ShowSegments

These are discrete parts, or segments, of whole episodes from the radio show A Way with Words. Each episode has about ten to 15 segments. If you click on segment names, you should find a playable audio file where you can listen to just that segment without having to seek through a whole episode.

Ride or Die Origins and Meaning

Patrick in New York City is curious about the term ride or die, which describes a friend, fan, or romantic partner who is devoted to the end. The expression shows up in the mid-1990s in hip hop and the work of Tupac Shakur and The Lox, and often...

Slang Collected by the Railway Carload

Steve, a singer-songwriter from Rock Springs, Wyoming, shares some slang he picked up while months riding the rails and busking. Spanging refers to panhandling, from asking for “spare change.” The term bull refers to a type of security...