A South Carolina listener recalls that his father referred to the younger man’s girlfriend with a term that sounded like jing floogy or jing floogie. The word floogie has long been a synonym for floozy, a term applied to women, and often...
Rich, an audiobook narrator from Tucson, Arizona, wonders how lexicographers decide which pronunciations are preferred. He specifically wonders about pronouncing the word aioli. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “How Do Dictionaries...
Marlena from Dallas, Texas, was surprised to see the word brainstorm defined in an old dictionary as “a violent, transient mental derangement manifested in a maniacal outburst.” That indeed was the sense of this word in the late 19th century. It...
On our Facebook group, listeners are playfully crowdsourcing what people in different professions might punningly plant. For example, what kind of fruit tree might twins cultivate? What type of flower might be planted by a professional mime? This is...
The new book Because Internet: Understanding the New Rules of Language is a smart, engaging, introduction to language and linguistics in general. It’s also rich with insights about how we communicate online. With verve, wit, and nerdy delight...
Quiz Guy John Chaneski’s puzzle involves social media “books” that rhyme with the name Facebook. For example, Manfred von Richthofen, a.k.a. the Red Baron, posts on on what fancifully named social media outlet? This is part of a complete episode...