When does a house become a mansion? Giving someone house.
957. We trace the linguistic history behind "house" and "mansion" to uncover how these two humble words for dwellings grew apart, with "mansion" gaining airs — all because of the Norman invasion. Plus...
5 Dec 202312min
From metal type to metaphor: printing terms that extended their reach. The positive 'anymore.' Gigglemare.
956. How did terms like "stereotype," "boilerplate," and "typecast" make the leap from specialist printing vocabulary to widespread figurative language? We trace the etymology of these and other expre...
28 Nov 202317min
Why is Black Friday black? The NATO alphabet. Byeloveyou.
955. This week, we're looking at the curious origins and histories behind common idioms and expressions that use "black," like "Black Friday," "black sheep," "in-the-black," and more. Then we switch ...
21 Nov 202317min
The science of the plot twist. Irregardless. Spug.
954. Uh-oh, "irregardless" isn’t going away anytime soon. Take a deep breath while we dig into this hated word’s history, from its first appearance in 1795 to today. And then, do you love a good plot...
14 Nov 202317min
Omnishambles! Military slang across the pond (interview with Ben Yagoda)
953. In honor of Veterans Day, Ben Yagoda tells us tales of military words that marched from the British lexicon to American English and influence the way we speak today. "Omnishambles," "gadget," "bo...
7 Nov 202332min
Cliches. Organic. Bully pulpit. Fimfy.
951. In honor of National Cliché day, we uncover why some overused phrases rub us the wrong way. What is the boundary between idioms, slang, and clichés—and should we give "adulting" a break? Then, w...
31 Okt 202319min
The dark histories behind your favorite scary words, with Jess Zafarris
951. What's the difference between terror and horror? Why was the word for "bear" so scary that it is lost to history? Jess Zafarris, author of "Words from Hell," goes through these stories and more i...
24 Okt 202335min
Namesake. Commentate. Sprigly
950. Nowthen, a town with an odd little name, helps us understand the word "namesake," and then I have some surprising poll results about the much-hated verb "commentate."The "namesake" segment is wri...
17 Okt 202313min
