The literal meaning of 'tiramisu' | WORLD FOODS
Rob and Jess are touring the world and translating the names of popular foods.🍝 What does "chow mein" mean?👅 Which pasta is "little tongues"?🌭 What is a Frankfurter called in Frankfurt?These curiou...
22 Apr 45min
Why is a false clue a "red herring"? | IDIOM ORIGINS
Rob and Jess explore the origins of common sayings in another episode dedicated to the stories behind idioms.🐟 What was the first "red herring"?🪿 Is there a goose in a "wild goose chase"?👮 Why is p...
15 Apr 43min
Why does Berlin mean 'swamp'? | CITY NAME ORIGINS
What's in a names? Jess and Rob are exploring why major cities are called what they're called and what their names literally mean.🇩🇪 Why does BERLIN mean 'swamp'?🇯🇵 Why are KYOTO and TOKYO anagram...
8 Apr 47min
Why do Brits eat their entrees first? ? UK v US ENGLISH
Rob and Jess are engaged in another transatlantic war of words, pitting their British and American accents against one another.🍽️ Why do Brits eat their entrees first?👰🏽 Why do Americans pronounce ...
31 Mar 42min
Slurs and taboos with Professor John McWhorter
Rob and Jess are joined by the brilliant John McWhorter to discuss words you're not allowed to use. Professor McWhorter has written extensively about taboos, slurs and profanities and brings his unpar...
11 Mar 43min
What was Pepsi originally called? | BRAND NAME ORIGINS
What does IKEA mean? What language is Häagen-Dasz? Who came up with the name Adidas? Why is Danone spelled Dannon in the US? These questions answered, and many more, as Jess and Rob explore the origin...
4 Mar 47min
What does 'philosophy' even mean? | PHILOSOPHICAL WORDS
Jess and Rob are digging into the origins of the words behind some of history’s biggest ideas – from stoicism and cynicism to logic, ethics, and metaphysics. Along the way, they trace how ancient Gree...
25 Feb 41min
Why so many terms for 'doing it'? | SEX & LOVE
Jess and Rob are discussing "the shaking of the sheets". Join them to explore the origins of words for 'doing it' and a host of historic terms for firkytoodling, quiffing and dancing Moll Peatley's Ji...
18 Feb 48min
