Starting this year, Scripps National Spelling Bee contestants not only have to spell words correctly. A controversial new rule means they’ll have to answer vocabulary questions, too. Also, when it comes to reading text, do you prefer...
We all lead busy lives—so are speed reading courses a good idea? Plus, if you hear someone speaking with a British accent, do you tend to assume they’re somehow more intelligent? And some common English surnames tell us stories about life in...
Emily in Boulder, Colorado, grew up in Minnesota saying hotdish, usually one word, for dishes like tater tot hotdish, while her Iowa friend calls the same Pyrex-baked mix a casserole. Hotdish is especially a Minnesota usage, with reach into nearby...
Listeners who grew up playing the children’s game Duck Duck Gray Duck insist that this Minnesota version of Duck Duck Goose is more complicated and therefore more fun. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Duck Duck Gray...
In Minnesota and some nearby states, the children’s game Duck Duck Goose is known as Duck Duck Gray Duck. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Duck, Duck, Gray Duck Game” Hello, you have A Way with Words. Hi, guys...
What do your pronouns say about your own psychological makeup? If you use the word I a lot, does it mean you’re a leader . . . or a follower? A surprising study suggests that people of lower status in a group tend to use I the most. Also, a...