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Content provided by A Way with Words, Hosted by Martha Barnette, and Grant Barrett. Produced by Stefanie Levine.. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by A Way with Words, Hosted by Martha Barnette, and Grant Barrett. Produced by Stefanie Levine. or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://player.fm/legal.
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A Way with Words - language, linguistics, and callers from all over
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Content provided by A Way with Words, Hosted by Martha Barnette, and Grant Barrett. Produced by Stefanie Levine.. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by A Way with Words, Hosted by Martha Barnette, and Grant Barrett. Produced by Stefanie Levine. or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://player.fm/legal.
Light-hearted conversation with callers from all over about new words, old sayings, slang, family expressions, language change and varieties, as well as word histories, linguistics, regional dialects, word games, grammar, books, literature, writing, and more. Be a part of the show with author/journalist Martha Barnette and linguist/lexicographer Grant Barrett. Share your language thoughts, questions, and stories: https://waywordradio.org/contact or words@waywordradio.org. In the US 🇺🇸 and Canada 🇨🇦, call or text 1 (877) 929-9673 toll-free 24/7. Send a voice note or message via WhatsApp, 16198004443. From everywhere, call or text +1 (619) 800-4443. Past episodes, show notes, topic search, and more: https://waywordradio.org. A Way with Words is listener-supported! https://waywordradio.org/donate ❤️ Want to listen without ads? Subscribe here! https://awww.supportingcast.fm
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768 episodes
Mark all (un)played …
Manage series 2498005
Content provided by A Way with Words, Hosted by Martha Barnette, and Grant Barrett. Produced by Stefanie Levine.. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by A Way with Words, Hosted by Martha Barnette, and Grant Barrett. Produced by Stefanie Levine. or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://player.fm/legal.
Light-hearted conversation with callers from all over about new words, old sayings, slang, family expressions, language change and varieties, as well as word histories, linguistics, regional dialects, word games, grammar, books, literature, writing, and more. Be a part of the show with author/journalist Martha Barnette and linguist/lexicographer Grant Barrett. Share your language thoughts, questions, and stories: https://waywordradio.org/contact or words@waywordradio.org. In the US 🇺🇸 and Canada 🇨🇦, call or text 1 (877) 929-9673 toll-free 24/7. Send a voice note or message via WhatsApp, 16198004443. From everywhere, call or text +1 (619) 800-4443. Past episodes, show notes, topic search, and more: https://waywordradio.org. A Way with Words is listener-supported! https://waywordradio.org/donate ❤️ Want to listen without ads? Subscribe here! https://awww.supportingcast.fm
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768 episodes
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A Way with Words - language, linguistics, and callers from all over


1 Scooter Pooting (Rebroadcast) - 26 May 2025 53:45
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Old. Elderly. Senior. Why are we so uncomfortable when we talk about reaching a certain point in life? An 82-year-old seeks a more positive term to describe how she feels about her age. And: a linguist helps solve a famous kidnapping case, using the vocabulary and spelling in a ransom note. Plus, old library books often contain inscriptions and other notes scribbled in the margins. A new book details an effort to reveal and preserve this "shadow archive" of the relationship between readers and the books they love. Plus, bus bunching, devil strip, fiddlesticks, scooter pooping vs. scooter-tooting, too clever by half, knucklehead, passenger, along with bet and bet bet and bet bet bet. We're not selling wolf tickets! Hear hundreds of free episodes and learn more on the A Way with Words website: https://waywordradio.org . Be a part of the show: call or text 1 (877) 929-9673 toll-free in the United States and Canada; elsewhere in the world, call or text +1 619 800 4443 . Send voice notes or messages via WhatsApp 16198004443 . Email words@waywordradio.org . Copyright Wayword, Inc., a 501(c)(3) corporation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…
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A Way with Words - language, linguistics, and callers from all over


In the 1920’s, Americans were warned of a new danger sweeping across the country. This menace that harmed people’s health, ruined minds, and threatened marriages. The culprit? The national obsession with a new form of entertainment: crossword puzzles. Plus: why are accountants referred to as bean counters ? And an old-fashioned way to describe a noisy, new restaurant: You can’t hear your ears in this place! Also, alcoholic , vacuum vs. sweeper , swarping and sworping , hove and heave , a quiz about funny surnames, objet trouvé , Wunderkammer , a punny school mascot, and debubiate . Hear hundreds of free episodes and learn more on the A Way with Words website: https://waywordradio.org . Be a part of the show: call or text 1 (877) 929-9673 toll-free in the United States and Canada; elsewhere in the world, call or text +1 619 800 4443 . Send voice notes or messages via WhatsApp 16198004443 . Email words@waywordradio.org . Copyright Wayword, Inc., a 501(c)(3) corporation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…
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A Way with Words - language, linguistics, and callers from all over


