It’s time for book recommendations! Martha’s enjoying an armchair tour of important places in the history of our language, and Grant recommends relaxing with books that make great reading for both children and adults. Plus, are you the...
Marlene in Indianapolis grew up in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula using pank to mean pat, tamp, or firm something down, from snow on a ski hill to teased hair before a blast of Aqua Net. The verb is especially associated with the Upper Peninsula of...
“I don’t care if it harelips the queen” means “come hell or high water,” or “regardless of the consequences.” The phrase is particularly popular in Texas, as are such variants as harelips the governor, harelips the president, harelips every cow in...
You’re at a social gathering and meet someone you’d like to know better. What do you ask to get a real conversation going? Some people lead with “What do you do?,” while others avoid talking about work entirely. Still others...
What the fox says may be a mystery, but we do know that dogs bark differently around the world. In China, for example, they say not bow-wow but wang wang. Also, the story behind the British tradition of scrumping. It’s not a middle school...
“Even one hair has a shadow.” This translation of the Latin proverb Etiam capillus unus habet umbram is a reminder that even the smallest thing can have large consequences. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “One...