Can you use ‘epicenter’ for positive things? The etymology of ‘bro.’ Mukwonago, Oconomowoc.

Can you use ‘epicenter’ for positive things? The etymology of ‘bro.’ Mukwonago, Oconomowoc.

1120. This week, we look at tricky uses of the word "epicenter" and how people feel about using it metaphorically. We also look at where the word “brother” came from and how it branched into “bro,” “boy,” and even “buddy.”

The "brother" segment was written by Valerie Fridland, a professor of linguistics at the University of Nevada in Reno and the author of "Like Literally, Dude: Arguing for the Good in Bad English." You can find her at valeriefridland.com.

🔗 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, Rebekah Sebastian

| 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)

142 GG When Are Double Words OK?

142 GG When Are Double Words OK?

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

28 Syys 20125min

334 GG Using Present Tense in a Story About the Past

334 GG Using Present Tense in a Story About the Past

The girl who sat next to me is or was? named Stephanie. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

31 Elo 20127min

333 GG When Is W a Vowel

333 GG When Is W a Vowel

A E I O U and sometimes Y, but also W? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

24 Elo 20128min

332 GG How Do You Tell If Something Is True?

332 GG How Do You Tell If Something Is True?

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

10 Elo 201211min

331 GG  "Pet" or "Petted"? Troublesome Past Tenses

331 GG "Pet" or "Petted"? Troublesome Past Tenses

Some verbs are becoming strangely irregular. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

3 Elo 20126min

330 GG The Rules of Story

330 GG The Rules of Story

Why the Rules of Story Are Even More Immutable than the Rules of Grammar. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

27 Heinä 20128min

329 GG "Versus"

329 GG "Versus"

Get ready to write about the Olympics. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

20 Heinä 20126min

328 GG "Decimate" and "All Right"

328 GG "Decimate" and "All Right"

Two troublesome words from Grammar Girl's new book. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

13 Heinä 20125min

Suosittua kategoriassa Koulutus

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