A Way with Words

Sundog (episode #1507)

Posted by Grant Barrett on October 15, 2018 · Add Comment

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Hang for a Sheep

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

Rick calls from Rouses Point, New York, to ask about the etymology of the phrase to hang for a sheep as for a lamb, meaning to go for broke or to go all out. The answer involves the old tradition of capital punishment for poaching animals. Given the same risk, one might as well steal [...]
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Origin of Ruminate

Posted by grantbarrett on July 22, 2016 · Add Comment

A caller from Deer River, Minnesota, has lots of experience raising ruminants and wonders if the word ruminate, as in “to ponder or muse about something” stems from the image of such an animal chewing regurgitated cud. Indeed it does. In classical Latin, the word ruminare could mean either “to chew cud” or “to turn [...]
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Ewes, Nannies, and Flyers

Posted by grantbarrett on June 22, 2013 · Add Comment

A female sheep is an ewe, a goat is a nanny, but what’s a female kangaroo? A flyer. This is part of a complete episode.
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Grex Root

Posted by grantbarrett on March 29, 2013 · Add Comment

Martha spoke recently at an Audubon Society event, where she traced the role of the Latin stem greg-. It’s a form of the Latin word grex meaning “flock” or “herd.” This root appears in many English words involving groups, including aggregate, congregate, gregarious, as well as the word egregious–literally, “standing outside the herd.” This is [...]
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Animal Sounds Game

Posted by grantbarrett on February 9, 2013 · Add Comment

Our Quizmaster John Chaneski has quiz based on animal sounds. What sort of wild party would a sheep throw? What five-masted ship do golden retrievers sail on? Tip: For this game, animal sounds are just as important as advanced vocabularies. This is part of a complete episode.
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