Faunching around, Donna from El Cajon, California’s family term for squirming fussily or impatiently, isn’t unique to them. The Dictionary of American Regional English records faunch by 1970 meaning to fret or show irritation or impatience. An older...
A Texan says his grandmother used to refer to the thigh of a chicken as the “second joint.” Martha and Grant discuss whether it’s a regional term. By the way, if you want to know the French term Martha mentions that roughly...
A caller is curious about an expression her father liked to use “off in the giggleweeds.” What’s a giggleweed? And no, he didn’t mean marijuana. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Off in the...
dipsy-do n.—Gloss: another way of saying “an up and down (motion or change).” Note: The Dictionary of American Regional English has a similar term, “dipsy-doodle”, which is defined as dip in the road, or a “thank-you...
shack-wacky adj. restless or irritable from staying indoors or in one location for a long period; stir crazy; afflicted with cabin fever. Editorial Note: The Dictionary of American Regional English has a single 1991 citation of this term from a...
shoobie n. a short-term visitor to the beach and shore communities of New Jersey. Editorial Note: The Dictionary of American Regional English includes the spellings of shoebe(e), shoebie, and shub(i)e. Etymological Note: As indicated in the...
