“How is it Like” Word Quiz

You’re listening to Way With Words, the show about language and how we use it.

I’m Martha Barnette.

And I’m Grant Barrett.

And on the line is John Chaneski from the mean streets of New York City.

Hello, John.

I’ve been handing out mean quizzes as I walk down the street.

Do you have another one?

Here it comes.

Yeah.

Instead of stealing wallets, you put quizzes in people’s pockets.

Yeah, they love that.

I think they love it.

I know I would like it if someone put a quiz in my pocket.

So let me ask you guys a question.

Speaking of questions, here’s a question.

How is Betsy Ross like tight pants?

Something bust in a stitch?

She has to be sewed into them.

I don’t know.

Betsy Ross is like tight pants because one is a seamstress and the other is seamstress.

Okay.

Seamstress.

So we’re talking about a difference in stress or emphasis on a syllable here to make a different meaning.

And spacing, too.

Okay, spacing.

If you space these letters.

Okay.

That’s the theme of our quiz.

I’ll give you two clues.

Both answers have the same letters, but different spacing or stress.

Here’s some more of these.

How is it like?

Here we go.

Okay.

How is the newest member of a trade guild like a saintly person?

So it’s something like union, apprentice.

One is apprentice and one is journeyman.

No, apprentice is closer.

The root of the word is new.

Novice.

Yep.

So one has no vice and one is a novice.

There you go.

Yes, very good.

Good one, Grant.

I like it when I can actually hear the gears.

Grinding.

Working, grinding, yeah.

How is a walk in the woods like saying, hello, your highness?

One is hiking and one is hiking.

Yes, very good.

Hiking.

How is a condiment like your pets in the morning?

One is the cat’s up and the other one is ketchup.

Oh, my gosh.

Yes, very good.

Good one.

We have found Grant’s billiwick, his specialty.

We have.

Yes.

We found my Achilles heel.

That’s okay.

Bring out the Greek and Latin roots.

You’ll get yours, I’m sure.

We’ll quickly go to the bottom.

Yeah.

How is having a baby like a commissioned sculpture?

It’s a procreate and procreation?

Procreate.

Yeah.

I was going for it.

Yeah, procreation versus procreation.

Yes, procreation versus procreation.

Very good.

Nice.

Good, Martha.

Martha got that one.

Good.

How is an appetizer like an impersonator?

Name different kinds of appetizers, little hors d’oeuvres.

Canapé and can…

Canapé and can…

Oh, one can ape and the other one is a canapé.

Yes, very good.

See, I love the change in pronunciation between the two words.

Yeah, that’s the clever part, right?

Yeah, that makes it fun.

How is approval like a released prisoner?

Approval like a released prisoner.

Yeah.

Ex-con?

Or a prisoner at the end of his sentence.

Condon and a condon.

Oh, nice.

Very good.

Lord have mercy these are.

All right.

How is barbecuing a steak like a life preserver?

Sometimes when I eat a steak, it does feel like my life has been saved.

Yeah, that’s good.

A sear?

Sear the sides?

No, sear.

And then see something.

Your clue is gerund.

Searing and…

Searing versus searing.

Yes, searing and searing.

Martha, you had it.

You were like 95% there.

Yeah.

Searing.

That was a piece of hallway furniture, like an artificially goosed sitcom.

Laugh track?

Hat rack.

I don’t know.

Hot track.

Yes.

Hat rack and hot track.

Oh, my God.

Hat rack and hot track.

That’s great, Grant.

You did very, very well at these.

Thank you, John, very much.

You’re very welcome.

We’ll talk to you again next week.

See you next week, guys.

Bye-bye.

Bye, John.

And if you want to talk about any aspect of language at all, please call us, 877-929-9673, or send your questions and stories about words to words@waywordradio.org.