Why 'forte' has three pronunciations. What is 'playing the dozens'? Ornish

Why 'forte' has three pronunciations. What is 'playing the dozens'? Ornish

1156. This week, we look at the pronunciation chaos surrounding "forte" and "pianoforte," from the French fencing term meaning "strong point" to the Italian musical direction meaning "loud." Then, we look at "playing the dozens" — the African American insult game with a mysterious origin.

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Episoder(1013)

Wick-ED Fun Pronunciations. Deviled Eggs.

Wick-ED Fun Pronunciations. Deviled Eggs.

896. If you've ever wondered why we pronounce the "-ed" at the end of "wicked" (and "jagged," "beloved" and more), but don't at the end of words like "aggrieved," this show is for you! You'll also dis...

7 Okt 202215min

When Is a Man a Widow? Where Do We Get the Word 'Blurb'? Sci-Fi Versus Fantasy. Bert and Ernie.

When Is a Man a Widow? Where Do We Get the Word 'Blurb'? Sci-Fi Versus Fantasy. Bert and Ernie.

895. A listener asked why he's hearing people refer to men as "widows," and we found a surprising history. Also, I recently mentioned a blurb I wrote, and a reader wanted to know where we get that fun...

30 Sep 202211min

Mood & Atmosphere in Fiction. An Interview with Joshua Essoe

Mood & Atmosphere in Fiction. An Interview with Joshua Essoe

894. Whether you're getting ready for National Novel Writing Month or just want to watch movies or read novels with more insight, this interview with fiction editor Joshua Essoe will help you about mo...

23 Sep 202233min

Split Infinitives. I Can't Even. Macken.

Split Infinitives. I Can't Even. Macken.

893. You may be surprised by the origin of the split infinitive "rule" and by the times they are OK...or even necessary! Also, we look at slang phrases that drop whole grammatical elements and how the...

16 Sep 202214min

Why Some People Say 'Might Could.' The Spanish Influence on English. Mickle Story.

Why Some People Say 'Might Could.' The Spanish Influence on English. Mickle Story.

892. We recently got a question about why people use a type of double-verb construction, such as "We might could go to the store." We have the answer! Plus, in honor of the upcoming National Hispanic ...

9 Sep 202219min

Accent Hallucination. False Ranges. Thanks, Chris.

Accent Hallucination. False Ranges. Thanks, Chris.

891. Your mind will be blown when you learn about accent hallucination. (Mine was!) And then we'll learn how to avoid false ranges.Transcript: https://grammar-girl.simplecast.com/episodes/accent-hallu...

2 Sep 202218min

'Skrrt,' 'Bottle Episode,' 'Skeuomorphs' and more. An Interview with John Kelly of Dictionary.com.

'Skrrt,' 'Bottle Episode,' 'Skeuomorphs' and more. An Interview with John Kelly of Dictionary.com.

890. John Kelly, senior director of editorial at Dictionary.com, talks with Mignon about a bunch of fun new words and about how words get added to the dictionary in general. Transcript: https://gramma...

26 Aug 202231min

What's up with Splooting? Capitalizing Titles. Momilltellya.

What's up with Splooting? Capitalizing Titles. Momilltellya.

889. Splooting squirrels have taken the internet by storm. We look at where this fun word comes from and how far back it goes. Plus, I help you decide which title capitalization rules to follow.Transc...

19 Aug 202212min

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