359 GG Do You Tell People to Pound Sand ...

1179. This week, we talk to Valerie Fridland, a linguist and professor who grew up in Memphis surrounded by Southern accents and now researches the history and social power of speech. We look at her new book, "Why We Talk Funny: The Real Story Behind Our Accents," which explores ... Show More

1178. Do you cringe when someone says "Hopefully, he'll pass the test"? This week, we look at why "hopefully" as a sentence adverb has been controversial for decades, even though the Associated Press accepted it in 2012, and it's been common since the 1930s. Then, we look at xeno ... Show More

1177. This week, we look at behind-the-scenes of being a curator at Harvard's Houghton Library with John Overholt. We look at why 18th-century paper is surprisingly tough, how John managed the high-stakes transport of a George Washington book, and why curators actually prefer bar ... Show More

Idioms 

Idioms 

<p>An idiom is a phrase that you can't guess the meaning to if you haven't heard it before. These are some useful ones that anyone learning English should know. (To see them written out, check the YouTube version of this episode!)</p> 

Learn an English expression about being polite. 

Weird or weird? English spelling is fascinating – but it's not always straightforward! 

In today’s lesson you will listen to one English dialogue and learn 2 new English idioms. The two idioms are &quot;Catch his eye&quot; and &quot;Catch red-handed&quot;. These English idioms will enhance your ability to properly use advanced English idioms. This lesson will help y ... Show More

Learn an English expression with bite!