Discussion Forum—A Way with Words, a fun radio show and podcast about language

Hello, guys and dolls--it's another newsletter from A Way with Words.

We aired an episode this past weekend in which we talked about the footwear known as "go-aheads," what part of the body is "possible," aptronyms (when a person's name matches their profession), and we made some holiday book recommendations.

https://waywordradio.org/almost-up-to-possible/

We also posted two online-only minicasts. "The Lipstick Express" summarizes the words of the year inspired by Sarah Palin:

https://waywordradio.org/the-lipstick-express/

"I Can Has Shimmery Eyez" is a sweet reminiscence about the passing of Martha's cat, Typo, and his "chatoyant" gaze.

https://waywordradio.org/i-can-has-shimmery-eyez/

Now, some links from the world of language:

Wordsmith Nancy Friedman offers her list of books to buy for the language lover in your life:

http://tinyurl.com/6y75wc

Pam Nelson writes in the North Carolina News & Observer about whether we "pick" our elected officials or we "choose" them. Can you only pick fruit and cotton?

http://tinyurl.com/5jrngl

Does a whistling orangutan indicate that the animals have higher language capabilities than we thought?

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-12/gato-osw121008.php

A New York City teacher writes about what it's like to teach a class in which 80% of the students speak a first language other than English in a school that has been officially judged to be in need of "corrective action":

http://tinyurl.com/65c7dk

In the Grand Forks Herald, in North Dakota, Lisa Gibson writes about ELL's--English language learners--in the community:

http://www.grandforksherald.com/articles/index.cfm?id=96594

The paper also explains more about how ELLs are defined and characterized:

http://www.grandforksherald.com/articles/index.cfm?id=96592

Best wishes from your radio pals,

Martha Barnette and Grant Barrett
Co-hosts of A Way with Words
https://waywordradio.org

Call or write with your language questions 24 hours a day:
(877) WAY-WORD
(877) 929-9673
words@waywordradio.org