Diminutive suffixes, Donnie for Don, change the meaning of a name to something smaller, cuter, or sweeter. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Diminutive Suffixes” Hi there, you have A Way with Words. Hi, this is Scott Rickard calling...
Is there a word for a word that doesn’t fit its own definition? For example, verb is a noun, and monosyllabic is polysyllabic. Come to think of it, why is it so hard to remember how to spell mnemonic? This is part of a complete episode. Transcript...
Beware of linguistic false friends, also known as false cognates. You wouldn’t want to say you’re feeling embarazada in Spanish, unless you want to say you’re pregnant. And don’t order the tuna in Spain unless you want to hear a musical group made...
The admonition “you don’t believe fatmeat is greasy” is found almost exclusively among African-Americans. (Sometimes written as “fat meat is greasy” or “fat meets greasy” or “fat meets the greasy.”) The idea is apparently that if you don’t believe...
Adam in Indianapolis grew up with his grandmother’s warning not to split a pole, meaning that two companions shouldn’t pass on opposite sides of a lamppost, mailbox, or other street obstacle. The idea is that the physical separation hints at an...
Martha shares a quip that’s all too true: “I don’t find it hard to meet expenses. They’re everywhere!” This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Meeting Expenses” Grant, I came across a great quotation the other day. I’m not sure who the...
