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A Way with Words
A fun radio show and podcast about language examined through family, history, and culture.
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No Cap, No Lie (episode #1566)

Posted by Grant Barrett on April 5, 2021 · Add Comment
We take our voices for granted, but it’s truly miraculous that we communicate complex thoughts simply by moving our mouths while exhaling. A fascinating new book reveals the science, history, and linguistics involved in human speech. And although you might associate the term paraphernalia with drug use, the word goes all the way back to [...]
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Lead On, Macduff! (episode #1565)

Posted by Grant Barrett on March 22, 2021 · Add Comment
For rock climbers, skiers, and other outdoor enthusiasts, the word send has taken on a whole new meaning. You might cheer on a fellow snowboarder with Send it, bro! — and being sendy is a really great thing. Plus: a nostalgic trip to Willa Cather’s’ Nebraska home inspires a reading from one of her classic [...]
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Tribble Trouble (episode #1564)

Posted by Grant Barrett on March 8, 2021 · Add Comment
In Cockney rhyming slang, apples and pears is a synonym for “stairs,” and dustbin lids means kids. Plus, sniglets are clever coinages for things we don’t already have words for. Any guesses what incogsneeto means? It’s the act of trying to hide your sneeze while wearing a face mask. Also, how the vocabulary of science [...]
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Ring-Tailed Tooter (episode #1563)

Posted by Grant Barrett on February 22, 2021 · Add Comment
National Book Award winner Barry Lopez had wise advice for young writers. First, read widely and follow your curiosity. Second, travel or learn a foreign language. And third, find out what you truly believe, because if you’re not writing from your beliefs, then you’re just passing along information. And: if someone says they’re going to [...]
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What the Blazes? (episode #1562)

Posted by Grant Barrett on February 8, 2021 · Add Comment
What kind of book do people ask for most often in prison? Romance novels? No. The Bible? No. The most requested books by far are … dictionaries! A number of volunteer organizations gather and distribute used dictionaries to help inmates with reading, writing, and schoolwork. Plus: For some low-tech family fun, how about egg-tapping? Traditionally [...]
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Mudlarking (episode #1561)

Posted by Grant Barrett on January 25, 2021 · Add Comment
Twice a day the River Thames recedes, revealing a muddy shoreline. Hobbyists known as mudlarks stroll the surface searching for objects that have found their way into the river over the centuries, everything from ancient Roman jewelry to modern wedding rings. A new book about mudlarking describes the irresistible appeal of searching for treasures and [...]
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  • See All Episodes »»
    • No Cap, No Lie (episode #1566) 04/05/2021: We take our voices for granted, but it's truly miraculous that we communicate complex thoughts simply by moving our mouths while exhaling. A fascinating new... [more]
    • Lead On, Macduff! (episode #1565) 03/22/2021: For rock climbers, skiers, and other outdoor enthusiasts, the word send has taken on a whole new meaning. You might cheer on a fellow snowboarder... [more]
    • Tribble Trouble (episode #1564) 03/08/2021: In Cockney rhyming slang, apples and pears is a synonym for "stairs," and dustbin lids means kids. Plus, sniglets are clever coinages for things we... [more]
    • Ring-Tailed Tooter (episode #1563) 02/22/2021: National Book Award winner Barry Lopez had wise advice for young writers. First, read widely and follow your curiosity. Second, travel or learn a foreign... [more]
    • What the Blazes? (episode #1562) 02/08/2021: What kind of book do people ask for most often in prison? Romance novels? No. The Bible? No. The most requested books by far are... [more]