A Way with Words - language, linguistics, and callers from all over
Society & Culture
Do you refer to your dog or cat as “somebody”? As in: When you love somebody that much, you don’t mind if they slobber. In other words, is your pet a somebody or a something? Also, for centuries, there was little consistency in the way many English words were spelled. But long before the printing press helped to standardize spelling, powerful historical forces were already shaping how those words looked on the page. Plus, Irish words that are as handy as they are fun to say: bockety, which describes something wobbly, and segotia, a fond term for “friend.” And ship vs. yacht, rope vs. line, The New Yorker vs. the The New Yorker, evening vs. afternoon, how to pronounce hammock, a wild and woolly animal quiz, “talking cheese” in German, and an Iranian-American playwright on the challenges of learning another language.
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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Book Moth - 1 January 2024
Kite in a Phonebooth (Rebroadcast) - 25 December 2023
Takes All Kinds - 18 December 2023
Strawberry Moon (Rebroadcast) - 11 December 2023
Highway Robbery - 4 December 2023
Spill the Tea (Rebroadcast) - 27 November 2023
Dirty Laundry (Rebroadcast) - 20 November 2023
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Keep Your Powder Dry (Rebroadcast) - 6 November 2023
One-Armed Paper Hanger (Rebroadcast) - 30 October 2023
Hair on Your Tongue (Rebroadcast) - 23 October 2023
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Space Cadet (Rebroadcast) - 9 October 2023
Howling Fantods (Rebroadcast) - 2 October 2023
Pizza Bones - 25 September 2023
Bottled Sunshine (Rebroadcast) - 18 September 2023
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Care Package (Rebroadcast) - 4 September 2023
Cootie Shot (Rebroadcast) - 28 August 2023
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