings.

Weird Word Origins Mar 16, 2024

We look at some words that we think are related to other words, but actually aren't. Except sometimes they are.

Pretending to be proper Mar 09, 2024

We look at some "rules" of the language that were mostly just made up so people could feel like they were speaking proper English.

Sticky, tricky grammar moments Mar 02, 2024

We run through some particularly confusing grammar mistakes and how sometimes we might think we’re saying one thing when we’re really saying another.

Psilence! Feb 24, 2024

We run through a few of the many, many English words that contain silent letters and some of the baffling reasons we pronounce those words the way we do.

The Latin Craze Feb 17, 2024

We dig into why certain words are spelled ridiculously thanks to a bunch of scholars a few hundred years ago who got a little too nutso about making everything look Latin.

Sneaky rules we don't know we follow Feb 10, 2024

Some of us like to be rule breakers, but here are a few rules of the English language we can’t help but follow. And we probably don’t even know they exist.

Hyperforeignisms and other times we just get too excited Feb 03, 2024

We look at what happens when we approach non-English words with a little too much gusto, and how exactly we should be saying foreign words so that we don’t sound silly (a tall order for some of us!).

Doublespeak! Jan 27, 2024

We look at unconscious ways we follow the rules of English by doubling sounds and words, and how meanings of words can change when we say them twice. Now: are you confused? Or are you confused confused?

Big News! Jan 19, 2024

You’re Saying It Wrong is now more than just a podcast!

The Words of 2023 Jan 05, 2024

This week we rizz you up (did we say that right?) by looking at what dictionaries picked as the words of the year for 2023!

Deck the Halls! Dec 22, 2023

We look at the origins of some holiday-related words, including a reindeer controversy and a little bird that's surprisingly rude.

Stop being so non-positive! Dec 08, 2023

This week, we look at the official (?) rules of negativity in English.

Escher sentences (and other nice ways of saying nothing) Nov 24, 2023

Today we look at phrases that seem at first glance to mean something, but are actually complete nonsense.

Garden paths, crash blossoms, and other terrible ways of saying things Nov 10, 2023

Sometimes what we say or write can be grammatically correct but still make no sense whatsoever. Come along with us down this winding road...

Autumn Mailbag! Oct 27, 2023

Now that we're out of summer, it's finally cooled down enough for us to go outside to check the mailbox! We tackle some listener questions and pet peeves, and we take a look at a bizarre new phrase that's entered the language.

The dictionary's newest words (part 2) Oct 13, 2023

We continue on with our look at the newest words that have been added to dictionaries, and Kathy offers an enormous mea culpa.

The dictionary's newest words Sep 29, 2023

Hot off the presses (or whatever the internet is... cyberpresses?), we look at the newest entries into Dictionary.com!

Grammar thingies Sep 15, 2023

This week, we look at some of those nitpicky little grammar traps that sometimes trip us up.

You're Spelling It Wrong 2023 Sep 01, 2023

With the kids headed back to school, Kathy and Ross decided to challenge Fletcher (former two-time district spelling bee runner-up) to a spelling bee!

The words of summer Aug 18, 2023

It's hot! Still. And why mess with a good thing? We heat up a little more with a quiz about summer-related words!

Around the world in 30 minutes Aug 04, 2023

Eastern Europe, Southeast Asia... England... a lot of places have tough to pronounce names for Americans, and our listeners aren't letting us forget it. It's time for a global road trip!

You're telling me that's English?? (Part 2) Jul 21, 2023

Having been bamboozled by Kathy and Ross in the previous episode, Fletcher resolves to get at one question right this time around. Don't hold your breath, Fletch.

You're telling me that's English?? Jul 07, 2023

With the words we use in English coming from so many different languages, Kathy and Ross challenge Fletcher to a quiz about word origins. And somehow we end up talking about both bazookas and grenades, so things escalate quickly.

Let's do a grammar quiz! Jun 22, 2023

Kathy and Ross try to stump Fletcher with some tricky grammar questions, including a long, confusing trip through collective nouns.

