We hear the word maverick a lot lately, but where did this term for a stubborn nonconformist come from? Martha tells the story of the Texas politician who inspired the word, and whose grandson apparently coined another familiar English word...
Welcome to another newsletter from A Way with Words! This past weekend we listened to the episode which featured "layers for meddlers and crutches for lame ducks" and "you buy 'em books, you give 'em books, and all they do is...
A New York babysitter says the English language needs a word to replace the clunky phrase, “the kids I babysit.” The hosts try to help her find one. “Charges”? “Child associates”? “Padawans”? This is...
A Princeton University student wonders if his school can lay claim to being the first to apply the Latin word campus to the grounds of an institution of higher learning. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “How “Campus” Came to...
What IS the longest word in the English language? “Antidisestablishmentarianism”? “Floccinaucinihilipilification”? Or “pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis,” maybe? Martha and Grant discuss such...
nang slang n.— «“Nang slang”—one of the names given to the youth slang influenced by Bangladeshi young people in east London—is covered in real depth.» —“Nang slang” by Dan Clayton English Language @...