In Japanese, an irresistibly cute baby might be described with an expression that translates as “Even if I put it in my eye, it wouldn’t hurt.” It’s a form of what psychologists call cute aggression, or the overwhelming urge to squeeze, crush, or...
George Ella Lyon is a former Poet Laureate of Kentucky. Her poem “Receiving” is a touching meditation on holding a squirming newborn and the complex emotions it evokes. Martha reads the poem from Lyon’s collection Back to the Light (Bookshop|Amazon)...
James in Charlotte, North Carolina, notes that when discussing a newborn baby, he’s heard people say something that sounded like, “That baby ‘woh’ seven pounds, two ounces.” He’s never heard that usage before. The “woh” sound in that case may just...
The Spanish equivalent of fur baby, an affectionate term for one’s pets, is perrijo or perrija, a combination of perro, “dog,” and hijo or hija, meaning “son” or “daughter.” This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Perrijo/Perrija = Fur...
There’s a proverb that goes, “Beloved children have many names.” That’s also true for pets, and listeners are discussing all the zillions of names they have for each animal on Facebook. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “We Have Many...
Some countries have strict laws about naming babies. New Zealand authorities, for example, denied a request to name some twins Fish and Chips. • Halley’s Comet seen centuries before English astronomer Edmund Halley ever spotted it. That’s an example...