Building the Online Etymology Dictionary, with Doug Harper

Building the Online Etymology Dictionary, with Doug Harper

1151. This week, we look at the deep history of words with Doug Harper, creator of Etymonline. We look at the "gravitational" link between digging a grave and having a grave problem, the surprising 1839 origin of "OK," and why some of our favorite word stories are actually "folk etymologies" designed as jokes.

Etymonline.com

Visit our YouTube channel to see the video version of this episode.

🔗 Share your familect recording in Speakpipe or by leaving a voicemail at 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475)

🔗 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

| 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 on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episoder(1013)

608 - Dilly Dilly. How Many Prepositions Can You Put in a Row?

608 - Dilly Dilly. How Many Prepositions Can You Put in a Row?

This week, we look a sentence from "Cannery Row" and wonder how it can have so many prepositions in a row, and we find the origin of "dilly dilly."FOLLOW GRAMMAR GIRLTwitter: http://twitter.com/gramma...

15 Feb 201813min

607 - Brainstorming. Call Out Sick? Synesis.

607 - Brainstorming. Call Out Sick? Synesis.

This week, we talk about tricks to help you get started writing a new essay, article, or novel; whether it's wrong to say you "call out sick"; and what's up with a grammatical concept called "synesis"...

8 Feb 201812min

606 - Levidromes, Tom Swifty Jokes, and new OED Words.

606 - Levidromes, Tom Swifty Jokes, and new OED Words.

Levidromes, Tom Swifty Jokes, and new OED Words. Plus, how "phony" is related to a jewel con.FOLLOW GRAMMAR GIRLTwitter: http://twitter.com/grammargirlFacebook: http://facebook.com/grammargirlPinteres...

1 Feb 201811min

605 - A Homophone Error at the SAG Awards. Lectern or Podium? Capitalizing Award Names

605 - A Homophone Error at the SAG Awards. Lectern or Podium? Capitalizing Award Names

How a homophone mix up led to Judi Dench bread jokes. Also, the difference between a lectern, a podium, and a dais, and a Quick and Dirty Tip about capitalizing award names. FOLLOW GRAMMAR GIRL Twitte...

25 Jan 201811min

BONUS: Introducing Launch

BONUS: Introducing Launch

This week, I'm excited to share a bonus clip from a new podcast called Launch. Three out of five people dream of writing a book. Few follow through. What does it take to take that from dream to realit...

22 Jan 201814min

604 - Origin of 'Gerrymandering.' Is 'Data' Singular or Plural?

604 - Origin of 'Gerrymandering.' Is 'Data' Singular or Plural?

This week we explore the origin of the word "gerrymander" and dive into the debate about whether "data" is singular or plural (or both).FOLLOW GRAMMAR GIRLTwitter: http://twitter.com/grammargirlFacebo...

18 Jan 20189min

603 - Words of the Year, Why You Shouldn't Use 'Eskimo,' 'Canon' or 'Cannon'?

603 - Words of the Year, Why You Shouldn't Use 'Eskimo,' 'Canon' or 'Cannon'?

This week I apologize for using the word "Eskimo," go through all the interesting 2017 words of the year, and give you a tip to remember the difference between "canon" and "cannon." SPONSOR: Visit htt...

11 Jan 201813min

601 - 'Based In' or 'Based Out Of.' Omitting 'That'

601 - 'Based In' or 'Based Out Of.' Omitting 'That'

Based on, based off, based in, based out of...people are changing the way they use prepositions with "based." Also, people can get overzealous about deleting every "that" they can find in a sentence. ...

28 Des 201715min

Populært innen Fakta

mikkels-paskenotter
fastlegen
dine-penger-pengeradet
relasjonspodden-med-dora-thorhallsdottir-kjersti-idem
foreldreradet
treningspodden
rss-strid-de-norske-borgerkrigene
jakt-og-fiskepodden
rss-bisarr-historie
hverdagspsyken
sinnsyn
gravid-uke-for-uke
fryktlos
tomprat-med-gunnar-tjomlid
rss-kunsten-a-leve
level-up-med-anniken-binz
rss-kull
takk-og-lov-med-anine-kierulf
hagespiren-podcast
uroskolen