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

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Words of the Year 2007 - 24 Dec. 2007 Dec 24, 2007

Show notes

In this episode, Grant offers peek at some expressions he’s nominating for the American Dialect Society’s Word of the Year vote in January. Will it be “w00t,” “subprime,” or something else?

Hear hundreds of free episodes and learn more on the A Way with Words website: https://waywordradio.org. Be a part of the show: call or text 1 (877) 929-9673 toll-free in the United States and Canada; elsewhere in the world, call or text +1 619 800 4443. Send voice notes or messages via WhatsApp 16198004443. Email words@waywordradio.org. Copyright Wayword, Inc., a 501(c)(3) corporation.

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Howdy, It's a Wit's War! - 26 Nov. 2007 Nov 26, 2007

Show notes

A Way with Words is starting a brand-new season! Find out what a motorcyclist wears to keep from getting sunburned– is it a do-rag or a dew-rag? A listener wonders “Why is an undesirable task called a g-job?” Martha shares a trick for remembering the answer to that perennial question: Does a comma go inside or outside of quotation marks? Also, the origin of pinkie, podsnicker, the name for a society ruled by children, and a recap of 2007—in limericks!

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Grant: Nosy Parkers and Butternuts - 20 Nov. 2007 Nov 21, 2007

Show notes

Grant goes through the mailbag, offering answers about the terms “nosy parker,” “out of pocket,” and about whether the word “falsehood” has its origins in medieval garb. He also throws a question out to listeners about what is supposedly a mild British oath, “butternut!”

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Martha and Grant: Points on a Compass, the Saga Continues Nov 14, 2007

Show notes

Remember Tom, the guy who’s still trying to recall a word he insists he learned long ago meaning “the points on a compass”? That call generated a boatload of proposed answers from listeners. But one response stood out above all the others, so Martha and Grant go back to Tom for a third time with what they hope is the right answer.

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Martha and Grant: The Blue Bark Mystery - 7 Nov. 2007 Nov 08, 2007

Show notes

A caller asks a delicate question about the phrase “blue bark shipment,” a term involving the transport of deceased members of the military. Martha and Grant discuss this puzzling expression and the challenge of tracking down its origins, and then put out a call to listeners. Do you know the origin of the term?

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Martha and Grant: Let's Blow This Joint - 31 Oct. 2007 Oct 31, 2007

Show notes

A caller sends Grant and Martha off on a slang-infested trip about ways of saying a fast good-bye. Listen as they blow pop, popcorn, and taco stands by way of author Jim Harrison, the comic strip Funky Winkerbean, and a Warhol hanger-on.

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Grant: Dangerous Books You Should Read - 24 Oct. 2007 Oct 24, 2007

Show notes

Discover the joys (and temptations!) of two new books of collected wisdom: “The Yale Book of Quotations” edited by Fred Shapiro, and James Geary’s “Guide to the World’s Great Aphorists.” Grant explains why leafing through such books can be rewarding—but hazardous to your time management.

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Martha and Grant: Hey, That's Mine! - 17 Oct. 2007 Oct 17, 2007

Show notes

When you were a child and wanted to lay claim to something, what did you say? Did you call “dibs”? Or “hosey” it? A caller is curious about another verb used in such situations: “finnie.” Grant explains this word’s meaning and origin.

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Martha: Appalachian Cackleberries - 10 Oct. 2007 Oct 10, 2007

Show notes

Martha reminisces about her family’s mountain roots while dipping into the delicious vocabulary of Southernisms found in The Dictionary of Smoky Mountain English. When ya’ll listen to this one, you’ll find out what a “cackleberry” is — and why you don’t want to drink milk that’s “blinky.”

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Martha: The Love Dimple - 3 Oct. 2007 Oct 03, 2007

Show notes

What's the name for that little dent in your upper lip? It's called a philtrum. Martha reveals the erotic origins of this word, and proves once again that etymology is nothing if not sexy.

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