Cities have nicknames as well, including “Sacratomato” and “Lousyville.” Do you have a better city nickname? Let’s hear it. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “City Nicknames” Grant, we were...
A San Diego listener has a weird word on her mind: biffy (meaning “toilet”). This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Biffy for Toilets, Outhouses, and Porta-Potties” Hi, you have A Way with Words. Hi, this is Megan...
A Way with Words is a lively hour-long public radio show about language, on the air since 1998. Co-hosts Martha Barnette and Grant Barrett delve into word histories, solve grammar disputes, give and answer quizzes, and take calls from listeners...
person of pallor n.— «Joshua and Andy were rejected because their racial group was overrepresented in the schools they wanted to attend, not because the school was closed to everyone who shared their skin color. Although they were persons...
hi mom n.— «Just before Thanksgiving, 2004, a Fox News producer with whom I’d worked a number of times in Kabul and Bagram showed up on Bagram Air Field to shoot what military PA people call “Hi Moms”—the little snippets of...
belt air n.— «Stricken from Yonts’ bill was a provision that would have barred the use of conveyor-belt tunnels for coal-mine ventilation. “Belt air,” as it is known in the industry, may contain coal dust and toxic chemicals...