Malcolm in Atlanta was puzzled by a news story about rats described as empathic. To his science-fiction ear, that sounded related to an empath, a person with an uncanny ability to sense others’ feelings. In ordinary use, empathic and empathetic are...
What’s the origin of the term listless? Does it mean you can’t find the piece of paper with the groceries you need? No. Listless shares a root with the English word lust. In its most literal sense, listless means “without lust,” or “lacking want or...
Someone who paints a negative or pessimistic picture is said to be hanging crepe. Martha has the origin. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Hanging Crepe” Hello, you have A Way with Words. Hi, this is Suzanne from Dallas...
Does speaking a particular language make you feel certain emotions? The hosts talk about a blog post by evolutionary biologist Olivia Judson musing about whether this might be true. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Language...
shitasmia n.— «It’s so terrible, it induces an entirely new emotion: a blend of vertigo, disgust, anger and embarrassment which I like to call “shitasmia.” It not only creates this emotion: it defines it. It’s the most...
Is there a distinction to be made between envy and jealousy? The hosts try to parse out the difference. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Envy vs. Jealousy” Hello, you have A Way with Words. Hi, my name is Lee. I’m...
