Jane in Billings, Montana, says her daughter is a veterinary student who pronounces the word experiment as ecks-PEER-a-ment rather than ex-PARE-a-ment. By their early teens, children tend to get their language from peers, rather than their parents...
Scott in Billings, Montana, wonders about the word hornswoggle, meaning to swindle, bamboozle, deceive, or trick. This verb found its way into American English during the 1820’s, when there was a fad among newspaper editors and writers for inventing...
Primarily in the southern United States, the word haint refers to a ghost or supernatural being, such as a poltergeist. Haint is almost certainly a variant of haunt. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Haint” Hello, you have A Way...
A listener in Billings, Montana, wonders about two of her boyfriend’s favorite slang terms: clutch and dank. Clutch most likely derives from the world of sports, where a clutch play requires peak performance from an athlete, giving rise to clutch...
Meetup is an increasingly common substitute for meeting, especially when the gathering’s meant to be less formal and attendance is optional. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Meetups” Hello, you have A Way with Words. Hi, I’m Bob...
Diminutive suffixes, Donnie for Don, change the meaning of a name to something smaller, cuter, or sweeter. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Diminutive Suffixes” Hi there, you have A Way with Words. Hi, this is Scott Rickard calling...
