You know that grammatical “rule” about not ending a sentence with a preposition? Well, who ever decided finishing off a sentence like that is a bad thing? (Personally, we think it’s one of the silliest things anyone ever came up...
This week’s “Slang This!” contestant is literary historian Jack Lynch, author of The Lexicographer’s Dilemma: The Evolution of ‘Proper’ English, from Shakespeare to South Park. He tries to guess the meaning of...
Martha muses about the language of falconry, and in the process, reveals the origins of several words and phrases in one fell swoop.
fight call n.— «On Saturday morning, right before the second show of the day, the cast partook in what is known as a “fight call,” a last-minute rehearsal of the sword fights.» —“Shakespeare Acting Troupe Learns, Laughs, and...
A caller in Texas stirs up a spat over whether it’s ever grammatically correct to say “between you and I”— even though Shakespeare did it. This is part of a complete episode.
mocapography n.— «The movie, which opens in November, was filmed in something called “mocapography” using a multitude of digital cameras doing motion capture. Stars Angelina Jolie, Anthony Hopkins, Ray Winstone and Crispin...