The hosts talk about some verses from Essential Pleasures, Robert Pinsky’s anthology of poems meant to be read aloud. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Essential Pleasures Poetry” You’re listening to A Way...
Martha tells the story of the creepy, spooky, surreal, and downright weird Robert Burns poem behind the name for that flat hat called a tam. Read it in translation here. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Tam Hat” Hello...
This week, Martha and Grant discuss terms from Australia, including aerial ping-pong, pumpkin squatter, and…kangarooster? They explain the connection between stereotypes and stereos, and why we call the person clearing tables in a restaurant a...
Romanette n.— Note: A thorough discussion of this word can be found at the Volokh Conspiracy blog. «One bright spot in the colloquy came during Assistant to the Solicitor General Nicole Saharsky’s defense of an expansive view of the law...
Quiz Guy John Chaneski presents a puzzle in which we remove the first letter of a phrase to yield another with a different meaning. Try one: originally it was a boxing film starring Robert De Niro. Now it describes a head of cattle that’s...
flagging n.— «Investigators say teenage gangs are loosely defined as, “a group a juveniles who form an allegiance, claim a territory, and wear common colors or articles of clothing.” That practice is called “flagging.”» —“Girl Gangs:...