The words we choose can change attitudes — and change lives. A swing-dance instructor has switched to gender-neutral language when teaching couples. He says that using words like “leader” and “follower” actually works better than using gendered...
Why is the first episode of a television series often called a pilot? This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Where Does “Pilot” in “Pilot Episode” Come From?” Hi, you have A Way with Words. Hello, this is Elias from Plano, Texas. How are...
Choosing language that helps resolve interpersonal conflict. Sometimes a question is really just a veiled form of criticism and understanding the difference between “ask culture” and “guess culture” can help you know how to respond. • What words...
The Humans of New York series of portraits and quotations includes one subject’s wise observation about how a single offhand remark can change a life. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Offhand Remarks Have Lasting Effects” You’re...
It’s book recommendation time! Grant recommends the Trenton Lee Stewart series for young readers, starting with The Mysterious Benedict Society. Martha praises Ronni Lundy’s Victuals: An Appalachian Journey, with Recipes, a love letter to the...
In the late 19th century, Wisconsin newspaperman George Wilbur Peck wrote a series of columns about a fictional boy who was the personification of mischief. The popular character inspired stage and movie adaptations, and the term “Peck’s Bad Boy”...