What’s the difference between cavalry and calvary? The first of these two refers to the group of soldiers on horseback, and is a linguistic relative of such “horsey” words as caballero, the Spanish horse-riding gentleman, and cavalcade, originally a “parade of horses.” The word calvary, on the other hand, derives from the Latin calvaria, “skull,” and refers to the hill where Jesus was crucified, known in Aramaic as Golgotha, or “place of the skull.” This is part of a complete episode.
Pants on Fire 10/16/2017: A highly anticipated children's book and the epic history behind a familiar vegetable: fans of illustrator Maurice Sendak eagerly await publication of a newly discovered... [more]
A Way with Words Honors Leaders Who Promote Literacy and Dialogue 10/12/2017: The first-ever “Word by Word” awards were presented by A Way With Words co-hosts Martha Barnette and Grant Barrett as part of a sold-out celebration... [more]
Frozen Rope 10/09/2017: Where would you find a sports commentator talking about high cheese and ducks on a pond? Here's a hint: both terms are part of what... [more]
Lie Like a Rug 08/26/2017: The words we choose can change attitudes — and change lives. A swing-dance instructor has switched to gender-neutral language when teaching couples. He says that... [more]
Pig Latin 08/19/2017: Grant and Martha discuss the L-word — or two L-words, actually: liberal and libertarian. They reflect different political philosophies, so why do they look so... [more]
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