‘Spark words’ and the hidden history of ‘panic’ and ‘Ritalin,’ with Martha Barnette

‘Spark words’ and the hidden history of ‘panic’ and ‘Ritalin,’ with Martha Barnette

1104. This week with Martha Barnette, co-host of "A Way with Words" and author of "Friends with Words: Adventures in Languageland," we look at the concept of a "spark word" — the word that ignites a love of language. We also look at fascinating etymologies from ancient Greek, including the surprising connections between "Nike" and "fennel," and the origins of "panic" and "Ritalin."

Martha Barnette's website

Martha's book, “Friends with Words: Adventures in Languageland”

Martha's podcast, "A Way with Words"

🔗 Share your familect recording in a WhatsApp chat.

🔗 Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing courses.

🔗 Subscribe to the newsletter.

🔗 Take our advertising survey.

🔗 Get the edited transcript.

🔗 Get Grammar Girl books.

🔗 Join Grammarpalooza. Get ad-free and bonus episodes at Apple Podcasts or Subtext. Learn more about the difference.

| HOST: Mignon Fogarty

| VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475).

| Grammar Girl is part of the Quick and Dirty Tips podcast network.

  • Audio Engineer: Dan Feierabend
  • Director of Podcast: Holly Hutchings
  • Advertising Operations Specialist: Morgan Christianson
  • Marketing and Video: Nat Hoopes

| Theme music by Catherine Rannus.

| Grammar Girl Social Media: YouTube. TikTok. Facebook.Threads. Instagram. LinkedIn. Mastodon. Bluesky.


Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jaksot(966)

359 GG Do You Tell People to Pound Sand or Pound Salt?

359 GG Do You Tell People to Pound Sand or Pound Salt?

Deciphering crazy English idioms. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

8 Maalis 20135min

358 GG "Only": The Most Insidious Misplaced Modifier

358 GG "Only": The Most Insidious Misplaced Modifier

How putting the word "only" in the wrong place can confuse your readers. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

1 Maalis 20137min

357 GG Why the Plural of "Die" Is "Dice," not "Douse."

357 GG Why the Plural of "Die" Is "Dice," not "Douse."

Fossils of language Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

22 Helmi 20137min

356 GG Where Do I Use Commas?

356 GG Where Do I Use Commas?

Are you a comma-kaze? Do you use commas like confetti? Don't use a comma everywhere you would pause when speaking. Check out the rules. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

15 Helmi 20137min

355 GG Subject Object

355 GG Subject Object

Why "I love you" is the easiest way ever to remember the difference between subject and object. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

8 Helmi 20135min

353 GG Can Apple Get Away with "Funness"?

353 GG Can Apple Get Away with "Funness"?

and "renanoing"? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

25 Tammi 20137min

352 GG How to Create and Use Figures of Speech Pt.1

352 GG How to Create and Use Figures of Speech Pt.1

Make your messages more vivid, more memorable, and trigger emotional responses using anaphora, antithesis, and chiasmus. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

18 Tammi 20138min

351 GG Pronouns: Is a Company a "Who" or a "That"?

351 GG Pronouns: Is a Company a "Who" or a "That"?

What pronoun should you use when referring to a company? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

11 Tammi 20135min

Suosittua kategoriassa Koulutus

rss-murhan-anatomia
voi-hyvin-meditaatiot-2
psykopodiaa-podcast
rss-vegaaneista-tykkaan
psykologia
rss-duodecim-lehti
rss-valo-minussa-2
aamukahvilla
jari-sarasvuo-podcast
ihminen-tavattavissa-tommy-hellsten-instituutti
rss-narsisti
leikitaanko-laakaria
rss-honest-talk-with-laurrenna
avara-mieli
aloita-meditaatio
dear-ladies
salainen-paivakirja
rss-eron-alkemiaa
rss-saavutus
rss-arkea-ja-aurinkoa