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)

The Many Meanings of 'Father.' How Watergate Changed English. Punim

The Many Meanings of 'Father.' How Watergate Changed English. Punim

880. "Father" as a word shows how we humans love to extend our metaphors. Did you know it was only relatively recently that priests were  referred to as "father," for example? And then, for the 50th a...

17 Jun 202219min

Demonyms: Why People from North Carolina Are Called Tar Heels. 'Healthy' Versus 'Healthful.' Sussies 3!

Demonyms: Why People from North Carolina Are Called Tar Heels. 'Healthy' Versus 'Healthful.' Sussies 3!

879. Are people from Liverpool really called "Liverpudlians"? Where does the name "Tar Heel" come from? We have the answers to some of the most interesting questions about demonyms: the names for peop...

10 Jun 202220min

Are Wisdom Teeth Smart? Capitalizing Degree Names. Sussies 2

Are Wisdom Teeth Smart? Capitalizing Degree Names. Sussies 2

878. This week, we look at what makes wisdom teeth so smart, how to properly write the name of your degree, and what's up with the "sussies" familect?Transcript: https://grammar-girl.simplecast.com/ep...

3 Jun 202215min

Whatever Happened to "Thou"?

Whatever Happened to "Thou"?

877. In an age when eels were sometimes used as currency and castles pierced the sky, “thou” was all the rage. But over time, it disappeared from use. Where did it go? And will it ever make a comeback...

27 Mai 202214min

How Spellers Tackle the 'Dreaded Schwa'

How Spellers Tackle the 'Dreaded Schwa'

876. You'll never view spellers in the bee asking questions the same way again after you learn about the schwa from Brian Sietsema, an associate pronouncer for the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Trans...

20 Mai 202217min

Why "'Em" Isn't Short for "Them." The Subjunctive. Sussies.

Why "'Em" Isn't Short for "Them." The Subjunctive. Sussies.

875. When you say "Go get 'em!" you think that's short for "Go get them," but you're wrong! We look at the fascinating history of some English pronouns. Plus, we look at how Neil Gaiman uses the subju...

13 Mai 202215min

Tomi Adeyemi: The Writing Life and Her New Writing Course.

Tomi Adeyemi: The Writing Life and Her New Writing Course.

874. With her book "Children of Blood and Bone" spending 120 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list, Tomi Adeyemi knows what it takes to write a great book. Listen in on my conversation with this...

6 Mai 202241min

Scissors, Jeans, and Other Nouns That Are Always Plural. Flat Adverbs. Boteep.

Scissors, Jeans, and Other Nouns That Are Always Plural. Flat Adverbs. Boteep.

873. Today, we'll talk about some weird nouns that are always plural, and then we'll go two-dimensional and talk about flat adverbs.| Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates.| Watch my LinkedI...

28 Apr 202218min

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