Did Disney nail the pronunciation of 'Caribbean'? How to write equations. Chuther.
946. It's Talk Like a Pirate Day, which brings to mind "Pirates of the Caribbean," but you can actually pronounce "Caribbean" at least two different ways. Did Disney get it right or wrong? We turn to ...
19 Sep 202313min
Asking experts about language (interview with Steve Kleinedler, former executive editor of the American Heritage Dictionary Usage Panel)
945. What was the famous Usage Panel from the American Heritage Dictionary and how did the panel's opinions influence dictionary entries? Steve Kleinedler, who managed the Usage Panel for many years, ...
12 Sep 202333min
When you shouldn't 'write tight.' 'Behead' versus 'decapitate.' YesHony.
944. Today, we untangle the often confusing web of writing styles. We'll explore the benefits of loose writing in fiction, creative writing, and academic writing, and how you can vary your sentence le...
5 Sep 202316min
Say hwat?! 'Anxious' versus 'eager.' Pink stein.
943. Join us for a fascinating romp through the evolution of phrases like "you know," "right?" and "I mean" from Beowulf's time to today. Plus, we look at how people's feelings about using "anxious" t...
29 Aug 202314min
The wonders of the 'a-' prefix in English. 'Personal' versus 'personnel.'
942. We’re diving deep into the chameleon-like nature of the "a-" prefix, tracing its journey from Latin, where it often started out as "ad-," to its function as a preposition in French, and its trans...
22 Aug 202318min
Hilarious typos (and how to avoid them). Why do we 'take' a walk?
941. Whether you've been betrayed by autocorrect or your own fingers, almost everyone has made embarrassing typos. Even the Bible isn't immune: typos led to an old version called the "Sinners Bible"! ...
15 Aug 202316min
Have you ridden an acoustic bike lately? Write it tight.
940. Pork bacon, manual transmissions, and acoustic guitars: retronyms help us describe the original form of something that has now become a class. But sometimes, retronyms go even further. This week,...
8 Aug 202317min
Did you know that on US Army bases, soldiers get a tattoo every day? Keep writing.
939. When I say the word "tattoo," you probably think of body art, but "tattoo" has another meaning that's related to a famous Edinburgh festival that is happening this month. Plus, we look at why you...
1 Aug 202313min
