A Way with Words - language, linguistics, and callers from all over
Society & Culture
If someone urges you to spill the tea, they probably don’t want you tipping over a hot beverage. Originally, the tea here was the letter T, as in “truth.” To spill the T means to “pass along truthful information.” Plus, we’re serving up some delicious Italian idioms involving food. The Italian phrase that literally translates “eat the soup or jump out the window” means “take it or leave it,” and a phrase that translates as “we don’t fry with water around here” means “we don’t do things halfway.” Also: a takeoff word quiz, why carbonated beverages go by various names, including soda, coke, and pop; fill your boots, bangorrhea, cotton to, howdy; milkshake, frappe, velvet, frost, and cabinet; push-ups, press-ups and lagartijas; the Spanish origin of the word alligator, don’t break my plate or saw off my bench, FOMO after death, and much 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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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
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