Road trip! Jun 09, 2023

This time, we're taking a trip through some of the most commonly mispronounced places in the good ol' USA. Hop in! Things might get a little bumpy...

That used to mean what?? May 26, 2023

Hey there, guy, grab a plate of meat and join us as we look at some everyday words that have REALLY changed their meanings over time!

We did it by (on?) accident! May 12, 2023

A listener question forces us to take a hard look at how we use prepositions, including whether we do things "by" accident or "on" accident, and Fletcher asks why we can't just do things "by" purpose.

Big words we actually kind of like Apr 28, 2023

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 right...)

The twisted world of bureaucracy Apr 14, 2023

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 and corporations produce as they try to sound fancy (and avoid legal trouble).

In the hells of academia Mar 31, 2023

A listener question prompts us to try to translate some nearly impenetrable examples of academic writing.

Mailbag day! Mar 17, 2023

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.

That still doesn't mean what you think it means, part 2 Mar 03, 2023

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 actually have any meaning at all.

That still doesn't mean what you think it means Feb 17, 2023

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 still give them trouble.

The Staying Power of Slang Feb 03, 2023

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 bunch of them are older than we realize.

Searching for meaning in Gen Z slang Jan 20, 2023

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 of these words. Groovy!

The most mispronounced words of 2022 Jan 06, 2023

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 one of these wrong!

Wait, THESE are the words of the year?? Dec 23, 2022

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 experts?

Will We Ever Learn? Dec 09, 2022

While recording the audio versions of their books, Kathy and Ross discover there are words they've written about that they STILL say wrong, even after all these years.

Come Sit With Us a Spell Nov 25, 2022

After we puzzle over some words Kathy and Ross recently found in the news, we'll tackle a list of the English language's most misspelled words. Two billion tweets can't be wrong, can they? (Yes, they can, and are.)

Get My Agentive Suffix On the Phone! Nov 11, 2022

Turns out agentive suffixes are popular! We tackle a number of listener questions we got after our first episode on the topic, and Kathy gets VERY excited about a couple of the words that come up.

Happy Spooky Season Oct 28, 2022

It's the spoooookiest episode we've ever had, as we dive into the roots of the scary words we hear each Halloween. Vampires! Werewolves! Witches and Warlocks! Press play... if you dare...

Secret Agentive Suffix Man! - YSIW Oct 14, 2022

A listener asks why some words end in -er, while other similar words end in -or, like "seller" vs. "vendor," or "supervisor" vs. "manager." My friend, you may be sorry you asked!

Mangrove Peat Accretion | YSIW Sep 30, 2022

WARNING: There is some very heated sibling rivalry in this episode, about some things we never would have expected (that title is a hint).

SAT Prep Sep 16, 2022

OK, kids! The SATs are coming up, and we've got your perfect study guide right here! We look at some words that tend to trip people up, or maybe that you've never even heard before at all. Disclaimer: We don't actually know how the SAT even works anymore.

Separated by a Common Language, Part 2 Sep 02, 2022

Our discussion of spelling differences between American English and British English continues.

Separated by a Common Language Aug 19, 2022

On one side, you have people spelling it "realise," on the other, it's "realize." And the poor Canadians are caught right in the middle.

Wait... Is There a Difference? Part 2 Aug 05, 2022

After we take another (brief) run at the lie/lay problem, we continue our discussion of words we often use interchangeably that might actually have different meanings.

Wait... Is There a Difference? Jul 22, 2022

A listener question has us talking about words we often use interchangeably that actually might mean different things.

Happy 100! Jul 11, 2022

We celebrate our 100th episode with a bunch of listener questions, including some age-old language controversies and even a question from someone we've driven to drink...

Hold Tight! Jul 08, 2022

We had such a great response to the call for listener questions for the 100th episode of You're Saying It Wrong that we decided to take a little extra time to sift through them. It will be a few more days before that episode comes out, but it'll be worth the wait!

Phrasal Verbs | YSIW Jun 24, 2022

Listen up! After we learn not to take investing advice from Kathy, we move on to a discussion of phrasal verbs. What are phrasal verbs, you ask? Stick around to find out...

