Grant answers a caller’s question about the origin of griage, a word used increasingly in clinics where flu shots are dispensed. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Griage” A while back, Catherine called us from...
A caller who grew up in Australia has a question about wedding-invitation etiquette in the U.S. She wonders: Shouldn’t an invitation refer to a daughter’s “marriage with” the groom rather than a “marriage to” him...
What word in the English language is an anagram of itself? Hint: It’s a trick question. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Anagram Riddle” Grant, we got this question from Neil in Boston. What word is an anagram of...
Martha says her recent trip to Barcelona brought to mind a listener’s question about whether the word gaudy has anything to do with the name of the great Catalan architect, Antoni Gaudi. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of...
Why do we say that someone is inexperienced is “wet behind the ears”? The hosts tackle that question, and discuss whether Barack Obama misspoke during the 2008 presidential campaign when he used a similar expression, green behind the...
Pickle, baboon, cupcake, snorkel, pumpkin, Kalamazoo—let’s face it, some words are just plain funny. But what makes some words funnier than others? Martha and Grant consider this question with an assist from Neil Simon’s play (and movie)...