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.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Cootie Shot (Rebroadcast) - 28 August 2023
Sticky Wicket - 21 August 2023
Ding Ding Man (Rebroadcast) - 14 August 2023
Gleam in Your Eye - 7 August 2023
Take Tea for the Fever (Rebroadcast) - 31 July 2023
Alligator Mouth - 24 July 2023
Sun Dog (Rebroadcast) - 17 July 2023
High Jinks - 10 July 2023
Oh For Cute (Rebroadcast) - 3 July 2023
Coinkydink (Rebroadcast) - 26 June 2023
Spinning Cookies - 19 June 2023
Up Your Alley (Rebroadcast) - 12 June 2023
Just Skylarking - 5 June 2023
Piping Hot (Rebroadcast) - 29 May 2023
Folding Money - 22 May 2023
Mimeographs and Dittos (Rebroadcast) - 15 May 2023
Takes the Cake - 8 May 2023
Truth and Beauty (Rebroadcast) - 1 May 2023
Dessert Stomach (Rebroadcast) - 24 April 2023
Blessing Box - 17 April 2023
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
The Modern West
Just Dumb Enough Podcast
Voices of Misery Podcast
House of Whimsical Terror
Stuff You Should Know
Timcast IRL