Heather from Sacramento, California, wonders about the phrase loaded for bear: Her husband thinks it describes someone who is thoroughly prepared and eager to do something, but her mother-in-law thinks it specifically describes someone belligerent...
An Indianapolis, Indiana, woman offers a followup to our discussions about various geographic belts around the country. The Bungalow Belt in Chicago refers to a strip of small brick bungalows just inside the city limits originally occupied by...
In the 1940’s, kids might tease a playmate who got a short haircut by calling them “baldy sour.” This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Baldy Sour” Hello, you have A Way with Words. Hi, this is Alice from...
Mary in The Dalles, Oregon, wonders why some speakers pronounce this, that, them, there, and those as dis, dat, dem, dere, and dose. That voiced th sound is often realized as d in New York City, Philadelphia, around the Great Lakes (especially...
Skitching means hitching a ride by grabbing a moving car’s bumper and sliding along an icy street, or, later, doing something similar on roller skates or a skateboard. Spence from Heartland, Wisconsin, remembers Chicago kids using the word in the...
The phrases “Who let the hawk out?” and “The hawk is flying tonight” both mean “there’s a chilly wind blowing.” This saying is almost exclusive to the African-American community and is associated with that...
