Turn Up The AC

Does turning up the A.C. make a room cooler or warmer? A listener grapples with multiple meanings of the word “up.” Martha suggests saying, “Turn up the air conditioning,” not “turn up the air conditioner,” just as you say “turn up the heat,” not “turn up the heater.” Grant observes that the English language is imperfect, and we often have to clarify our statements to make sure people understand us. This is part of a complete episode.

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