'Inspirational' or 'aspirational'? The surprising dangers of ChatGPT. Spaghetto.
936. Have you ever wondered about the nuanced differences between "aspirational" and "inspirational"? Today, we look at a newer, more cynical meaning of "aspirational." Plus, you've probably heard all...
11 Heinä 202318min
Phrasal verb mysteries and minced oath origins. Night water.
935. Ever been puzzled by the difference between "slow down" and "slow up"? Curious about how they can possibly mean the same thing (or do they)? We answer a burning listener question about why prepo...
4 Heinä 202317min
Unlocking the mystery of 'ever words' and Latin abbreviations. Juna.
934. Ever wondered why "whyever" isn't as popular as "wherever," "however," or "whenever"? Join me as we delve into the world of "-ever" words and their curious usage. We explore the relationship betw...
27 Kesä 202313min
Why words can suddenly look unrecognizable. Learn to love the full stop. Marley.
933. Have you ever looked at a word and it didn't seem like a real word anymore? It's a specific thing that happens in your brain called semantic satiation, and we have the fascinating ins and outs. P...
20 Kesä 202317min
Imagine life as a fiction editor (interview with Amy Schneider, author of the Chicago Guide to Copy Editing Fiction)
932. When I saw Amy Schneider's new book, The Chicago Guide to Copyediting Fiction, I realized that I have never seen a book that specializes in editing just for fiction, and immediately saw that it f...
13 Kesä 202329min
Darth Vader and the word 'father.' Comparatives and superlatives. Pritinear.
931. Darth Vader wasn't the best father (understatement!), but his name is a wonderful jumping off point to discuss the origin of the word "father." Plus, we explain why I said he wasn't the "best" fa...
6 Kesä 202318min
TV changes how you use language. When to use (and not use) 'more' and 'most'
930. How YOU doin? Today we’re going to MacGyver up some fun memories and tips. And then we'll look at the rules about using "more" and "most" or "-er" and "-est." It'll be a yowlie howlie good time!|...
30 Touko 202315min
Why the heck does 'score' mean 20? How we subconsciously know how to pronounce different plurals.
929. While we were looking into why we use the word "score" to mean "twenty," our minds were blown by how many languages still have remnants of a base-20 counting system. And then we learned the secre...
23 Touko 202318min
