Is there a term for the way words feel when they’re spoken that has nothing to do with their meaning? The word “suitcase” feels nice to say, unlike rural. “Cellar door” certainly has a different quality than “moist ointment.” Mouthfeel is an oft...
The New England phrase “So don’t I”, meaning you agree, is so embedded in the culture that it’s now part of the regional stereotype. Linguist Larry Horn has discussed the phenomenon, as have we. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “So...
Hate it when a software upgrade is worse than the previous version? We call that a flupgrade, or a new-coke. As in, “Skype really new-coked it with version 5.3.0.” Come on, Skype! This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Bad Upgrades”...
Grant and Martha discuss more goofy names for lipstick. Mauvelous Memories, anyone? This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Creative Lipstick Shades” Martha, I know we had a talk about this before, but there are some other lipstick names...
If a colleague repeatedly mispronounces a word, what’s the best way to handle it? Should you correct him? Ignore it? Is it possible to discuss the proper way to say something without being rude or condescending?
Are fairy tales too scary for children? A survey of parents in Britain found that more than half wouldn’t read them to their children before age five. Martha and Grant discuss the grisly imagery in fairy tales, and whether they’re too traumatizing...