Join in the Celebration! (A Small Request) Jun 20, 2022

You're Saying It Wrong's 100th episode is on the horizon, and we have a special request.

You're spelling it wrong... again Jun 10, 2022

In honor of the National Spelling Bee, we return to our trip through the list of most commonly misspelled words in the English language. Wait... misspelled? Mispelled? Mis-spelled? These darn double letters... Also, we start out with a brief discussion that is *chef's kiss*.

A dangling modifier walks into a bar... May 27, 2022

Jumping off from some recent Twitter confusion, we look at how much trouble there can be when we misplace our modifiers, or just let them dangle in the wind. Recording this podcast, no animals were harmed.

Dead Grammar Is? | YSIW May 13, 2022

We set aside our usual games and quizzes for a wide-ranging discussion about the necessity of grammar rules, when we need them and when we don't, who gets to decide what's "right" and what's "wrong," and whether we need to rethink that.

Genericide | YSIW Apr 29, 2022

We continue on with our discussion of trademarks by looking at words that were once trademarked, but have become so widely used that they've actually lost that trademark. Also, Kathy sings! And Ross explains why he never sings.

Trademark this! Apr 15, 2022

Hey, can we trademark this? No, I mean, can we trademark the word, "this"? We may not be lawyers, but that's never stopped us from having opinions, especially when it comes to trademarking every word under the sun. I'm sure we can trademark "digression" though, we've cornered the market on that one...

We're Doing Some Verbing | YSIW Apr 01, 2022

Which came first, the chicken or the chickening out? The egg or the egging on? The noun or the verb? Today we're looking at verbing nouns and nouning verbs, and maybe even a little adjectiving while we're at it. Trust us, this episode is NOT cringe!

A Visit From Lady Mondegreen | YSIW Mar 18, 2022

Have you ever wondered who Jimi Hendrix was talking about when he sang, "'Scuse me, while I kiss this guy"? We don't know! Because that's not what he said. Today we look at mondegreens, those times we mishear lyrics or phrases in ways that completely change their meaning.

Encore: Place Name Showdown Mar 04, 2022

Horrors! As a result of some unforeseen circumstances, we're without a new episode this week. We're disappointed, too! But this does give us a chance to listen back to one of our favorite episodes (actually two of them, combined), from early 2020, which also contains some information that's very relevant to current global events. We really do apologize, and we'll be back in two weeks with a shiny new episode for your ears to enjoy.

A really, really, really hard quiz Feb 18, 2022

First we take a look at a survey of words that people think make other people sound smart, and then we tackle the most difficult word quiz we've ever had on the show. No, really, this is sorta nuts. Plus, some investing advice you should definitely NOT take.

We're in a Mood | YSIW Feb 04, 2022

If I were you, I'd hold on to my hat, because in this week's episode we're going to try to tackle the subjunctive mood! We're doing a lot of this under protest.

Driving Linguistic Change | YSIW Jan 21, 2022

Some listener emails prompted Kathy and Ross to take a look at the idea that women are the real drivers of innovation in language.

Get Thee Behind Me, 2021! | YSIW Jan 07, 2022

It's our annual airing of grievances, as we vent about the words we'd like to leave in the rear view mirror as we head into a new year. And fair warning: we get pretty petty!

The (Most Mispronounced) Words of the Year! | YSIW Dec 24, 2021

We wrap up 2021 with a look at the most mispronounced words of the year-- we don't even know what some of these things are, let alone how to say them!

A Grab Bag of Confusion | YSIW Dec 10, 2021

Prompted by some listener emails, we're returning to our bread and butter: words we accidentally use when we mean to use other words. It's confusable time!

Medial Cluster Reduction! | YSIW Nov 26, 2021

Medial cluster what now?? Come on, you know you want to hear this. It's something you're doing basically all the time...

Weird Origins of Everyday Phrases | YSIW Nov 12, 2021

We won't turn a blind eye if you get caught red-handed trying to steal our thunder, because today we're digging into the sometimes surprising, usually murky origins of phrases we use every day (and we want all the credit, darn it!).

