In today’s lesson you’re going to hear the story of the creator of Jingle Bells, his questionable character and we’ll go through the lyrics of the song so if you want to sing it in English, you can. This is Part 2. In Part 1, we spoke about the common English expression Bells and Whistles.
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In December of 1965, a spacecraft called Gemini 6 was flying ... Show More
Feb 25
207 - Expression: In a Sticky Situation
In this engaging (and slightly sticky) episode, we explore the common American English idiom “to be in a sticky situation.” After a real-life kitchen disaster involving spilled honey, we break down what the expression means, where it comes from (it dates back over 200 years!), an ... Show More
19m 42s
Feb 18
⭐ Feature: Hangry, Bromance & Spam: Everyday Portmanteaus with Liz!
In this playful and spontaneous episode, Liz and I play a fast-paced guessing game using common English portmanteaus—words created by blending two others together. From hangry and bromance to Spam and chillax, we break down their meanings, origins, and how Americans actually use ... Show More
26m 44s
Feb 11
206 - Let's Talk about Hair! (with Julia)
In this cozy winter episode, Shana is snowed in with her daughters on the East Coast after a big snowstorm. While it looks like a magical winter wonderland outside, things feel a little chaotic inside the house. Then Julia, who's seven, decides she wants to be a guest on the podc ... Show More
22m 24s
Oct 2023
Space Cadet (Rebroadcast) - 9 October 2023
We have books for language-lovers and recommendations for history buffs. • How did the word boondoggle come to denote a wasteful project? The answer involves the Boy Scouts, a baby, a craft project, and a city council meeting. • Instead of reversing just individual letters, some ... Show More
53m 45s
Sep 2018
Sweet Dreams (Rebroadcast) - 24 September 2018
In deafening workplaces, like sawmills and factories, workers develop their own elaborate sign language to discuss everything from how their weekend went to when the boss is on his way. Plus, English speakers borrowed the words lieutenant and precipice from French, and made some ... Show More
53m 45s
Jul 2022
Excuse the Hogs - 11 July 2022
When a teenager went a week without talking as part of a school project, he noticed a surprising side effect: Instead of rehearsing a response to what other people were saying to him, he was focused on listening — and feeling smarter as a result. Plus, a flight attendant is irrit ... Show More
53m 45s
Jul 2020
#2 | Labels, Layers and Late-night Loots
<p>En este episodio, Bree, nos cuenta una historia sobre dejar ir los prejuicios y etiquetas, aprender a vivir en el extranjero y descubrir que tus vecinos no son necesariamente quienes crees que son.<br/><br/>Nivel: intermedio a intermedio alto<br/>Acento: inglés canadiense<br/> ... Show More
13m 6s
Sep 2023
E76: Trinidad general strike, part 2
Second of a double podcast episode about the Trinidad general strike of 1937, in conversation with Ryan Cecil Jobson.
Our podcast is brought to you by our patreon supporters. Our supporters fund our work, and in return get exclusive early access to podcast episodes, ad-free episo ... Show More
34m 43s