The phrase “Let’s talk about how the cow ate the cabbage” means “Let’s talk frankly.” The hosts talk plainly about the naughty tale that may be behind it. This is part of a complete episode.
You’ve been on the receiving end of backhanded phrases, and admit it, you’ve used them, too. A discussion on Ask MetaFilter prompts Grant and Martha to talk about the ways people use sugar-coated snark. By the way, if you want a fancy...
.5 generation n.— «Sociologists call Mr. Singh and his cohort the “.5 generation,” distinct from the “1.5 generation”—younger transplants who became bicultural through school and work. Immigrant elders leave a familiar home, some without...
Boom! It's another newsletter from "A Way with Words." Get an earful of our conversation from this past week's show: pandiculation, doorknobbing, cotton-picking, enormity, on the QT, and more: Martha's got a foodie treat...
What do people call their grandparents? Sure, there’s Grandma and Grampa, but there’s also Gammy, Bumpy, Dadoo, Gre-Gre, Kiki, Kerkel, Monga, Nee-Nee, Pots, Rah-Rah and Woo-Woo. Martha and Grant talk about the endlessly inventive names...
If English isn’t your first language, there are lots of ways to learn it, such as memorizing Barack Obama’s speech to the 2004 Democratic Convention. Martha and Grant talk about some of the unusual ways foreigners are learning to speak...