Apostrophes? Who Needs 'Em?! | YSIW Oct 29, 2021

After our discussion of plurals in the last episode, we got to thinking about all the trouble apostrophes cause us, and Ross proposes a rather extreme solution.

Fun with plurals! | YSIW Oct 15, 2021

All sorts of fun with plurals today: what we get wrong when we try to use Latin plurals, the rules of English plurals, pluralizing compound words... Look out, our opinions on plurals are like a charging herd of rhinocerotes!

You're (Still) Spelling It Wrong Oct 01, 2021

We continue with our look at the most commonly misspelled words in the English language, as we dig into why it is we tend to spell them incorrectly, and the rules about why we spell them the way we do. And since this is English, we know rules are made to be broken!

You're Spelling It Wrong | YSIW Sep 17, 2021

Kathy and Ross challenge Fletcher to a spelling bee, as they tackle some of the English language's most commonly misspelled words and Fletcher immediately regrets bragging about how good he is at spelling.

Pretentious Confusables | YSIW Sep 03, 2021

Kathy, Ross & Fletcher dip back into their bag of commonly confused words with some particularly pretentious examples.

It's Time To Execute The Contronym Discussion | YSIW Aug 20, 2021

We continue with our discussion of contronyms by jumping into some seemingly simple words that turn out to have some complicated meanings. And the summer heat has made us a little loopy, which means we devolve into just a bit of toilet humor (PG-rated, of course), so... be warned!

Sanction? Oversight? Let's Have Fun With Some Contronyms | YSIW Aug 06, 2021

Do you trim the tree before you trim the tree? Do you have to dust after you dust a cake? Today we're looking at contronyms (or antagonyms, or enantiosemy, or Janus words, or...), those cases where a single word can have two completely opposite meanings.

Flapdoodle Words (Part 2: The Sequel) | YSIW Jul 23, 2021

Kathy, Ross & Fletcher explore a few more redundant words and phrases!

Flapdoodle Words Jul 08, 2021

This week, Kathy and Ross bring us a list of what they call "flapdoodle words," words that are redundant and just kind of junk things up. Or do they? Some of them might be kind of useful!

Some Good News! (And a Little Warning.) Jul 07, 2021

No more limits! All You're Saying It Wrong episodes will be available in one fell swoop!

We're Flat Fine With These Adverbs | YSIW Jun 25, 2021

Today, Kathy and Ross teach Fletcher about "flat adverbs," which look just like their adjective counterparts, but are still... adverbs. Think fast! Drive safe! Who needs that pesky -ly ending? Not these words.

It's The Wild West Out Here! | YSIW Jun 11, 2021

Today we take a big step back and answer a common listener question about exactly why we don't talk that much about "The Rules" of English. Spoiler: THERE AREN'T ANY! (Ok, we're kidding, there are some.)

Mailbag Day! Or, We Lay Waste (to) The English Language | YSIW May 28, 2021

We dip into some listener questions, including one about our recent "reflexive pronouns" discussion and one that has us revisit a topic from an earlier episode and that whole lie/lay/laid/lain confusion. Spoiler: Bob Dylan and Eric Clapton are both wrong!

A Return To Blipover Words | YSIW May 14, 2021

We're returning to one of our favorite topics: words we sometimes use without really knowing what they mean, or words we see that we just kind of skim past because we aren't totally sure what they mean — "Blipover words," as Ross calls them. You know, words you see and just sort of "blip" over. And boy oh boy, some of these even we have a hard time getting a handle on. Plus: guest appearances by Bob Dylan, Alanis Morissette and Yoda.

Taking Selfies | YSIW Apr 30, 2021

Cue up De La Soul, today we're talking "Me, Myself, and I!" Fletcher tries to wrap his head around reflexive pronouns and gets a remedial grammar lesson, and we all try not to have an identity crisis. Who am I, anyway?

