What is 'versing'? ‘Whatchamacallit' and other placeholder words. Chicken.

What is 'versing'? ‘Whatchamacallit' and other placeholder words. Chicken.

1109. This week, we look at why kids and video gamers talk about "versing" someone. Then, we look at the linguistics of placeholder words like "whatchamacallit" and "thingamajig," including some fun international examples and the now-obsolete word "whiblin."

The "thingamajig" segment was by Ursula Kania, a Senior Lecturer in English Language and Linguistics at the University of Liverpool. It originally appeared on The Conversation and appears here through a Creative Commons license.

🔗 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(965)

185 When Should You Capitalize Titles?

185 When Should You Capitalize Titles?

When Should You Capitalize Titles? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

28 Elo 20096min

183 Verbs Sandwiched Between Singular and Plural Nouns

183 Verbs Sandwiched Between Singular and Plural Nouns

Verbs Sandwiched Between Singular and Plural Nouns Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

14 Elo 20093min

184 When Should You Capitalize Words?

184 When Should You Capitalize Words?

When Should You Capitalize Words? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

1 Elo 20096min

181 How Many Spaces After A Period?

181 How Many Spaces After A Period?

How Many Spaces After A Period? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

30 Heinä 20093min

176 What Is Subject-Complement Agreement?

176 What Is Subject-Complement Agreement?

What Is Subject-Complement Agreement? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

26 Heinä 20096min

180 How to Use Parallel Construction Correctly

180 How to Use Parallel Construction Correctly

How to Use Parallel Construction Correctly Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

24 Heinä 20093min

119 "Shall" Versus "Will"

119 "Shall" Versus "Will"

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

22 Heinä 20093min

179 Can You Start a Sentence with “Which”?

179 Can You Start a Sentence with “Which”?

Can You Start a Sentence with “Which”? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

17 Heinä 20095min

Suosittua kategoriassa Koulutus

rss-murhan-anatomia
psykopodiaa-podcast
voi-hyvin-meditaatiot-2
psykologia
rss-valo-minussa-2
leikitaanko-laakaria
aamukahvilla
jari-sarasvuo-podcast
rss-vegaaneista-tykkaan
rss-duodecim-lehti
queen-talk
ihminen-tavattavissa-tommy-hellsten-instituutti
rss-narsisti
koulu-podcast-2
rss-niinku-asia-on
adhd-podi
rahapuhetta
kehossa
aloita-meditaatio
salainen-paivakirja