Calley from Bowling Green, Kentucky, wonders about the word zonked, meaning “exhausted.” Like the word conk, as in conked out, meaning “fast asleep,” zonk originally had to do with a blow to the head. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript...
Jim from Bowling Green, Kentucky, says he’s heard some folks in his area use the phrase “I don’t care” when they mean to accept an offer. This affirmative use is somewhat similar to saying “Don’t mind if I do,” meaning “Yes, thank you.” This is part...
Linda from Boonville, New York, grew up puzzled when her Kentucky grandmother promised to be there directly. In much Southern speech, directly can mean “presently,” “soon,” or “soon enough but not right away,” rather than “immediately.” The...
It started as a typo for “own,” now it’s entrenched in online slang. A Kentucky caller is curious about pwn. It rhymes with “own” and means “to defeat” or “to triumph over.” Our hosts talk about a special meaning of “own” in the computer-gaming...