We Are Loath (Loathe?) To Confuse These Words | YSIW Apr 16, 2021

After Fletcher vents his rage about a word he's starting to hear being misused more and more often, and then Kathy and Ross answer a listener question about the phrase "out of sorts" (what the heck are sorts?), we jump back into our trip through the commonly confused alphabet with the letters L and M. Things get pretty dark.

We're Incredulous That These Words Are Confused | YSIW Apr 02, 2021

We return to our trip through the alphabet of commonly confused words, picking up with the letter "F", maybe skipping a few that are boring, and heading on through the letter "J". We'd say we avoid tangents this time, but we all know that's not true. Also, Kathy and Ross take on a listener question that Fletcher just can't wrap his head around.

A Word Or Two About Portmanteaus | YSIW Mar 19, 2021

Grab your two favorite words, smoosh 'em up together, and you got yourself a portmanteau! After Fletcher gets over some initial confusion, Kathy and Ross challenge him to figure out which words make up their favorite portmanteaus. Humpty Dumpty would be so proud...

Words We D-E-F-initely Confuse | YSIW Mar 05, 2021

We continue our trip through the alphabet of commonly confused words as we tackle the letters D, E, and F... or that's the plan anyway, sometimes we get a little sidetracked...

Tossing Words Around Willy-Nilly | YSIW Feb 19, 2021

This episode we'll dig into some words (and one punctuation mark!) that we toss around willy-nilly that maybe we don't totally, completely understand, and that we sometimes count on other people not understanding, either. Plus, a listener email makes Fletcher want to revisit "begs the question" to learn where such a strange phrase came from in the first place.

More Fun With Fossils! | YSIW Feb 05, 2021

Today, we're digging up some fossil words! To wit: We'll wade through the flotsam and jetsam of words that have lost all their meaning to us except in very specific circumstances. So batten down the hatches! We wouldn't want to give this topic short shrift.

The ABCs Of Confused Words | YSIW Jan 22, 2021

We start with a quick lightning round of the most mispronounced names of 2020, followed by a TRIPLE redundancy from a listener, and then we'll tackle some of the most commonly confused word pairs in English... but only the ones that start with A, B, or C. Otherwise we'd be here forever.

Redundant Language Redundancies | YSIW Jan 08, 2021

Prompted by a listener email about pet peeves, we'll look at redundant phrases people use every day, and talk about how sometimes redundancy... can be good?

Innovate Your Way Into Some Jargon Solutions | YSIW Dec 25, 2020

It's time for the airing of grievances! We'll toss around our least favorite examples of business jargon and PR puffery—it's a good, old-fashioned gripe session for Christmas.

Food! Glorious Food! (Part 2) | YSIW Dec 11, 2020

We dig into the second half of our holiday feast with some pasta, hot and cold soups, ancient grains, and even a little digestif. Plus, we'll take another dip into jus... or au jus, as the case may be. Bon appetit!

Food! Glorious Food! (Part 1) | YSIW Nov 27, 2020

It's a cornucopia of delights! A feast for the... mouth? Ears? Whatever words are a feast for. We'll scarf down a Brazilian berry, a flaky French treat, and some delicious little potato pastas, while trying not to get yelled at by our Greek waiter. How exactly do you say all of these delicacies?

When Bad Words... Turn Good! | YSIW Nov 13, 2020

This time out we're going to get nice and cute and have a little fun with some words that were born on the wrong side of the tracks, but found the path to redemption.

Origin Stories | YSIW Oct 30, 2020

Horse jumping, goats fighting hedgehogs, rude fruit-related gestures... today we look at some of the most surprising and exciting word origins we can think of.

Egregious Errors: The Master Class Oct 16, 2020

We're continuing on from the last episode's fun and games, but the difficulty is ramping up!

Eight Egregious Errors | YSIW Oct 02, 2020

Well, actually Nine Egregious Errors, but Eight looks better, and one of them isn't really THAT bad. We'll look at some of the most common language mistakes, even in major publications, that might make your eyes pop out of your head. But... are they really a big deal?

