In Northern Ireland, a clever way to say that someone has an overinflated sense of his own importance is to say he’s “no goat’s toe.” This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “He’s No Goat’s Toe” You know when somebody thinks they’re the...
We spoke on a recent show about the joking consolation parents offer to a crying child, “It’ll be better before you’re married.” A podcast listener in Siberia emailed to say that in Russian, a similar saying translates to, “It has enough time to...
A Canadian listener’s boyfriend has a special talent. He can remove his socks, roll them up, and throw them across the room into the laundry basket, all with his toes. She says he has toe dexterity, but wonders if the word dexterous can apply to...
zombie economy n.— «Yuen Pau Woo was the economist responsible for Japan in Singapore’s central bank when the Japanese bubble—helped by a run-up in real estate prices that made Park Ave. co-ops look affordable—caused the world’s second biggest...
We share a listener’s email about nicknames for the city of Vancouver, Canada. How about Word-couver? This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Word-Couver” Hey, Grant, you remember the conversation we had a while back about playful...
cappucinocracy n.— «The former fishing port of Tofino, some 40 miles north of Bamfield, has advanced in no more than a decade from a stellar destination for a few busloads of savvy bohemians to a grande-luxe place for Vancouver weekenders and the...