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

Howdy, all --

Lots of new episodes heading your way, starting this weekend! Meanwhile, our most recent broadcast features idiosyncratic Scrabble rules, 800-lb. gorillas, "tickety-boo," the slang term "legit," and the origin of "picket line":

https://waywordradio.org/everything-is-tickety-boo/

Over at the online writing community Litopia, there's an intriguing online interview with best-selling author and entrepreneur Seth Godin about the future of publishing.

He also describes his own personal system for shelving books. Do you have a special system for shelving your own? Let us know.

http://bit.ly/l7ejIA

Incidentally, you'll be hearing more here soon about Litopia, so stay tuned!

http://litopia.com

Meanwhile, the new Los Angeles Review of Books (LARB) just launched:

http://bit.ly/jBQqBo

According to founder Tom Lutz, LARB is a response to both the decline of newspaper book-review sections, and "the growing diversity of literature produced outside the sphere of traditional, New York-based publishers."

Sympathies this week to Baltimore Sun columnist John McIntyre. He's prostrate with frustration after working hard to teach undergraduates the difference between "lie" and "lay."

http://bsun.md/mJFuII

A Reuters report about new Yiddish-language cell phones has us wondering: What IS the Yiddish word for "vibrate," anyway?

http://reut.rs/iL6Uje

"Confetti" is an interesting word. It's the plural of the Italian word "confetto," meaning "candy," a relative of "confection."

In Italy, it's traditional to throw candies during carnival. Brightly colored paper imitations of those candies, then, are known as "confetti."

And we're thinking about "confetti" today because . . .

BEHIND THE SCENES: We're pleased as punch to announce that we just finished recording our 100th episode as an independent production company! Woohoo!

That's right. "A Way with Words" isn't produced by any of the big networks like NPR or PRI -- and not even a public-radio station.

Nope, we're just folks who happen to be passionate about language. We're a small nonprofit that's supported by listeners like you.

We're so grateful for all your support. Thanks for all your thoughtful emails and phone calls, all of which inform our show. And thanks for tuning in each week. We couldn't do it without you.

If you'd like to help promote smart conversation that educates and entertains, please make a donation in any amount at the link below. It all adds up, and it helps keep the show going strong.

Here's to another One Hundred Hours of Nerditude!

https://waywordradio.org/donate

Thanks again,

Martha and Grant
Co-hosts of "A Way with Words"
https://waywordradio.org
words@waywordradio.org

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Support for "A Way with Words" also comes from National University, which invites you to change your future today. More at http://www.nu.edu/