When Good Words Go Bad | YSIW Sep 18, 2020

Find out what happens when perfectly nice words fall in with the wrong crowd...

The Ambiguity Of 'OK' | YSIW Aug 28, 2020

OK, the time has come to talk about OK, OK? OK!

No, yeah! Yeah... no. | YSIW Aug 14, 2020

They're just two small, simple words. But when you put them together... all bets are off.

Haplology: Why We Drop Sounds |YSIW Jul 31, 2020

"She was probly at interpetive dance class at the libry that Febuary fifteenth."No? No good? Try saying it out loud...

50 Never Sounded Better | YSIW Jul 17, 2020

It's our 50th podcast extravaganza! We'll talk about the current bête noire of the language world, "irregardless", as well as other redundancies and ways language may be changing for better or worse. Plus, a hodgepodge (or mishmash, or olio, or potpourri, take your pick) of listener pet peeves and whatever else might be on our minds. We can do what we want, we're 50 now.

The Warmth Of The Athletic Hamster | YSIW Jul 03, 2020

"The Warmth of the Athletic Hamster."

Homonyms, Heterographys & Polysemes... Oh My | YSIW Jun 19, 2020

Grab some aspirin and try to wrap your head around the sloppy Venn diagram of homonyms, homophones, homographs, heteronyms, heterographs, polysemes... confused yet? So are we...

Is Beauty In The Ear Of The Beholder? | YSIW Jun 05, 2020

Why do some words sound pleasing while others feel ugly? Listen along as Kathy, Ross, and Fletcher try to work out: Is beauty in the ear of the beholder?

Do Words Mean How They Sound? | YSIW May 22, 2020

Do you have a smile that gleams and glistens and glows? Does the snot in your snout make you sneeze? Was that a slimy slug that just slithered by? Wait a minute—it seems like there's something going on here...

Let's Have Fun With Latin (Said Nobody Ever) | YSIW May 08, 2020

Two weeks ago, we had so much fun with French phrases, we figured, "why not do Latin?" Fletcher has some thoughts about why not to do Latin.

French Phrases: Les Dites-Vous Mal? | YSIW Apr 24, 2020

Is the entire French language Kathy's bête noire? Will Fletcher come up with le mot juste? Or will this whole thing just fill Ross with ennui? La partie commence!

Brought To You By The Letter 'Q' | YSIW Apr 10, 2020

This episode brought to you by the letter "Q." Well, "Qu." Because we don't know any English words that just start with "Q."

Shibboleth Names You'd Better Get Right | YSIW Mar 27, 2020

Artists, philosophers, movers and shakers—you'd better get these names right or you might be found out as a fraud.

Words In The News | YSIW Mar 13, 2020

This week we're looking at words we hear a lot, that may have some pretty hazy definitions, or may have ceased to have any meaning at all — including (appropriately) pandemic, socialist, and fascist. Also, well, Fletcher's not exactly himself this week.

Crazy Spellings | YSIW Feb 28, 2020

Prompted by a listener question, we look at words we have no business pronouncing correctly but that we do anyway. Choir, colonel, phlegm, island... where did these crazy spellings come from, anyway? Also, Ross enlightens us on the joys of, um, "borborygm."

The Same, But Different | YSIW Feb 16, 2020

Do you like to enjoy a soda... or a pop? Do you put on your sneakers... or your tennis shoes? This time out, we talk about how we talk about the same things in different ways. And you'll never guess what they call a milkshake in Rhode Island (no, seriously, you'll never guess it).

YSIW: Place Name Showdown! (Part 2) Jan 31, 2020

The thrilling conclusion of our Place Name Showdown — will Fletcher hang on to his early lead and emerge victorious? What kind of devious traps have Kathy and Ross set? And we'll circle all the way back around to Peking duck...and another dish with a name we may need to rethink.

YSIW: Place Name Showdown! (Part 1) Jan 17, 2020

Kathy, Ross, and Fletcher face off to see who's tops at pronouncing unusually named cities, countries, and regions from around the world. Who will emerge as the champion pronouncer? Grab a pen and paper and play along to see if you can beat the experts!

