Tagmusic

Plangent

The word plangent, which means “loud” and sometimes has a melancholy ring to it, is an apt descriptor for movie soundtracks. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Plangent” I wish I could remember the movie that...

Pecan pie x - Secret Gibberish

Secret Gibberish

What do pigs have to do with piggyback rides? We get a lesson from a listener in the fine art of speaking gibberish. What’s the correct way to pronounce pecan? The French have the Academie Française, but what authority do we have for the...

Bowls x - Like a Boss

Like a Boss

It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s witches’ knickers! What do you call stray plastic bags that litter the landscape? Also, what it means to do something like a boss, how to hyphenate correctly, and why we say we have a crush on...

Stomach Steinway

Did you ever take lessons to play the stomach Steinway? You know, the accordion? That’s another bit of musicians’ slang sent in by a listener, along with the term bunhead, which means “a ballet dancer.” This is part of a...