The pirate history of ‘scallywag.’ ‘Used to’ versus ‘use to.’ Cheese grits.
Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing16 Sep

The pirate history of ‘scallywag.’ ‘Used to’ versus ‘use to.’ Cheese grits.

1116. This week, we clarify the origins of the word "Schnauzer" and why it may mean "snout," "growler," or "mustache." Then, in honor of Talk Like a Pirate Day, we look at the true origins of the word "scallywag," which, believe it or not, isn't from pirates but may be related to Shetland ponies. Then, we look at why we use both "used to" and "use to" and how they differ in questions and negatives.

The "used to" segment was written by Natalie Schilling, a professor emerita of linguistics at Georgetown University in Washington, DC, and who runs a forensic linguistics consulting firm. You can find her on LinkedIn.

🔗 Share your familect recording in a WhatsApp chat.

🔗 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

| VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475).

| 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 by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Episoder(965)

213 Stacked Modifiers

213 Stacked Modifiers

Stacked Modifiers Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

18 Mar 20105min

209 Does the Olympic Theme Song “I Believe” Have a Grammar Error?

209 Does the Olympic Theme Song “I Believe” Have a Grammar Error?

Does the Olympic Theme Song “I Believe” Have a Grammar Error? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

19 Feb 20105min

206 Is "I'm Loving It" Proper Grammar?

206 Is "I'm Loving It" Proper Grammar?

Is "I'm Loving It" Proper Grammar? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

29 Jan 20107min

205 Readers Share Their Funny Errors

205 Readers Share Their Funny Errors

Readers Share Their Funny Errors Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

21 Jan 20106min

203 How Do You Pronounce 2010?

203 How Do You Pronounce 2010?

How Do You Pronounce 2010? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

18 Jan 20107min

204 Is "Got" Proper English?

204 Is "Got" Proper English?

Is "Got" Proper English? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

14 Jan 20105min

201 Is “Ain't” a Word?

201 Is “Ain't” a Word?

Is “Ain't” a Word? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

25 Des 20095min

199 "Alternate" Versus "Alternative"

199 "Alternate" Versus "Alternative"

"Alternate" Versus "Alternative" Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

5 Des 20095min

Populært innen Fakta

fastlegen
dine-penger-pengeradet
hanna-de-heldige
fryktlos
relasjonspodden-med-dora-thorhallsdottir-kjersti-idem
treningspodden
rss-strid-de-norske-borgerkrigene
foreldreradet
jakt-og-fiskepodden
dypdykk
rss-sunn-okonomi
takk-og-lov-med-anine-kierulf
sinnsyn
hverdagspsyken
rss-kunsten-a-leve
tomprat-med-gunnar-tjomlid
rss-mann-i-krise-med-sagen
branncast
mikkels-paskenotter
doktor-fives-podcast