Much Ado About Shakespeare | YSIW Jan 03, 2020

"Abate the edge of traitors...That would reduce these bloudy daies again."

Merry, Gentlemen? Even Dickens Got It Wrong | YSIW Dec 20, 2019

God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen

We're Talking Politics! (Poli-talk?) | YSIW Dec 06, 2019

We're talking politics! (Sort of.) Mayoral, electoral, gubernatorial (where the heck does that one come from?)... and Ross pulls a word from waaaaay out in left field.

A Little More German | YSIW Nov 22, 2019

We're back to German this episode, but we've got some serious language wanderlust. We'll start with realpolitik, hop over to doppelganger, try to rank weltschmerz vs. ennui vs. angst, take a whole lot of detours and try to talk our way through some questions we have, and also chat a bit about... spare ribs?

I Know A Little German | YSIW Nov 08, 2019

Schadenfreude, weltschmerz, zeitgeist, sturm und drang... whatever it is, German's probably got a word for it.

Digging Up Some Fossil Words | YSIW Oct 25, 2019

In this episode of You're Saying It Wrong, we're talking about "fossil words," words that aren't used anymore except in idioms or very specific contexts, like "ado," "dudgeon," and "petard." And we broaden into words that are dying or might be dying in the future.

Prefixes Leave Us Plussed | YSIW Oct 10, 2019

Can we be combobulated? Or gruntled? Not Fletcher. He's been disgruntled and discombobulated thinking about this subject for a long time.

Did 'They' Say It Wrong? | YSIW Sep 27, 2019

Merriam-Webster just added to their definition of the word "they" to indicate it's being used as a non-binary gender pronoun. We happen to think that the singular "they" is excellent. As did Shakespeare and Ben Jonson. In fact, the singular "they" can be traced back to 1375.

Precision In Language | YSIW Sep 13, 2019

In this episode, Fletcher, Kathy & Ross talk about precision in language: why it's good, why it's bad, why we like it, and why we sometimes just need to let it go.

Which-Hunting: Throwing Out The Rules! | YSIW Aug 30, 2019

OK, lotsa complicated stuff this time.

Do-Gooders | YSIW Aug 16, 2019

Here's a question for you: How are you?

When It Comes To Hypercorrectiveness, Woe Are We | YSIW Aug 02, 2019

In this episode, we're talking about using "I" vs. "me" in a sentence ("between you and I" or "between you and me"), who vs. whom, and how people "hypercorrect" and work so hard to get things right that they go too far and end up getting them wrong.

Strong Verbs! | YSIW Jul 19, 2019

"Last night I lay down my book and sunk into a deep sleep."

So... | YSIW Jul 05, 2019

So... why do begin sentences this way? Is it OK? In this episode we take a deep dive into the use (or misuse?) of this little word.

An Avalanche Of Eggcorns! | YSIW Jun 21, 2019

It's an avalanche of eggcorns! Good eggcorns, bad eggcorns, eggcorns it's OK to use, eggcorns you should avoid altogether, and even one eggcorn that's maybe a little bit NSFW.

You're Saying It... Right? | YSIW Jun 07, 2019

In this episode we're talking about things you actually probably get right. But you get them right without realizing what you're doing.

We've Entered A Language Penumbra | YSIW May 24, 2019

This episode, we're back to words you might think you know, but that you just might be using incorrectly — brought to you by the letter "P".

With These Words, Maybe We Shouldn't Try | YSIW May 10, 2019

Sometimes there are words that really don't mean what they look like they mean. And to avoid confusion, it's probably best you just don't use them.

It's Time For A Little Housekeeping | YSIW Apr 26, 2019

Now that we have 17 episodes behind us, it's time for a little housekeeping. No, we're not debating the pronunciation of the word "housekeeping," but instead are cleaning up a few odds and ends, answering questions raised from recent episodes.

Sufferin' Succotash! The Tricky Double 'C' | YSIW Apr 12, 2019

Fletcher turned the tables on Kathy and Ross and selected a word for them in this episode. How do you say flaccid? Or succinct? How about accessory? Those double 'c' words are becoming tricky!

