Why do southern Californians refer to interstate thoroughfares with the definite article, as in the 405 or the 8? This usage is a result of the history of freeways in Southern California, and is heard in a few other places, including Phoenix...
Chai tea is not redundant—just tasty. But that doesn’t stop people from debating the question. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Chai Tea Redundancy” Hello, you have A Way with Words. Hi, this is Christina, and I’m calling from...
Everyone knows New Yorkers and Angelenos, but what do you call someone from Sheboygan, Wisconsin? Demonyms, or the names for people from a given place, can get pretty complicated, but there are seven rules as drawn by George Stewart, and Paul...
hurricane cutting n.— «There is a practice sometimes called “hurricane cutting.” This involves removing not only all the dead fronds but all the green ones as well—including that batch of new fronds that sticks up in the air. Removing the fronds...
zanjero n.— «The park’s name pays homage to zanjeros, a term for people who work with water, Svelund said. The name originated about 100 years ago, when zanjeros would make sure water from canals funneled correctly to landowners.» —“New park...
An adult caller from Phoenix is stung by the memory of losing an elementary school spelling bee when he misspelled the word dilemma. He insists that his teachers taught him that the word contains a silent “n.” After all these years, he’s still...