最佳Way With Words播客 (2024)

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Space Frogs - 25 November 2024 53:45

4d ago53:45

53:45

Scientists have named some recently discovered species of tree frogs after characters from Star Trek. Why? Because of the boops and trills and other sounds that these frogs make. And: naming your children with the virtues you hope they’ll develop as adults, like Patience and Hope. But in Puritan and Quaker tradition, so-called virtue names were oft…

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Sock it to Me (Rebroadcast) - 18 November 2024 53:45

11d ago53:45

53:45

In the 15th century, the word respair meant "to have hope again." Although this word fell out of use, it's among dozens collected in a new book of soothing vocabulary for troubled times. Plus, baseball slang: If a batter doesn't pour the pine," an outfielder may snag a can of corn, or "an easily caught fly ball." And the 1960s TV show "Laugh-In" sp…

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Cut the Mustard - 11 November 2024 53:45

18d ago53:45

53:45

Do people who work together sound alike? Yes! Over time, they may begin to develop similar patterns of speech, or what might be called an “occupational accent” that helps them communicate efficiently. Also, lots of familiar words in English got their start not in the languages of Europe, but in Asia — words including bungalow, ketchup, and avatar. …

1
Good Vibrations (Rebroadcast) - 4 November 2024 53:45

25d ago53:45

53:45

Asthenosphere, a geologist's term for the molten layer beneath the earth's crust, sparks a journey that stretches all the way from ancient Greece to the author of Uncle Tom's Cabin. Plus: What the heck is a dogberg? It's when a dog runs into you and knocks you over. This bit of slang was inspired by a professional wrestler who finished off his oppo…

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Kitten Britches - 28 October 2024 53:45

1M ago53:45

53:45

How and why do words from one language find their way into another? Vietnamese, for instance, includes lots of words borrowed or adapted from French. Such linguistic mixing often happens when languages brush up against each other and speakers reach for a word that feels more useful. Plus: “unparalleled misalignments” are pairs of phrases in which t…

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Mystery Drawer (Rebroadcast) - 21 October 2024 53:45

1M ago53:45

53:45

Amid court-ordered busing in the 1970s, a middle-school teacher tried to distract her nervous students on the first day of class with this strange assignment: find a monarch caterpillar. The result? A memorable lesson in the miracle of metamorphosis. Plus, the story behind the slang interjection word!, meaning “believe me!” The original version inv…

1
Deviled Eggs (Rebroadcast) - 14 October 2024 53:45

1M ago53:45

53:45

Some TV commercials launch catchphrases that stick around long after the original ads. The exclamation Good stuff, Maynard! is still a compliment almost 40 years after it was used in a commercial for Malt-O-Meal hot cereal. And: what do you call that room where the whole family gathers? The family room? The den? The TV room? Names for that part of …

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Navel-Gazing (Rebroadcast) - 7 October 2024 53:45

2M ago53:45

53:45

In 1971, when a new public library opened in Troy, Michigan, famous authors and artists were invited to write letters to the city’s youngest readers, extolling the many benefits of libraries. One of the loveliest was from E.B. White, author of Charlotte’s Web. Plus, you may think navel-gazing is a relatively new idea — but it goes back at least to …

1
Midnight Oil - 30 September 2024 53:45

2M ago53:45

53:45

What exactly is a planet? Controversy over this question led to Pluto’s redefinition, along with a brand-new English word. And: Some people now use the phrase all the things! to mean and whatnot or you know what I mean. This new sense of all the things comes from a hilarious cartoon in which someone approaches daily tasks with exceptional vigor. Sp…

1
Yak Shaving (Rebroadcast) - 23 September 2024 53:45

2M ago53:45

53:45

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 ans…

1
Easy as Pie - 16 September 2024 53:45

2M ago53:45

53:45

How hot is it? Well, poet Dylan Thomas found lots of memorable ways to describe a heat wave. In one letter to a friend, he wrote that it was so hot “My brains are hanging out like a dog’s tongue.” And: pestering country music stars for selfies is a big no-no in Nashville. In fact, the locals even have a word for it. Also, why do we say something’s …

1
Cabin Fever (Rebroadcast) - 9 September 2024 53:45

3M ago53:45

53:45

The adjectives canine and feline refer to dogs and cats. But how does English address other groups of animals? Plus, cabin fever has been around much longer than the current pandemic. That restless, antsy, stir-crazy feeling goes back to the days when you could find yourself literally cooped up all winter in a cabin on the wild frontier. And, in Hu…

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Toad in the Hole - 2 September 2024 53:45

3M ago53:45

53:45

An ambitious effort to install poetry in national parks around the United States features the work of beloved poets in beautiful spots. It’s a reminder that “Nature is not a place to visit. Nature is who we are.” Also, Google Translate has expanded its offerings with 110 more languages. And: what’s an oatsmobile? Hint: it has four legs. Plus, bushw…

值得一听的播客

Way With Words播客

值得一听的播客

1
A Way with Words - language, linguistics, and callers from all over

Hosted by Martha Barnette and Grant Barrett. Produced by Stefanie Levine.

1
Words Work at Microsoft Podcast, a podcast about about how Microsoft culture has evolved, starting with the way we talk

Jennifer Bost & Amy King

1
Space Frogs - 25 November 2024 53:45

1
Sock it to Me (Rebroadcast) - 18 November 2024 53:45

1
Cut the Mustard - 11 November 2024 53:45

1
Good Vibrations (Rebroadcast) - 4 November 2024 53:45

1
Kitten Britches - 28 October 2024 53:45

1
Mystery Drawer (Rebroadcast) - 21 October 2024 53:45

1
Deviled Eggs (Rebroadcast) - 14 October 2024 53:45

1
Navel-Gazing (Rebroadcast) - 7 October 2024 53:45

1
Midnight Oil - 30 September 2024 53:45

1
Yak Shaving (Rebroadcast) - 23 September 2024 53:45

1
Easy as Pie - 16 September 2024 53:45

1
Cabin Fever (Rebroadcast) - 9 September 2024 53:45

1
Toad in the Hole - 2 September 2024 53:45

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