Quiz Guy John Chaneski would like you to meet Greek friends’ friends, all of whose names follow the pronunciation pattern of their pals. For example, Sophocles would like you to meet his friend who’s an expert on cephalopods, such as squid, octopi, and cuttlefish. Can you guess his friend’s name? This is part of a complete episode.
Transcript of “Sophocles’ Friends Word Quiz”
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 in New York City.
Hi, John.
Hi, Grant.
Hi, Martha.
Hello, friends.
Speaking of friends, I have a puzzle for you today called Greek friends.
Now, many great things have come to us from the Greeks.
Nearly all of the great things I have came to be by networking.
So a few famous Greeks that you know would like to introduce you to some pretend Greek friends of theirs.
First, we’ll say hello, or yasas, to friends of Sophocles whose names follow his pronunciation patterns.
Can you tell me their names? Here we go.
Sophocles would like you to meet his friend who is an expert on cephalopods, like squids, octopi, and cuttlefish.
Say yasas to…
How about Tentacles?
Tentacles, yes.
Sophocles knows you need to rent a car.
Luckily, he has a friend who rents out cars, trucks, wagons, bicyclies, buses, and just about anything with wheels.
Say yasas to…
Oh, no.
Boy, this one’s not doing me any favors, is it?
All of those things fall into a category.
Clees. They all have clees or lees at the end, right?
Cars, trucks, wagons, buses.
Does it start with a V?
It does start with a V, yes.
Vehicles, yes.
Sophocles knows that you’re both writers.
He’d like you to meet his friend who has had short pieces and essays published in newspapers, magazines, and online.
Say yasas to…
Articles.
Particles, there we go.
Grant is up to speed.
Finally.
Sophocles has a lot of friends who are scientists.
He’d like you to know his friend who specialized in studying the tiny particles that are the smallest units of elements or compounds.
Say yasas to
The smallest units of
Elements or compounds.
Molecules.
Molecules, yes.
Molecules.
That’s right.
Now let’s meet some friends of other Greeks whose names follow their friends’ pattern.
For example, Greek mathematician Archimedes, he has two friends who study arthropods,
Specifically those insect-like creatures that have 30 to 350 legs.
Say Yassas to…
Centipedes.
Centipedes and…
Oh.
Melipides.
Melipides, yes.
It’s always helpful to have two friends.
Right.
Finally, we have comic playwright Aristophanes.
Now, he’d like you to meet a friend.
She’s a meteorologist, more specifically a tempestologist
Who studies cyclones and similar weather conditions.
Sayasas to…
Herakonies?
Sure, Herakonies.
Those are my Greek friends and friends of my Greek friends.
You guys were fantastic.
Nice job.
That’s funny.
Yeah, English pronounced incorrectly is hilarious.
Always good.
Opa.
Opa.
John, thank you so much.
Thank you, guys.
Thanks, John.
Take care.
We’ll talk to you next week.
Bye.
Well, obviously, language is endlessly fascinating, and we would love to talk with you about it.
So give us a call, 877-929-9673, or send your emails to words@waywordradio.org.
