After noting how similar the word genre sounds to his own first name, Quiz Guy John Chaneski crafted a quiz that involves replacing the letters gen- with John- to form an entirely new word. For example, he says, from now on when you talk about a person’s role in society as a man or a woman, as opposed to their biological sex, you’ll be talking about not gender, but…? This is part of a complete episode.
Transcript of “John’s Genre Word Game”
You’re listening to A Way with Words, the show about language and how we use it. I’m Martha Barnette.
And I’m Grant Barrett, and it’s time for our quiz with John Chaneski, our quiz guy. Hi, John.
Hi, Grant. Hi, Martha.
Hi.
I have something pretty exciting for you today. I was watching television the other day, and I heard someone state that a certain style of music was a, I’m quoting here, a very important genre in his life.
-oh.
Now, of course, now, look, I could have written a letter or a tweet, and I tried to educate people, but I thought I had an epiphany. This could be very good for me, for John. This could usher in a new era when I’m on everybody’s lips, the John era. So let’s go ahead and from now on, genre is genre. And thank you very much for promoting my brand. Let’s educate everyone in this new era. If I say from now on, when you talk about a person’s role in society as a man or a woman as opposed to their biological sex, you’ll be talking about what?
The gender?
No, no.
Their jaunder.
The jaunder.
Okay.
That’s right.
Yeah.
Now, if you’re not on board yet, just try it out. See how it feels. You might like it.
Now, here’s a few more. From now on, if you work your way up to a very high rank in the military, we’ll refer to you as what?
General Chaneski.
A general.
Yes.
General Chaneski.
That’s me.
From now on, if you research your family tree, you soon become an expert at tracing descendants from an ancestor otherwise known as what?
Genealogy.
Genealogy.
That’s right.
Similarly, if you’re studying how two people with brown eyes like my parents can have a kid with gorgeous steel blue eyes like mine, you must be interested in what science?
Genetics.
Genetics.
Specifically, my genetics, right?
If they know their parents are on board with the John era, it might be tough to get millennials on board. It’s been the same since the 60s when kids complain that older people just don’t understand due to what?
The generation gap.
That’s right, the generation gap.
That’s right.
Now, you may think the idea of the John era sounds selfish, but I’m sharing it with people named John all over the world. I believe you should promote the quality of being kind and magnanimous, or as we’ll be calling it from now on, what?
Gentleness?
Generosity?
Generosity, yes.
Please.
Please give and be generous, if you will.
The John era extends not only to words, but places. It’s a global phenomenon. From now on, if you want one of the world’s best watches or chocolates or to visit the headquarters of the Red Cross, you’ll travel to what city in Switzerland?
Geneva.
John Eva.
Even being John, I still had no control when the little mom and pop stores in my neighborhood were squeezed out by the big chains like Starbucks and Barnes and Nobles. This happens when middle class folk move into an area and it’s now called what?
Jontrification.
Jontrification, correct.
That’s it, welcome aboard to the John era you guys. That’s what we’ve done.
Thank you very much for the quiz.
I am still looking at it with a jaundiced eye, but we’ll see how it goes.
Yes, very generous of you.
Thanks.
Thanks, John.
Your name is John, right?
It is John, yes.
Have I mentioned John enough?
Yes, it’s John.
We’ll talk to you next week, buddy.
Quit Johnning around.
Take care.
Yes, we talk about all kinds of words and names on this show, and if you’d like to talk with us, give us a call, 877-929-9673, or send your questions and comments in email to words@waywordradio.org.
