Here’s a sly Southernism for Sundays: “Each one of his sermons is better than the next.” This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Sly Southern Insult” We’ve talked before, Grant, on the show about how if you’re saying something in a...
We all know that the color pink is for boys and the color blue is for girls — at least, that’s how it was 100 years ago. Grant and Martha share the surprising history behind the colors we associate with gender. Plus, we go rollin’ in our hooptie...
A collection of Virginia folkspeak from 1912 includes this zinger about a proud person: “He doesn’t know where his behind hangs.” And here’s a choice insult: “I’d rather have your room than your company!” This is part of a complete episode...
Who you calling a jabronie? And what exactly is a jabronie? (Or a jaboney, jadroney, jambone, jiboney, gibroni, gibroney, gabroney, jobroni, jobrone, etc.) Grant traces this playful insult, meaning a “rube” or “loser,” to the 1920s, when Italian...
If you preface a statement with “I’m not trying to be racist, but…” does that then make it okay? Is there a term for such disclaimer? This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Verbal Disclaimers” Hello, you have A Way with Words. Hi, this...
A La Mesa, California, woman thinks the term from 1970s films, jive turkey, deserves reviving. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Jive Turkey” Hello, you have A Way with Words. Oh, hi, Martha. This is Kathy from La Mesa, California...