You hear about political groups “canvassing for votes.” But why canvas? We talk about the possible origins of this word, and the connection between the cannabis and the material known as canvas. This is part of a complete episode.
When is a mango not a mango? Why, when it’s a bell pepper, of course! An Indiana listener says she and her Kentucky in-laws have entirely different names for this vegetable. She wants to know why, so we help her sort it out.
bear n.— «My favorite cycling food is small, salted and boiled red potatoes, which this year were served at the rest area just before the three bears, three climbs that form a classic patch of cycling territory in the rolling hills east...
Grant goes through the mailbag, offering answers about the terms “nosy parker,” “out of pocket,” and about whether the word “falsehood” has its origins in medieval garb. He also throws a question out to listeners...
Martha muses about the secret lives of flowers in this week’s podcast. She’s been pondering the lexical legacy of Carolus Linnaeus, the great Swedish botanist who nearly 300 years ago was criticized for his fascination with what was a...
cherries and blueberries n.pl.— «“What is cherries and blueberries?” “it refers to the red and blue lights (cherries=red, blueberries=blue).”» —“Slang name you can’t stand?” by bdunndchi in...