Will in Austin, Texas, feels a little odd every time he uses the expression funnily enough. Although the phrase is grammatically correct, it still feels awkward to say. In part, that’s because the adjective funny ends in the letter Y, but...
Mickey from Austin, Texas, is curious about a phrase his mother uses: Are you smelling what I’m stepping in? meaning “Do you understand what I’m saying?” It likely derives from Black English Do you smell me? and Do you feel me? and is probably...
Erin in Austin, Texas, wants to know: Why do we say two people in contentious disagreement are at loggerheads? This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “What Does “Loggerheads” Mean?” Hello, you have A Way with Words. Hello, this is Erin...
The word mall, as in shopping mall, has traveled a long and winding path, beginning with the Italian game of pallamaglio, which was played with a ball and a mallet. The name of the game found its way into French as pallemaille, which in turn became...
Our discussion about proper salutations for business letters prompts Mary in Austin, Texas, to suggest beginning such correspondence with the neutral but emphatic “Hark!” This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “The Neglected Salutation...
Our conversation about being criticized for using yes, ma’am and no, sir, prompted a letter from an Austin, Texas, listener who had a similar experience when she moved from Mississippi to Ohio. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of...