A San Diego caller wonders about the expression a-gogo, as in the name of a local restaurant, Hash House A Go Go. Where’d it come from? This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “A-GoGo” Hello, you have A Way with Words. Hi there, this is...
BTDubs, a San Diego caller notices that more of her co-workers are talking in text, saying things like “BRB” instead of “Be right back” or “JK” instead of “Just kidding!” Is it a passing fad, or a new way of speaking? This is part of a complete...
A caller from San Diego, California, wonders about the proper way to pluralize analysis: is analysises ever correct? This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Proper Plurals” Hello, you have A Way with Words. Hi, Martha. My name is Laura...
What do English bowmen, the French, and lopped-off digits have to do with the classic middle-finger insult? Absolutely nothing. A San Diego truck driver wonders about the true origin of the one-finger salute. There’s a great debunking of the English...
This week, Martha and Grant discuss terms from Australia, including aerial ping-pong, pumpkin squatter, and…kangarooster? They explain the connection between stereotypes and stereos, and why we call the person clearing tables in a restaurant a...
OMG, text messaging! It’s destroying the English language, corrupting young minds, turning us into illiterates. It’s probably shrinking the ozone layer, too. Or is it? In his new book, Txting: The Gr8 Db8, David Crystal offers a different...