Many common English surnames–such as Taylor, Miller, Shoemaker, Smith, and many others–tell a story about life in the Middle Ages. Two good books on the study of names, also known as onomastics, are The Surname Detective and a Dictionary...
Humorist Roy Blount Jr. stops by to try his hand at a slang quiz specifically about Southernisms.
A 14 yr-old teenager pronounces the word bagel as BEH-gul, rather than BAY-gul. Her family thinks she’s crazy. Who’s right? This is part of a complete episode.
butt hutt n.— «Some boys end up in unsupervised group rentals they call “butt huts” because of the crowded sleeping, while others live in cars or end up in jail.» —“Boys Cast Out by Polygamists Find Help” by Erik...
wildcatting n.— «Law enforcement officials have had a good track record of catching unlicensed van or bus operators carrying individuals who cross over the border out of the county, a process known as “wildcatting...