SUMMARYShadowdabbled. Moon-blanched. Augusttremulous. William Faulkner often used odd adjectives like these. But why? Grant and Martha discuss the poetic effects of compressed language. Also, African-American proverbs, classic children's books, pore vs. pour, and the double meaning of the word sanction.FULL DETAILSAmid the stacks of new titles at the library ... Show More
Nov 24
Deep Fried Air (Rebroadcast) - 24 November 2025
Eels, orts, and Wordle! Sweden awarded its most prestigious literary award to a book about . . . eels. The Book of Eels reveals the mysterious life cycle of this sea creature and its significance for famous figures from Aristotle to Sigmund Freud. Plus, what's an ort? It's the ... Show More
53m 45s
Nov 17
No Bones - 17 November 2025
Whippoorwills, bob whites, and chickadees. How do we decide the names of birds and what to call their calls? Plus, the last syllables of Arkansas and Kansas are pronounced differently, but they come from the same etymological root. And: What’s the best word to describe your relat ... Show More
53m 45s
May 2024
How Can We Be More Effective With Language?
Have you ever wondered what’s up with double negation, the history of gender neutral pronouns, or why swearing is taboo? Then get ready for this week’s guest, linguist Anne Curzan! Anne and Jonathan talk about how the English language has evolved since the 1300s and how our words ... Show More
53m 20s
May 2024
Words, coffee, and urban planning: Eli Burnstein on the Dictionary of Fine Distinctions
<p>984. This week, we talk about the subtle differences between words such as "stock" or "broth," "street" or "boulevard," "maze" or "labyrinth" and more with Eli Burnstein, author of "The Dictionary of Fine Distinctions." Confusion about colors got him started on this path, but ... Show More
26m 33s
Nov 2022
Why Today's 'Thank You' Is Different from an Ancient 'Thank You.' Gerunds.
<p>902. Language reflects culture, so it's no surprise that giving thanks hundreds of years ago was different from giving thanks today. We have the fascinating history. Plus, since "Thanksgiving" is a gerund, we looked at all the interesting things you can do with gerunds in gene ... Show More
16m 58s
Jul 2017
88: When we're done, we'll know a panoply of words.
The words for today are: Spectrum, Rejoinder, Panoply, Verbose. Today's quote is from Margaret Atwood, Oryx and Crake. “When any civilization is dust and ashes," he said, "art is all that's left over. Images, words, music. Imaginative structures. Meaning—human meaning, that is—is ... Show More
15m 46s
Aug 2023
Hilarious typos (and how to avoid them). Why do we 'take' a walk?
<p>941. Whether you've been betrayed by autocorrect or your own fingers, almost everyone has made embarrassing typos. Even the Bible isn't immune: typos led to an old version called the "Sinners Bible"! We have more hilarious examples and, better yet, some tips to help you catch ... Show More
16m 56s