People who hunt treasure with metal detectors have a lingo all their own. Canslaw means the shreds of aluminum cans left after a lawnmower ran over them. And gold dance? That's what you do if you turn up something far more valuable than parts of an old beer can. Plus, a splendid new dictionary offers an in-depth look at the rich language of Southern Appalachia, from parts of West Virginia to Georgia. And why do television announcers greet viewers with the phrase "Welcome back" after a commercial break? Weren't they the ones who went away? Plus, coinball, bacon bats, Katzensprung, quote unquote vs. quote end quote, a quiz about synonyms, joke tags, dials and smiles, low sick, took a dump, and Get out of my bathtub! Hear hundreds of free episodes and learn more on the A Way with Words website: https://waywordradio.org . Be a part of the show: call or text 1 (877) 929-9673 toll-free in the United States and Canada; elsewhere in the world, call or text +1 619 800 4443 . Send voice notes or messages via WhatsApp 16198004443 . Email words@waywordradio.org . Copyright Wayword, Inc., a 501(c)(3) corporation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…
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A Way with Words - language, linguistics, and callers from all over


A baby’s first word is often a cherished milestone, but some cultures pay more attention to other firsts, like a baby’s first laugh. A fascinating new book by a linguist examines language at the beginning and the end of life. Plus, the expression Murphy’s Law reflects the idea that “anything that can go wrong will go wrong.” But is the term a slur against the Irish? And an old word for new life: the verb to whicken involves daylight hours growing longer in springtime. Also, breard , honor bright and honour bright , the long history of groceries , a brain teaser about pig Latin , sea painter , give someone down the road , give someone down the banks , a different way to write AI , plurale tantem , how to pronounce rhetoric , and lots more. Hear hundreds of free episodes and learn more on the A Way with Words website: https://waywordradio.org . Be a part of the show: call or text 1 (877) 929-9673 toll-free in the United States and Canada; elsewhere in the world, call or text +1 619 800 4443 . Send voice notes or messages via WhatsApp 16198004443 . Email words@waywordradio.org . Copyright Wayword, Inc., a 501(c)(3) corporation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…
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A Way with Words - language, linguistics, and callers from all over


1 By a Long Shot (Rebroadcast) - 28 April 2025 53:45
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Imagine telling someone how to get to your home, but without using the name of your street, or any other street within ten miles. Could you do it? We take street names for granted, but these words are useful for far more, like applying for a job or bank loan — and they’re a powerful record of who and what we value. Plus, a third-grader asks why the first episode of a TV series is often called a “pilot.” And: the story of the word “dashboard,” from muddy roads to computer screens. All that, plus nanomoon , not by a long shot vs. not by a long chalk , layovers to catch meddlers , proc , don’t buy the hype , do it for the hywl , and a cheesy quiz flecked with puns, and more. Hear hundreds of free episodes and learn more on the A Way with Words website: https://waywordradio.org . Be a part of the show: call or text 1 (877) 929-9673 toll-free in the United States and Canada; elsewhere in the world, call or text +1 619 800 4443 . Send voice notes or messages via WhatsApp 16198004443 . Email words@waywordradio.org . Copyright Wayword, Inc., a 501(c)(3) corporation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…
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A Way with Words - language, linguistics, and callers from all over


Samantha Harvey’s novel Orbital is a sensuous, exhilarating meditation about the strangeness of life on a space station, with its mix of tedious tasks and jaw-dropping views. And: a musician who rode the rails in his youth shares the slang he picked up along the way. For example, the word spanging is a blend of the words spare and changing , and means “panhandling.” Plus, what does the doggie say? The sound of a dog barking is often written as bow wow . But why? Doesn’t barking sound more like ruff ruff ? Plus, slang on the ski slopes, boodling , a jazzy pangram, larruping good food, avoir le moral dans les chaussettes , a quiz about puzzling store names, ride or die , a clever answer for when someone inquires as to how you’re doing, and lots more. Hear hundreds of free episodes and learn more on the A Way with Words website: https://waywordradio.org . Be a part of the show: call or text 1 (877) 929-9673 toll-free in the United States and Canada; elsewhere in the world, call or text +1 619 800 4443 . Send voice notes or messages via WhatsApp 16198004443 . Email words@waywordradio.org . Copyright Wayword, Inc., a 501(c)(3) corporation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…
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A Way with Words - language, linguistics, and callers from all over


