Zack in Santa Barbara, California, is curious about what’s happening when someone interjects the expression Right? in the middle of a sentence or explanation without allowing time for the listener to respond. Expressions like Right? and You know...
Everyone knows you don’t start a sentence with but. But why? Also, how voice recognition technology is changing the way we think and write and what English sounds like to foreigners. Plus, where cockamamie comes from, oddly translated movie titles...
Not bad-which, like many phrases, sounds cool when you say it with an English accent-is an example of litotes, or an understatement used for effect. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Expression “Not Bad”” Hello, you have A Way with...
A Pittsburgh man is bothered by people who would say someone wrote an outraged letter. Can a letter really be angry and indignant or is it really the writer who’s upset? Martha answers his question and seizes the opportunity to talk about the four...
whistle-tip n.— «A “whistle-tip” is a device that is applied to, or is a modification of, a motor vehicle’s exhaust pipe for the sole purpose of creating a high-pitched or shrieking noise when the motor vehicle is operated.» —“Exhaust Systems:...
cock-o-meter n.— «I even have a name for such a device: a cock-o-meter. The idea being that it would process an image of your face, your hair and your clothes, and marry this information to the sort of car you’re driving. You’d then be given a...