Profanity Archives – A Way with Words

Beside Myself (episode #1535)

Posted by Grant Barrett on November 4, 2019 · Add Comment

Guaranteed Way to Curb Swearing at School: Moo Cow!

Posted by Grant Barrett on November 2, 2019 · Add Comment

Jeezum Pete and Related Expressions

Posted by Grant Barrett on October 13, 2018 · Add Comment

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The First Dirty Word

Posted by grantbarrett on December 21, 2013 · Add Comment

How did the first person to say a dirty word know it was a dirty word? Geoffrey Hughes’ Encyclopedia of Swearing is a great source on this. This is part of a complete episode.
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By Jingo!

Posted by Grant Barrett on August 11, 2012 · 1 Comment

If your friend says she’s coming to town Sunday week, exactly when should you expect to see her? What do you call those typographical symbols cartoonists use in place of profanity? Plus grass widows, the linguistic phenomenon called creaky voice, the difference between insure and ensure, the roots of the term jingoism and what it [...]
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Tweet, Tweet! Polly Wanna Cracker!

Posted by Grant Barrett on July 4, 2009 · Add Comment

Twittering, tweeting, twirting—it’s rare to see a whole new body of language appear right before your eyes. But that’s what’s happening with Twitter. We discuss the snappy new shorthand of the twitterati. Also, why do people feel compelled to say “Polly wanna cracker?” whenever they see a parrot? And is it ever okay to end [...]
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