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We recommend books that make great gifts for language lovers, talk about footwear called go-aheads, and look further into going commando. Also, was the 2008 election a historic event or an historic event?
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The second edition of the Oxford American Writer's Thesaurus is chock-full of synonyms, of course, but what makes it special are the essays and usage notes by authors such as Simon Winchester, David Lehman, Zadie Smith, and David Foster Wallace. Grant talks about his experience working as an editor on this volume and what David Foster Wallace taught him about language.
We all know that the 2008 presidential election was historic. But was it a historic event or an historic event?
The story goes that hemlines rise and fall with the stock market. If that's the case, then we hope it's not long before we're all hearing people exclaim, "Why, that skirt is almost up to possible!" An Iowa listener recalls that when she was a teen, her granny used that phrase when tsk-tsking about the length of her granddaughter's miniskirt.
In an earlier episode, we speculated about the origin of the phrase go commando, which means to go without underwear. We suggested that it was somehow associated with being "tough as a commando," gritting one's teeth through the attendant chafing. But a listener who served as an infantryman in Vietnam has a different take. After a comrade suggested he "go commando," he discovered that opting out of his army-issued boxer shorts actually made him more comfortable in the tropical heat. We love these firsthand reports about language, so keep 'em coming.
We welcome back the other half of our clopping Clydesdale team of Quiz Guys, Greg Pliska. This week, Greg hauls in some limericks in honor of the year 2008. As you might expect, his Odes to '08 cover everything from the ridiculous to the subprime.
You hear about political groups canvassing for votes. But why canvas? We talk about the possible origins of this word, and the connection between the cannabis and the material known as canvas.
There's the late CNN broadcaster William Headline, the preacher named James God, and the physician named Dr. Hurt. Names like these that match the person's profession are called aptronyms or aptonyms. We talk about the man who coined the term aptronym, and toss in a few more examples. Have a favorite aptronym from your own experience? Tell us about it in the discussion forum.
Here's a question more and more same-sex couples face when starting a family: What names will our child call us? "Mommy and Mama"? "Mommy and Jane?" Maybe a made-up name? An Ohio woman and her female partner are contemplating having a baby, but can't decide which parental names to use.
This week's Slang This! contestant from the National Puzzlers' League, is an actress from New York City. In this hospital-themed quiz, she tries to guess the meaning of the terms sillysoma, fascinoma, happy meal, and code brown.
Slap, slap, slap, slap—the sound of flip-flops on your feet. These floppy-soled shoes go by other names like zoris and thongs, but a caller wonders why in some parts of the country they're called go-aheads.
You have a pair of gloves, and there are two of them; you have a pair of shoes, and there are two; a pair of socks, and there's one for each foot, right? So why do we have a pair of jeans when it's only one item?
Finally today, Martha and Grant talk about two books they love to recommend as gifts: Idiom's Delight by Suzanne Brock, and Karma Wilson's book for children, Bear Snores On, illustrated by Jane Chapman. (Idiom's Delight is out of print, but you can find copies online at places like Alibris.com.)
I have always interpreted the definition of canvassing a neighborhood, from the context, as "covering", as in a canvas drop cloth. So "we've canvassed that area" would be similar to "we have covered that area." I believe the term is used to denote a police investigation or search, like casting a net over an area.
Thanks for these stories about "possible," ya'll. And be sure to check out Matt's similar story in a different thread.
Mona tried to post this but had a problem:
Back in the early 80's, I worked on a medical floor in a hospital. One of my duties was to give bedbaths to my elderly female patients. On occaision, when it was time to wash the "private" area, they would say to me, "Oh I'll take care of possible." Being only 18 years old, I was clueless to what they were referring, I asked some of the veteran nurses on the staff what "possible" was. They laughed and said, well, you know, sometimes it's possible and sometimes it's not possible. So, there you go. "Possible" in the form of a noun.
Mona
I just heard your discussion on a historic moment, and it is funny. I have heard this discussion on two different shows in recent history.:-) You both mentioned that it was across in Britain that there is the silent h but, some of your neighbours to the the north also do this.
I have lived in several regions in Canada and was taught that with a silent h you precede the h with an and if it isn't silent you use a. Another word pronounced in some Canadian areas with a silent h is hour, of course in many Newfoundland regions the h is dropped in one place to be added in another, thus ham and eggs becomes, 'am and heggs.
One final note I love listening tou your show and learning about words, one of my favourite books in my youth was "The Joy of Lex"
Regarding “a†vs. “an†preceding a word beginning with the letter “hâ€, in the mid and late 1950s my mother was a(n) high school English teacher (meaning she taught the language, spelling, literature and writing class, not that she taught the English language). Naturally, she drilled the Rules into me as I was growing up. Things like “i before e except after c†or that adverbs, telling how or why must always end in “lyâ€.
