Sarah from St. Augustine, Florida, asks if there’s a word for the accent we inherit from our parents. One useful term is idiolect, the unique blend of language each person speaks, and the handing down of speech habits from elders is called...
When in Rome, do as the Romans do. We all know this proverb means to respect local customs when traveling, or more generally, to go along with a larger group. But why Rome? There’s a surprising story behind this phrase. And: Do we inherit our...
A Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, listener says when he was growing up, his family used the word schmutz as a verb. For example, when one parent reminded the other to apply sunscreen to the youngsters, they might say, Make sure you schmutz the kids...