Quiz Guy John Chaneski has a game where the answer to each clue is a word or phrase includes the vowels a, e, i, o, and u exactly one time each. For example, what’s a cute infant animal that’s yet to get its spikes? This is part of a complete...
A recent study found that some names crop up more frequently than others in certain professions. The name William is especially common among attorneys–and graphic designers include a higher-than-average number of Jessicas. Plus, picturesque idioms...
Our Quiz Master John Chaneski has a game that’s all about the letter O. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Phrases with “O” Quiz” You’re listening to A Way with Words, the show about language and how we use it. I’m Martha Barnette...
The Pope has several Twitter feeds — and one of them’s entirely in Latin! But how do you adapt an ancient language to the modern world of selfies and hashtags? Plus, pit bull lovers are giving their dogs a linguistic makeover; they’re calling their...
Lori, an English teacher in North Augusta, South Carolina, grew up on Long Island and wonders why many of her students pronounce pin and pen alike but keep pit and pet distinct. The pin–pen merger is a vowel merger strongly associated with Southern...
Is it time to replace the expression “the mentally ill”? Some argue the term unfairly stigmatizes a broad range of people. Also, the winter sport of… skitching, which involves snowy roads, leather shoes — and car bumpers. Needless to say, don’t try...