In the United States alone, there are 15 different pronunciations of the word water! This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Pronunciations of Water” Hello, you have A Way with Words. Oh, hi, this is Toni. I’m from San Diego, California...
If you think they refer to umbrellas as bumbershoots in the UK, think again. The word bumbershoot actually originated in the United States! In Britain, it’s prolly a brolly. • Also: snow-grooming language, more than one way to say bagel...
In the US, if you’re ambivalent about something, you’re said to be of two minds. In the UK, however, they use a different preposition — they’re said to be in two minds. Also, Americans talk about brainstorms, which in the UK are called brain waves...
Listeners weigh in on a call about what language to use with a co-worker who continually apologizes for being late, but doesn’t change their behavior. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “More Things To Say To A Late Coworker” Here’s...
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...
A caller from Long Beach, California, says hell for leather describes “a reckless abandonment of everything but the pursuit of speed.” But why hell for leather? The expression seems to have originated in the mid-19th century, referencing the wear...
