The schoolroom flute called a recorder gets its name from an older sense of record, meaning to sing or repeat a tune. In the 15th century, the verb could describe birds singing, and it also had the sense of practicing a tune. The little block in the...
Giving your baby an unusual moniker may seem like a great idea at the time. But what if you have second thoughts? One mother of a newborn had such bad namer’s remorse, she poured out her heart to strangers online. Speaking of mothers and...
Wedding guests lip-sync to a song which is later set to music in the wedding video, forming a word combining marriage and karaoke: marryoke. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Marryoke” Here’s a word that’s...
Turn the music down, it doesn’t need to be on boydog! Have you heard this synonym for “the highest level”? This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Music on Boydog” Hello, you have A Way with Words. Hi, Martha...
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...
Can reading poetry make you a better writer? The way poetry pushes up against the rules of grammar makes it a great teacher even for the writing of standard prose. And while plenty of poems are best comprehended by the wise and mature, hip-hop is a...
