What do you call a firefly in Jamaica? A peenie-wallie or a blinkie. For a lovely use of the first term, check out Valerie Bloom’s poem “Two Seasons.” Better yet, listen to the audio. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Peenie-Wallie”...
Should youngsters learn cursive handwriting in school? Plus, someone can be ruthless, but can that same person be ruthful? Which word refers to something larger, humongous or gargantuan? Also, funny newspaper corrections, a crossword quiz, Texas...
Ralston in Dallas, who was born in Jamaica and is the youngest of seven, asks about Jamaican English washbelly, the youngest child in a family. The word can carry a teasing sense of being spoiled or indulged, not merely young. It appears in Frederic...
This week’s Slang This! contestant tries to guess the meaning of the slang terms “goat’s mouth” and “happy sack.” This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Goat’s Mouth and Happy Sack” You’re listening to A Way with Words. I’m Grant Barrett...
