A Way with Words - language, linguistics, and callers from all over
Society & Culture
There was a time when William Shakespeare was just another little seven-year-old in school. Classes in his day were demanding — and all in Latin. A new book argues that this rigorous curriculum actually nurtured the creativity that later flourished in Shakespeare’s writing. Plus, why do we refer to an unpredictable person as a loose cannon? The answer lies in the terrifying potential of a large weapon aboard a warship. And when a delivery driver’s wife teases him about cavorting with strumpets, he asks: What exactly is a strumpet? All that, plus picayune, sit on a tack, the many meanings of fell, a Spanish idiom about oysters and boredom, pickthank, a puzzle about rhyming words, a terrifying passage from Victor Hugo, tacos called mariachis, the juice was worth the squeeze, and more.
Read full show notes, hear hundreds of free episodes, send your thoughts and questions, and learn more on the A Way with Words website: https://waywordradio.org/contact. Be a part of the show: call 1 (877) 929-9673 toll-free in the United States and Canada; worldwide, call or text/SMS +1 (619) 800-4443. Email words@waywordradio.org. Twitter @wayword. Copyright Wayword, Inc., a 501(c)(3) corporation.
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The Black Dog (Rebroadcast) - 20 May 2024
Animal Crackers - 13 May 2024
Beside Myself (Rebroadcast) - 6 May 2024
Skookum (Rebroadcast) - 29 April 2024
Electric Soup - 22 April 2024
Life of Riley (Rebroadcast) - 15 April 2024
Blue Dolphin - 8 April 2024
Off the Turnip Truck (Rebroadcast) - 1 April 2024
Gilded Age - 25 March 2024
Loaded For Bear (Rebroadcast) - 18 March 2024
Bronx Cheer - 11 March 2024
Mrs. Astor's Horse (Rebroadcast) - 4 March 2024
Ghost Runner - 26 February 2024
At First Blush (Rebroadcast) - 19 February 2024
Sweet Spot - 12 February 2024
Gift Horse (Rebroadcast) - 5 February 2024
Had the Radish (Rebroadcast) - 29 January 2024
Orange Pigs - 22 January 2024
Abso-Bloomin-Lutely (Rebroadcast) - 15 January 2024
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