Dude! We’re used to hearing the word “dude” applied to guys. But increasingly, young women use the word “dude” to address each other. Grant and Martha talk about linguistic research about the meaning and uses of...
Would you call an artist who paints a painter, or does painter only apply to a technician, like one who paints houses? This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Painting Artist” Hello, you have A Way with Words. Hi, Martha. This...
The idiom and the horse you rode in on, usually preceded by a far more unfriendly phrase, tends to be directed at someone who’s full of himself and unwelcome to boot. It first pops up in the 1950s, and it’s written on the spine of a book...
In this week’s installment of Slang This!, the president of the National Puzzlers’ League tries to pick out the slang terms from a list that includes poguey, pushover, noodles, and naff. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of...
cartoonal adj.— «For one thing, the paintings look, for the most part, like inanimate objects. Sillman describes one, aptly enough, as resembling a mattress strapped to the roof of a car. At least the drawings look like people, however...
strappo n.— «The Italian-based technique known as strappo involved covering the painting first with resin, then a spray glue, followed by fabric and electrical tape, Mallios said. Then a jackhammer was used to pound the face of the mural...