Why ‘Useless Etymology’ gives you super powers, with Jess Zafarris

Why ‘Useless Etymology’ gives you super powers, with Jess Zafarris

1121. This week, we talk with Jess Zafarris about her book “Useless Etymology.” We look at three ways she says etymology gives you superpowers. We also look at the origins of simple words and learn why “girl” didn't always mean a female child, the unexpected historical figures behind “fedora” and “sideburns,” and why the word “outrage” has nothing to do with “rage.”

Find Jess Zafarris online: Useless Etymology, TikTok, Twitter, Instagram

🔗 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(964)

174 "Myself"

174 "Myself"

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

12 Jun 20095min

172 "All Right" Versus "Alright"

172 "All Right" Versus "Alright"

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

29 Mai 20094min

170 Swear Words in Text

170 Swear Words in Text

Swear Words in Text Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

15 Mai 20096min

169 Using “For” to Mean “Because”

169 Using “For” to Mean “Because”

Using “For” to Mean “Because” Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

9 Mai 20095min

168 Troublesome Contractions (e.g., I'd've)

168 Troublesome Contractions (e.g., I'd've)

Troublesome Contractions (e.g., I'd've) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

1 Mai 20095min

167 Dashes Versus Colons

167 Dashes Versus Colons

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

23 Apr 20094min

166 Strunk and White

166 Strunk and White

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

17 Apr 20095min

182 Are You Annoyingly Redundant?

182 Are You Annoyingly Redundant?

Are You Annoyingly Redundant? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

7 Apr 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
sinnsyn
rss-sunn-okonomi
rss-mann-i-krise-med-sagen
hverdagspsyken
rss-kunsten-a-leve
mikkels-paskenotter
tomprat-med-gunnar-tjomlid
gravid-uke-for-uke
takk-og-lov-med-anine-kierulf
doktor-fives-podcast