Could something 'escalate' before the escalator? INVENTIONS
Is necessity the mother of invention? NO! Latin is, etymologically speaking. That's just one of many revelations as Jess and Rob investigates words for innovations.🛗 Could you 'escalate' something be...
4 Feb 44min
Does anyone know what 'London' means? | CITY NAME ORIGINS
Rob and Jess are touring the US and the UK in search of the most interesting city name origin stories.💨 Does 'Chicago' have anything to do with wind?🗽 Is New York actually named after York?🚇 Does a...
28 Jan 48min
What does 'espionage' actually mean? | SECRETS & SPIES
Rob and Jess are going deep undercover to unearth the origins of words from the word of espionage.🕵️♀️ What's the difference between a SPY, and ASSET, and an AGENT?🔍 What does ESPIONAGE literally m...
21 Jan 42min
What did the first internet troll write? | TECH WORDS
Rob and Jess are talking tech! In this episode, they explore the linguistic origins of terms from technology, Sci-fi and the internet.🧌 Who was the first internet troll?🤖 What does 'robot' literally...
14 Jan 47min
What is the 'Nocebo Effect'? | MEDICAL TERMS EXPLAINED
Rob and Jess are taking a surgical look at words from the world of medicine.💊 What is the Nocebo Effect?🩺 Are doctors named after leeches (or the other way round)?🚑 What does "ambulance" literally ...
7 Jan 46min
What does 'chupacabra' literally mean? | CRYPTIDS & MYTHICAL BEASTS
Jess and Rob are exploring the etymological origins of mythical beasts and cryptids. 🐺 What does "Chupacabra" mean? 🦑 Why are we getting the name "Kraken" wrong? 🐉 What animal was the original "dra...
17 Dec 202546min
Why do we say 'bury the hatchet'? | SAYINGS EXPLAINED
In this episode, Rob and Jess explore the stories behind a host of common sayings. 🪓 Does anyone actually 'bury the hatchet'? 😈 Was there ever a 'devil's advocate'? 🔫 What is a 'son of a gun'? 🪶 ...
10 Dec 202543min
Vulgar language and criminal slang
This episode of Words Unravelled is not for the easily offended, as Rob and Jess explore dictionaries dedicated to underground slang. Focusing first on Francis Grose's 'Classical Dictionary of the V...
3 Dec 202542min
