In deafening industrial workplaces, such as textile factories and sawmills, workers often develop their own elaborate system of sign language, communicating everything from how their weekend went or to straighten up because the boss is coming. This...
An office worker in Indianapolis is mystified when a British colleague sends an email telling her to hang fire. It has to do with faulty firearms. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Hang Fire” Hello, you have A Way with Words. Hi...
Pickle, baboon, cupcake, snorkel, pumpkin, Kalamazoo—let’s face it, some words are just plain funny. But what makes some words funnier than others? Martha and Grant consider this question with an assist from Neil Simon’s play (and movie) The...
Grant recommends a couple of favorite children’s books by Kate Banks and Georg Hallensleben: Baboon and The Night Worker. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Favorite Children’s Books” You’re listening to A Way with Words. I’m Martha...
In a previous episode, a caller sought a classy term for a worker in the meat section of a cheese shop, something a little more sophisticated than, say, meatmonger. The helpful suggestions from listeners keep rolling in, and Grant and Martha share a...
hoarding n.— «The platform in question was partially draped by a large orange tarp, a technique known as “hoarding,” Hauser said. It’s a common and accepted way to shelter workers from the elements when working in winter.» —“Saskatoon construction...
