Have you ever offered to foster a dog or cat, but wound up adopting instead? There’s an alliterative term for that. And when you’re on the job, do niceties like “Yes, ma’am” and “No, sir” make you sound too...
Quiz Guy John Chaneski invites us to a party to meet all of his dear “aunties” — as in the “auntie” who makes sure your oily hair doesn’t mess up the furniture. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of...
Auntie and uncle are often used beyond the family tree as respectful terms for older adults who are close to the family but not blood relatives. Listeners reported this pattern in Uganda, Kenya, Cameroon, South Africa, India, the Philippines...
Joelle from the Bronx, a singer in the Broadway production of The Lion King, wonders whether “Auntie” (pronounced AHN-tee) for an older woman who is not a blood relative is especially common in Black communities. That respectful non-relational use...

