A Way with Words - language, linguistics, and callers from all over
Society & Culture
A clever pun can make the difference between a so-so phrase and a memorable one. The phrase “the last straw” refers to an old fable about too many items in a load, but it takes on a whole new meaning in a public-awareness campaign about the environment. • Why do we use the term mob scene to refer to an unruly crowd? • The Basque language spoken in the westernmost Pyrenees has long posed a linguistic mystery. Its origins are unclear and it’s unlike any other language in the region. • Plus: sundog, ob-gyn, double george, geezum pete, and somersault vs. winter pepper.
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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Herd of Turtles (Rebroadcast) - 21 November 2022
If Grandma Had Wheels - 14 November 2022
Mittens in Moonlight (Rebroadcast) - 7 November 2022
Diamond Dust (Rebroadcast) - 31 October 2022
Sleepy Winks (Rebroadcast) - 24 October 2022
Touch Grass - 17 October 2022
Made from Scratch (Rebroadcast) - 10 October 2022
Salad Days (Rebroadcast) - 3 October 2022
Funny Papers - 26 September 2022
Your Imaginary Boyfriend (Rebroadcast) - 19 September 2022
Go Bananas - 12 September 2022
Beefed It (Rebroadcast) - 5 September 2022
What in Tarnation - 29 August 2022
Forty Eleven Zillion (Rebroadcast) - 22 August 2022
Blue Streak - 15 August 2022
Mystery Date (Rebroadcast) - 8 August 2022
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Sour Pickle (Rebroadcast) - 25 July 2022
Not My Circus (Rebroadcast) - 18 July 2022
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