A listener shares a Russian saying that translates I am going “there where the Tsar goes on foot,” meaning “I am going to the bathroom.” It’s the equivalent of we all put our pants on one leg at a time, or we’re...
The hosts tackle a longstanding mystery about the word shoshabong. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Shoshabong” Hi, you have A Way with Words. Hi, this is Helene from Madison, Wisconsin. Hello, Helene. Welcome. Welcome...
flying truck n.— «He now finds it a little bizarre to be piloting an old MI-17 Russian helicopter, a legacy of the Soviet invaders here, in the Hindu Kush of Afghanistan.…The United States is training American pilots to fly the...
travesty dancer n.— «Forget about those famous old Russian ballerinas of yesteryear: you haven’t really seen a dying swan until you’ve seen the Trocks, as this company of male travesty dancers is affectionately known.» —“Dance...
Yep, it's another newsletter from A Way with Words! There's something kind of special about the language a family invents for its own use, so we talked about it on this past weekend's show. We also tried to narrow down the difference...
helicopter money n.— «it’s time to think about so-called “helicopter money.” While most people understandably worry primarily about the US housing market, the real threat to our economic security is now coming from the...

