Why leprechauns are shoemakers. The March equinox versus the vernal equinox.
1168. This week, we look at the word "leprechaun" and its surprisingly wild origin story involving shoemaking, ancient Rome, and wolf-men. Then we look at the word "equinox": its Chaucer connection, t...
17 Mar 13min
'Mini' and 'factoid' don't mean what you think, with Jess Zafarris
1167. In this bonus segment that originally ran for Grammarpaloozians last October, we look at the surprising true origins of words that often fool people. We explore why "miniature" originally referr...
12 Mar 13min
Is the Academy Awards singular or plural? Writing about time.
1166. This week, we look the grammar of the Academy Awards and how to avoid an "illogical plot twist" in your sentences. Then, we look at common time-related redundancies like "period of time," the pr...
10 Mar 17min
Mapping the American Tongue: The Dictionary of American Regional English (DARE), with Joan Houston Hall
1165. Today, we talk with Joan Houston Hall to look at the monumental task of documenting how Americans speak. We look at the Dictionary of American Regional English (DARE), exploring the unique folk ...
5 Mar 38min
The history of the octothorpe. Sir Fragalot and sentence fragments. Dribzle.
1164. This week, we look at the origin of the octothorpe — also known as the pound sign or hashtag — and why it has so many different names. Then, we look at sentence fragments and the secret of "Sir ...
3 Mar 16min
How 'be like' took over the world, with Sali Tagliamonte
1163. This week, we look at what it’s like to be a "language detective" with Sali Tagliamonte and how she used her own teenagers as a research lab. We look at a 25-year study on how the phrase "be lik...
26 Feb 26min
Why 'Tonka' sounds big and 'bitty' sounds small. Why you CAN start a sentence with 'because.'
1162. This week, we look at why some names just "feel right" while others don't and how vowels like "ee" create associations with smallness and sweetness while back vowels like "ah" sound bigger and m...
24 Feb 13min
WHY WE USE ALL CAPS TO SHOUT, with Glenn Fleishman
1161. Today, we look at the history of writing in all-uppercase letters. Tech historian Glenn Fleishman explains how capitals transitioned from a sign of importance to a convention for shouting. Plus,...
19 Feb 27min
