So, um, where do those, er, filler words come from? Discourse particles, as they’re also known, are used to fill those gaps when we’re thinking of what to say but don’t want to lose our turn in a conversation. English isn’t the only language that...
What is the difference between “adept” and “deft”? It’s similar to that between mastery and artistry. “Adept” often describes a person, as in, “Messi is adept at dribbling a soccer ball.” “Deft,” on the other hand, is usually applied to the product...
Skyscraper makes literal sense once you picture a head scraping the sky, the image Alice in Carlsbad, California saw when comparing herself with her cat. Before it meant a tall building, skyscraper referred to the topmost sail on a sailing ship...
eco-smart adj.— «The Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce is getting eco-smart, as they say in environmental circles. The chamber is installing eight specialty skylights in its offices to eliminate the need for day lighting.» —“Kermit, Carlsbad Chamber Now...
In this episode, a listener says his friend Harold likes to do social phoning while driving, so he’s invented a term for mindless calling while in the car. And no, it’s not “car-pe diem.” Also, Martha and Grant also discuss the rules of the road...
Bob from Carlsbad, California, asks how Shia and Shiite differ. Shia is a noun for the branch of Islam, and it can also refer to an adherent. Shiite can be a noun for an adherent or an adjective, as in a Shiite community or Shiite belief, but it is...