In A Velocity of Being, a collection of letters to young readers, writer Alexander Chee offers reasons as to why he became a reader himself. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Why He Became a Reader” Alexander Chee has written about...
The standard spelling is dilemma, but memories keep arriving from people taught to write dilemna, with an n before the final a. Hazel in Kildare, North Dakota, says spellcheck finally shook loose the version she had used all her life. Maxine in...
People who can’t manage to go anywhere without a book might be afflicted with abibliophobia, or perhaps they’re just book-bosomed. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Book-Bosomed” We talked on an earlier show about the term...
Howdy! In this week's archive episode: Do you know the meaning of "McGimpers"? How about "geetus"? We discuss these and other examples of underworld slang from the 1930s. In this show, crime novelist James Ellroy stops by to...
borrow leg v. phr.— «Devil Adopt Me As Second Pikin To Keep U Company Make U For No Feel Lonely…But As I See Say Ur Papa Too Wicked I Borrow Leg Leave Both Of Una…» —“I’m not Nigerian, really!” by Lindahotlegs in Belgium 9jaconnect.com Oct. 14...
carebear n.— «The new word, an insult, is carebear. I was called a carebear today by someone who didn’t agree with my assessment of a game that I didn’t enjoy. I’ve also seen others use it directed at people who they don’t like. Such as: “U suk. Ur...
