Why we have both 'a' and 'an.' What does it mean to be lonely? Sufficiency.

1111. This week, we look at the phrase "near miss" and why this seemingly illogical term actually makes sense. Then, in honor of National Dog Day, we look at how 16 different dog breeds got their name...

26 Aug 202518min

1110. This week, we talk with Jane Friedman, an expert on the business of being a writer. We look at how to build a strong email newsletter and why it's a critical tool for authors in today's publishi...

21 Aug 202518min

1109. This week, we look at why kids and video gamers talk about "versing" someone. Then, we look at the linguistics of placeholder words like "whatchamacallit" and "thingamajig," including some fun i...

19 Aug 202513min

1108. This week, we talk to Heddwen Newton about some of the unique and untranslatable words she's discovered while translating. She shares her thoughts on why the translation profession is being hit ...

14 Aug 202519min

1107. This week, we look at double possessives, such as "a friend of Mignon's" and whether they are grammatically correct. Then, we look at words that do double duty, from the nautical origins of "scu...

12 Aug 202514min

1106. We talk with Fiona McPherson, a senior editor at the Oxford English Dictionary, about the playful words that get added to the OED. We look at the dictionary's ongoing work to expand its coverage...

7 Aug 202516min

1105. This week, we look at how the pronouns you use can reveal your psychological state — for example, how using "I" versus "we" can signal how you are coping with a breakup or a tragic event. Then, ...

5 Aug 202514min

1104. This week with Martha Barnette, co-host of "A Way with Words" and author of "Friends with Words: Adventures in Languageland," we look at the concept of a "spark word" — the word that ignites a l...

31 Jul 202532min