Mixed-Up Body Part 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 we’re joined by our quiz guy, John Chaneski. Hi, John.

Hey, Grant. Hi, Martha. Listen, you know, I realized recently that when we try to use language to communicate, it helps if we have a common point of reference. And what’s more common than the human body, right? I’m pretty sure most people have one. So, just like an episode of Game of Thrones, body parts are everywhere you look in English.

However, if you don’t know your butt from your elbow, well, that’s how you end up with a quiz like this.

I’ll read you a sentence, and your job is to replace the incorrect body part with the correct one. For example, listen, you, stop bothering me, or I’m going to give you a toe sandwich.

Knuckle.

Obviously, you want knuckle instead of toe, though, to be honest, I don’t think anybody wants a toe sandwich either.

No, no.

No.

All right, so here we go with our transplants. When they announced that the old theater would be replaced by a parking garage, the community was up in kidneys.

Up in arms, of course.

Up in arms, right.

All right, boys, that was a pretty sorry first half, but take a shin and we’ll go over our plans for the remainder of the game.

Take a knee?

Take a knee, yes, very good.

That escape room was so tough, we just made it out by the hair of our cheek.

This is a double, by the way.

The skin of our teeth.

Skin of our teeth.

Yeah, another one I think works pretty well.

I’ve hired you three as my own personal chin trust to get me out of this PR nightmare.

Brain trust.

Brain trust, yes.

Jay Leno, chairman.

Nice.

We had been driving for hours, and I just couldn’t ankle his nonstop commentary anymore.

Stomach.

Stomach, yes.

So that’s when I pulled over, kicked him out, and left him standing on the appendix.

Standing on the…

Shoulder.

Yes, the shoulder.

Cool.

You know why kids these days like me so much? Because I get them. I like their music, their art, their culture.

I’m back, baby.

Back.

Hip.

I’m hip, baby.

Yeah, very nice.

Cool.

Long story short, that leaky beach house way out in Wildwood, I managed to lung it off on my brother-in-law.

Pawn it off.

Pawn.

What’d you say?

Pawn.

Pawn is not a body part?

I know, but I’m trying to think of hand it off.

Hand it off?

Close.

Actually, you’re in the exact area.

Palm, yes.

I palmed it off on my brother-in-law, yes.

Oh, that’s why you wanted to know.

Okay, got it.

Yeah.

All I’m saying is if a guy is crowding the plate like that, he’d better be ready to be on the receiving end of some colon music.

Chin music.

Chin music.

Yeah, on second thought, maybe we shouldn’t change his around.

All right, here’s the last one. Well, you know, that’s the end of the quiz. I think it’s time for me to thumb out.

To head out.

Head out, yes, very good.

Oh, head out.

And that’s it.

That’s literally time for me to head out.

John, thanks for the quiz.

We’ll talk to you next week.

My pleasure.

Thank you, guys.

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