When it comes to joining Facebook affinity groups, grammar lovers have lots of choices. Take, for example, the group whose motto is "Punctuation saves lives." It's called "Let's Eat Grandma!" or "Let's eat, Grandma!" Martha and Grant talk about their favorite tongue-in-cheek Facebook groups for grammar lovers. Also this week: when to use apostrophes, whether to distinguish between bring and take, and the difference between a murphy and a wedgie.
This episode first aired March 13, 2010.
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Facebook Groups for Word-Lovers
Martha and Grant share some favorite Facebook groups:
Ambrose Bierce was the baddest-ass lexicographer who ever lived.
I judge you when you use poor grammar.
What Are A Grammar?
People Who Always Have To Spell Their Names For Other People
Of course, you can also find A Way with Words on Facebook.
Filking
Ever notice how you can sing the lyrics of "Amazing Grace" to the theme from "Gilligan's Island"—or for that matter, to "The House of the Rising Sun"? Turns out there are many more examples of this. Is there a word for this musical phenomenon? (Did you know Garrison Keillor can sing "Amazing Grace" to theme song of The Mickey Mouse Club.)
Fits and Starts
A Connecticut listener says her Generation Y friends make fun of her when she describes something happening in fits and starts. Is it that antiquated a phrase? Where does it come from, anyway?
Famous Trios Quiz
Quiz Guy Greg Pliska has a quiz about famous trios. Try this one: "Steve Martin, Martin Short, and ___________?"
Mad Props
If someone gives you crazy props or mad props, they're congratulating you. A Chicago college student wants to know what props means in this context.
Bring vs. Take
What's the difference between bring and take?
Terms for Wedgies
When someone grabs your underwear from behind and gives it a good, vertical yank, it's called a wedgie. A caller knows that term, but wonders whether and how a wedgie differs from a murphy or a melvin.
Rhyming Verb and Noun Phrases
Grant quizzes Martha about the meaning of several rhyming verb and noun phrases: cuff and stuff, the cherries and blueberries, chew and screw, eat it and beat it, and flap and zap.
Nails on a Chalkboard
A Lawrenceville, Georgia, woman wonders: If chalkboards go the way of the buggy whip, what simile will replace the expression "nails on a chalkboard"?
Bow-Chicka-Wow-Wow
Grant answers a listener's email question about the meaning of the musical phrase chicky-wah-wah.
Hoarfrost
A caller from Veroqua, Wisconsin, is fascinated by hoarfrost and wonders about the origin of its name. Grant explains its relation to the English term hoary.
Names Ending in "X"
The mother of a boy named Hendrix wonders how to punctuate the possessive of his name. Should she add an apostrophe or apostrophe with an "s"? Hendrix' or Hendrix's?
This episode is hosted by Martha Barnette and Grant Barrett, and produced by Stefanie Levine.
Photo by Jenny Downing. Used under a Creative Commons license.
Music Used in the Broadcast
| Title | Artist | Album | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| You've Made Me So Very Happy | O'Donel Levy | Killer Jazz Funk From The Groove Merchant Vault | LRC Ltd |
| Step One | Jimmy McGriff | Step One | Solid State |
| Nose Job | James Brown | Ain't It Funky Now | King Records |
| Easter Parade | Jimmy McGriff | Step One | Solid State |
| Theme From Shaft | Isaac Hayes | Shaft: Music From The Soundtrack | Stax |
| Let’s Call The Whole Thing Off | Ella Fitzgerald | Ella Fitzgerald Ella Fitzgerald Sings The George and Ira Gershwin Song Book | Verve |
There is a comedian, Bob Rivers, who specializes in putting new lyrics on familiar tunes. I especially remember a couple Christmas albums with songs such "O Little Town of Bethleham" sung to to "The House of the Rising Sun" and "I Am Santa Clause" to the tune of "I Am Ironman" and "Walkin' 'Round In Women's Underwear" to "Winter Wonderland"
Grant Barrett said:
Ever notice how you can sing the lyrics of "Amazing Grace" to the theme from "Gilligan's Island"—or for that matter, to "The House of the Rising Sun"? Turns out there are many more examples of this. Is there a word for this musical phenomenon? (Did you know Garrison Keillor can sing "Amazing Grace" to theme song of The Mickey Mouse Club.)
Peter Schickele, creator of PDQ Bach and erstwhile host of "Schickele Mix", could sing Robert Frost's "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" to the tune of the tango classic "Hernando's Hideaway".
I was on a music team for a weekend spiritual retreat, and we decided among ourselves that we were not going to use the traditional tune for Amazing Grace, so we were trying to think of other tunes that would fit: House of the Rising Sun, Gilligan's Island, the Coke song ("I'd like to teach the world to sing"), Joy to the World, It Came upon a Midnight Clear (which I like because it fittingly shifts to minor chords right at the "dangers, toils and snares" line)...
One of the leaders came over to see what we were doing, looked at our list, then asked, "How come no one ever sings 'House of the Rising Sun' to the tune of 'Gilligan's Island'? (I almost burst out laughing.)
sing one song to the tune of another - I don't know if there is a word for exactly that, but it is based on meter, that is, the number of syllables in each line. For example, Amazing Grace is 8.6.8.6., also known as Common Meter. You can read the Wiki article at .