Back in the 1930s, airplane pilots didn’t have sophisticated instruments to tell them which way was up. When flying through clouds, they literally relied on changes in the vibrations in their seat to help them stay on course, flying by the...
Dude! We’re used to hearing the word “dude” applied to guys. But increasingly, young women use the word “dude” to address each other. Grant and Martha talk about linguistic research about the meaning and uses of...
Carol in Denton, Texas, wonders whether a drawer can hold six pairs of socks or six pair. Pairs is by far the more common plural in standard use, especially when counting separate sets. But six pair of socks is also heard, particularly when the...
The Yiddish word bupkis means nothing, and speakers sometimes split its syllables apart to exaggerate how empty that is. One example from an email in Denton, Texas: “Not only did the government shut down, but the employees are collecting bup and kis...
“Don’t be frontin’!” Naomi, a college student in Denton, Texas, asks about fronting, slang for putting on a false front, bluffing, or pretending to be something you’re not. The verb traces back to 1800s pickpocket slang, where a “front” distracted...
The sign over the checkout lane says 15 Items or Less. A listener is adamant that it should say 15 Items or Fewer. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Fewer vs. Less” Hello, you have A Way with Words. Hello, this is David...