Whistle pig, woodchuck, and groundhog are all terms for a marmot, a type of large squirrel found in the United States. The name whistle pig, common in Appalachia, is a jocular reference to the sound they make. This is part of a complete episode...
Do Americans use the same sign language as the British? And what do Japanese people use instead of umm? Plus, why do we vote at polling places? What goes into file 13? All this, a word quiz, commode vs. toilet, saditty and bougie, and cute stuff...
A listener named Meagan from Wisconsin uses the term flustrated, combining flustered and frustrated– one of many mashed together words she deems Meaganisms. Though Grant applauds her innovation and creativity, Martha points out that flustrate...
Understandings aren’t just for epistemologists and marriage counselors. In the 18th Century, the slang term understandings was a jocular name for “boots” or “shoes.” Later, the word also came to be a joking term for...
Grant has an update on the jocular pronunciation of skedooly for the word schedule, following up on our original conversation. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Updates for the Skedooly” Martha, do you remember the...
Here’s a riddle: “Nature requires five, custom gives seven, laziness takes nine, and wickedness eleven.” Think you know the answer? You’ll find it in this week’s episode, in which Grant and Martha discuss this and other...