A Southern California woman says she was caught up short when she enthused, “It’s the bomb,” and a 12-year-old had no idea what she was saying. Does our slang need to change as we grow older? Why do we say “the bomb”...
A Burlington, Vermont, man says his mother and grandmother used the expression journey proud to denote being restless, nervous, or excited, especially on the eve of an upcoming trip. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Journey...
Does anyone still say “Shut UP!” to mean “No way!”? A forty-something riding instructor says this Seinfeldian locution confuses some of her younger students. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Shut Up...
The English word ouch is not universal. Michelle from Dallas, Texas, wondered whether people in all languages say it when they stub a toe, and the answer is no. Every language has its own short, vowel-heavy interjection. German speakers say autsch...
Dean, a Navy veteran from Lake Bay, Washington, remembers being called a cumshaw artist in Vietnam for “permanently borrowing” whatever his unit needed, from refrigerator regulators to gasoline to whiskey for a party. The term cumshaw...
Hurly-burly, helter-skelter, zigzag, shilly-shally— the hosts dish out some claptrap about words like these, otherwise known as reduplications or rhyming jingles. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Rhyming Jingles” Hi...