Kevin in Havver, Montana, shares a funny story about a misunderstanding that occurred at a conference when one of the organizers requested that a large order of doughnuts be cut in half. Oops. This is part of a complete episode.
If a command begins or ends with the word please, does that make the order optional? The hosts agree that generally it’s polite to honor such a request, despite the phrasing. This is part of a complete episode.
Navy veterans will recognize the two-fingered gesture that looks as if someone’s turning an invisible doorknob. It accompanies the order turn to, meaning “get to work.” How did this handy expression get started? This is part of a...