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

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"A Way with Words" is made possible by your tax-deductible donations.
Support smart conversation about language here: https://waywordradio.org/donate

"Boondoggle" originally was a name for that craft project undertaken by countless campers fashioning flat, plastic-covered thread into keychains and the like. As we noted in this episode, one synonym is "lanyard." Several of you wrote to tell us about other names.

Ken Wenman says while growing up in Maine, he and fellow campers called this craft "latigo." A listener from Northeastern Ohio wrote that there, the plastic thread is not "gimp," but "gimmick."

And John and Mary Benbow of San Diego shared this marvelous Billy Collins poem called "The Lanyard."

http://bit.ly/Ba7RL

Video of Collins reading it:

http://bit.ly/2G3qQb

Amid all the media coverage of the death of Osama bin Laden, word-watcher Nancy Friedman has a roundup of notable words and phrases in the news, such as "double tap." Did you notice any others of interest?

http://bit.ly/jqfx7Q

How's your penmanship? Fascinating piece in The New York Times about cursive writing and whether reports of its death are greatly exaggerated. (We think not.)

http://nyti.ms/jbv7VR

Writer's Digest just published its Top 10 websites for writers. Many are familiar, but you may find an amusing surprise or two.

http://bit.ly/lowlex

BEHIND THE SCENES: This Tuesday, May 10, Grant will be one of the featured speakers at the TEDx conference in San Diego. The event's nearly sold out, but there'll be video online later, so we'll let you know when.

If you do go, be sure to say hello!

http://tedxamericasfinestcity.com/

Cheerio,

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

Call with your questions at any time:
U.S. and Canada (877) WAY-WORD/(877) 929-9673
London +44 20 7193 2113
Mexico City +52 55 8421 9771

Donate: https://waywordradio.org/donate/
Podcast: https://waywordradio.org/podcast/
Forums: https://waywordradio.org/discussion/
Newsletter: https://waywordradio.org/newsletter/

Skype: skype://waywordradio

----

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/