One of the rules she taught in the local high school here in southern California, and drilled into me at home, was “an†was correct when preceding a word beginning with the letter “hâ€. I recall no exceptions to this rule, no matter how awkward it might sound. All my life (I'm in my mid 60s) I've written “an happy person†even if I would speak “A happy person". It was The English Teacher's Law.
My mother used to jokingly refer to these types of baths as "whore's baths" when in private, but in public would refer to them as the more politically correct "bird baths".
As far as canvas goes, it was always my interpretation of "canvassing an area" was in reference to the way an artists canvas is stretched to cover the frame, not only to the edge, but even around the back which really means it is covered. This might have also derived from canvas boats which needed to be covered completely (no holes at all) in order to maintain its watertight integrity. These make far more sense to me than the offerings on the podcast, even though they are probably more correct. As I stated I have nothing to offer for proof.
Regarding the pair of jeans question, I had heard that the original pantaloons consisted of two separate garments for the legs that would be fastened together when worn on the body, thus making a 'pair' of pants or trousers and later jeans in modern usage. I always figured the same logic applied to a pair of scissors - two blades that might be separated but actually only work when used as a pair.
martha said:
Thanks, Andre! That's the Adrian Room book, right?
And ‘am and HEGGS? Really?
The Joy of Lex was written by Gyles Brandreth Amazon Link my dad must of bought it the year it came out. I read it from cover to cover several times.
And seriously about the “‘am and heggsâ€. Newfoundland English has several dialects and was jokingly referred to as Newfinese, since it sounds like a different language than the English that it sprouts from to many outsiders. I was told by friends in Cape Breton, whose dialect is also different, stronger Scottish Gaelic influence, that some Newfoundlanders sound like they are speaking a foreign language.
Besides the migrating h Newfoundland English has other peculiarities that show its heritage. For instance, in my father's hometown a sore is a gall, fir sap is turpentine or murr, Murres are Turres.
Older family friends were always aunts or uncles no matter whether or not they were in fact related, so you would hear people talking about Aunt Sis, my great grandmother Sarah, or Uncle Art a close family friend. This practice of respect unfortunately like much of Newfoundland English is disappearing.
I would assume that it is the historic isolation of communities that preserved many Old English words and phrases, combine that with an Old Irish Gaelic, Old Scottish Gaelic, Basque and an Archaic French now only spoken (and also dying) in one region of Newfoundland, Port Aux Port Peninsula, you end up with a veritable mixing pot of dialects and phrases not heard outside of Newfoundland. And most Newfoundlanders can recognize each other when they speak and identify pretty accurately where each comes from by the turn of the phrase and accent.
I found this link you may find interesting, as it relates to this. Newfoundland_English(I found it after typing this dissertation :-D) And a link to a site hosted on Memorial University's system What is “Newfinese� specifically mentioning the -h.
After all this All I have to say is, long may your big jib draw. And sorry for being long winded.
Andre Reid
One of the rules she taught in the local high school here in southern California, and drilled into me at home, was “an†was correct when preceding a word beginning with the letter “hâ€. I recall no exceptions to this rule, no matter how awkward it might sound. All my life (I'm in my mid 60s) I've written “an happy person†even if I would speak “A happy personâ€. It was The English Teacher's Law.
Richard, I'm amazed at this. I wonder if she was using the King James Bible as her guide. I'll never forget my confusion when I first read the part that says "and Esau was an hairy man." How interesting that even now you have that reflex with something like "an happy."
Re: What to call 2 mothers?
Our kids are now 11 and 13, so we struggled with this issue 14 years ago. We didn't want to use Mommy (or Mom) and Mama, because my partner is hard of hearing and she can't see the different when speech-reading (some people call it lip reading). We selected Mommy and Amma. Amma is of course an anagram of Mama. Our older son quickly changed Amma to Ammy, and I have been Ammy ever since. We have found it works well and would love to see other parents adopt it! When the boys were young and someone would ask what an Ammy is, we just said it is a type of mother.
I love the fact that if I heard "Ammy" in a crowded place, I immediately knew it was one of my kids.
Vickie
I've heard the expression that RConnel refes to, but only from a northwestern US acquaintance. It strikes me as old-fashioned modesty taboo, used as a euphemism for the body zone where washing upwards and washing downwards naturally meet.
Speaking of euphemisms, since 'bird' (particularly in this usage of 'bird bath') is a Britishism for 'attractive young woman', is it more or less politically correct to obfuscate reference to a (presumed) whore by attributing (and extending) it to *all* pretty women? While perhaps beyond the scope of what the show discusses, it certainly says something about cultural assumptions behind the use of language. And that attempting to disguise things may do more harm than good.
Martha Barnette
Grant Barrett
Grant Barrett
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