Hyperbole & The Magic 'E'| YSIW Mar 29, 2019

On this episode of You're Saying It Wrong, Kathy and Ross explain the notion of the magic "e". Does that "e" have anything to do to hyperbole, epitome, Hermione, and Aphrodite? And speaking of Aphrodite, why does hermaphrodite — the combination of Hermes and Aphrodite — play by different rules?

When 'Jive' Doesn't 'Jibe' In Language | YSIW Mar 15, 2019

In this episode of You're Saying It Wrong, Kathy, Ross and Fletcher discuss jibe vs. jive. They also look at the origins and connotations of "jive" from the 1920s to today.

It's Your Prerogative, But You're Saying It Wrong. Mar 01, 2019

In this episode of You're Saying It Wrong, Kathy, Ross and Fletcher discuss prerogative and other examples of metathesis (switching letters or sounds around in a word) like prescription, foliage and cavalry.

Tortuous Conversations Are Torturous | YSIW Feb 15, 2019

In this episode of You're Saying It Wrong, we focus on "confusable words," also sometimes called "paronyms": words that look and/or sound very similar to each other but have different meanings.

Wait. It's Not 'Spitting Image'? | YSIW Feb 01, 2019

This episode is a bit of a departure for us. Instead of a specific word we tend to say wrong, Kathy and Ross present Fletcher with groups of words we say wrong. (That theme is still the same.)

Rule Breakers | YSIW Jan 18, 2019

It's probably obvious that we love rules at You're Saying It Wrong. So it's equally unnerving and thrilling when we get to break them. In this episode we're dealing with split infinitives, ending sentences with prepositions, and trying to "Latinize" English — all rules we are allowed to break!

Clapboard: Say vs. Spell | YSIW Jan 04, 2019

Do you pronounce things the way they're spelled rather than the way they're actually pronounced? This issue of "spelling pronunciation" was raised when Kathy and Ross sent the word clapboard to Fletcher. Which brought up other words like waistcoat, blackguard, and forehead. Has there been a shift toward (or towards, if you fall in that camp) spelling pronunciation?

Octopus x 2 = ? | YSIW Dec 21, 2018

In this episode, we talk about a lot of different words and how to pluralize them, but the specific question Kathy and Ross asked of our host, Fletcher Powell: "How do you say the plural of octopus?"

Is Pronunciation Your Forte? | YSIW Dec 07, 2018

Something that a person can do well or a strong ability is called a forte, which is this week's word. You know the definition, but are you saying it wrong?

When In Gotham... | YSIW Nov 23, 2018

Location, location, location. It's important in real estate, and often it determines pronunciation. Especially when the word is a place. This week's word is Gotham. How do you say it?

Bruschetta. How Do You Say It? | YSIW Nov 09, 2018

We're back to food in this episode! (We do love to eat.) This week's word is bruschetta. How do you say it?

And Speaking Of Segue... | YSIW Oct 26, 2018

Have you ever experienced an uninterrupted transition from one piece of music or film scene to another?

Draught: Are You Saying It Wrong? Oct 12, 2018

Welcome back to You're Saying It Wrong, the podcast!

Sherbet: Are You Saying It Wrong? Sep 28, 2018

This is You're Saying It Wrong, the podcast! If you listened past the credits of episodes 1 and 2, you know that Fletcher is good about tagging on "one more thing" to each podcast. Episode 3 is no exception.

Comptroller: Are You Saying It Wrong? Sep 14, 2018

We're back! Welcome to Episode 2 of You're Saying It Wrong, the podcast!

Moët. Are You Saying It Wrong? Aug 31, 2018

If you're looking for the inaugural episode of the You're Saying It Wrong podcast, you've found it! In this episode, our host, Fletcher Powell, will introduce us to our language experts, sister and brother team Kathryn Petras and Ross Petras, who literally wrote the book on the subject: You're Saying It Wrong. (We stole the title, which is fine, because we stole them, too.)

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