Eddie in Queens, New York, wonders why we use the phrase That’s bananas! to describe something wacky. What’s so funny about bananas? There is no single clear origin for why we use “bananas” to mean “crazy,” “wild,” or “nonsensical.” The strongest...
Following our conversation about the dismissive phrase, Not my circus, not my monkeys, Nelly, who is a professor of French and Russian in Marquette, Michigan, shares a handy Russian saying that translates as “the circus left, the clowns remain.” For...
If you don’t have anything nice to say, say it like Shakespeare: Thou unhandsome smush-mouthed mush-rump! Thou obscene rug-headed hornbeast! The Shakespeare Insult Generator helps you craft creative zingers by mixing and matching the Bard’s own...
Perhaps you have a panic monkey in your life. That’s someone who starts flailing their hands anytime they’re nervous. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Panic Monkey” I’m surprised I haven’t come across this before, but I learned the...
First names like “Patience,” “Hope,” and “Charity” are inspired by worthy qualities. But how about “Be-courteous” or “Hate-evil”? The Puritans sometimes gave children such names hoping that their kids would live up to them. Also, even some feminists...
A father of five shared with us his kids’ favorite joke. (Yes, it’s terribly corny.) This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Too Many Cheetahs” You’re listening to A Way with Words, the show about language and how we use it. I’m Grant...