In South Africa, a jocular rhyme that means “Thank you” is Dankie op ‘n plankie — literally, “Thank you on a board” or “Thank you on a plank.” This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Dankie...
Quincy from Bozeman, Montana, wonders how burritos came to be named with a Spanish word that means “little donkey.” In Spanish, the meaning of burro has also extended from “donkey” to “sawhorse.” In the case of...
The 1948 book A Rocket in My Pocket: The Rhymes and Chants of Young Americans includes a funny rhyme about a donkey who mistakes a zebra for a felonious mule. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Felonious Mule”...
Elainey from Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin, says her friend called her a clothes horse. Her friend meant it as a compliment, but Elainey has always understood the expression to be a dig that implies someone is too preoccupied with their appearance? This...
Carrot and stick originally meant reward plus punishment, not a carrot forever dangling from the same stick. Steve in Dennis, Massachusetts, asks about the familiar cartoon of a donkey chasing a carrot tied just out of reach, but the older...
The German word for “mnemonic device” is Eselsbrücke, or literally, “donkey bridge.” This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Eselsbrücke” We were talking at the top of the show about mnemonic devices...