1 When Pigs Fly (Rebroadcast) - 14 April 2025 53:45
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Don’t move my cheese! It’s a phrase middle managers use to talk about adapting to change in the workplace. Plus, the origin story of the name William , and why it’s Guillermo in Spanish. And a five-year-old poses a question that puzzles a lot of people: Why is the letter Q so often followed by a U ? All that, and adynaton , an assonant quiz, do it up brown , salt of the earth , haven’t grown gills yet , wooling , a silly joke about the number one, a poem about regret, and hide-and-seek calls, such as Ole Ole Olson all in free! Hear hundreds of free episodes and learn more on the A Way with Words website: https://waywordradio.org . Be a part of the show: call or text 1 (877) 929-9673 toll-free in the United States and Canada; elsewhere in the world, call or text +1 619 800 4443 . Send voice notes or messages via WhatsApp 16198004443 . Email words@waywordradio.org . Copyright Wayword, Inc., a 501(c)(3) corporation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…
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A Way with Words - language, linguistics, and callers from all over


If you speak a second or third language, you may remember the first time you dreamed in that new tongue. But does this milestone mean you’re actually fluent? And a couple’s dispute over the word regret : Say you wish you’d been able to meet Albert Einstein. Can you regret that the two of you never met, or is there a better word for a situation over which you have no control? Can the word regret include simply longing for something? Plus, a sixth-grader wonders about a weird word on her spelling bee study list. It’s spelled X-Y-L-Y-L — and it’s not just for Scrabble players. Plus, hot as flugens , to play Box and Cox , twack and twoc , a quiz for canine lovers, an eloquent appreciation of libraries, a widow’s moving thank-you note, a punny gardening joke, a funny newspaper correction, a trick with a hole in it , and lots more. Cool beans! Hear hundreds of free episodes and learn more on the A Way with Words website: https://waywordradio.org . Be a part of the show: call or text 1 (877) 929-9673 toll-free in the United States and Canada; elsewhere in the world, call or text +1 619 800 4443 . Send voice notes or messages via WhatsApp 16198004443 . Email words@waywordradio.org . Copyright Wayword, Inc., a 501(c)(3) corporation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…
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A Way with Words - language, linguistics, and callers from all over


So many books and so little time—it’s a challenge to choose what to read next! It helps to remember that so-called “reading mortality” is a fact of life—you’ll never get to them all, but you can curate your own to-read list that speaks to you. Plus, the sneaky story behind the expression slip someone a mickey , and a new word for walking your dog: let’s go on a sniffari ! And: favorite first lines of books, Bohemian , a brain teaser about song titles, how to pronounce aioli , jo-jo potatoes , a cool million , and lots more. Hear hundreds of free episodes and learn more on the A Way with Words website: https://waywordradio.org . Be a part of the show: call or text 1 (877) 929-9673 toll-free in the United States and Canada; elsewhere in the world, call or text +1 619 800 4443 . Send voice notes or messages via WhatsApp 16198004443 . Email words@waywordradio.org . Copyright Wayword, Inc., a 501(c)(3) corporation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…
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A Way with Words - language, linguistics, and callers from all over


The word filibuster has a long and colorful history, going back to the days when pirates roamed the high seas. Today it refers to hijacking a piece of legislation. Plus, the language of yoga teachers: When doing a guided meditation, you may hear your instructor speaking in a kind of continuous present, with phrases like Sitting comfortably and Breathing deeply instead of the simple imperatives to Sit comfortably and Breathe deeply. These are participles with a purpose, and linguists have a term for it: the politeness progressive. Finally, why CAN'T you have your cake and eat it, too? Also: Book it!, the language of falconry, acronames, how to pronounce brooch, broach the subject, at loggerheads, a brain-teasing game for science fans and another one for gardeners, and the many meanings of hickey. And hey, Don't go visiting with one arm as long as the other! Hear hundreds of free episodes and learn more on the A Way with Words website: https://waywordradio.org . Be a part of the show: call or text 1 (877) 929-9673 toll-free in the United States and Canada; elsewhere in the world, call or text +1 619 800 4443 . Send voice notes or messages via WhatsApp 16198004443 . Email words@waywordradio.org . Copyright Wayword, Inc., a 501(c)(3) corporation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…
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A Way with Words - language, linguistics, and callers from all over


To grok something means “to understand it completely.” The word grok comes from a language spoken on the planet Mars—well, at least according to the science fiction writer who coined the term! Also, we know the meaning of the word trauma , but is there a word that denotes “the opposite of trauma”? Plus, if someone describes something as “wicked good,” they mean it’s extremely good, especially if they’re from New England. All that, plus cut to the chase , more super-short town names, a puzzle that involves lopping off letters, an Ethiopian proverb, hell strip vs. devil strip , words from the Norn language, corny , and more. This wicked good show’s as cool as 4-55 air conditioning ! Hear hundreds of free episodes and learn more on the A Way with Words website: https://waywordradio.org . Be a part of the show: call or text 1 (877) 929-9673 toll-free in the United States and Canada; elsewhere in the world, call or text +1 619 800 4443 . Send voice notes or messages via WhatsApp 16198004443 . Email words@waywordradio.org . Copyright Wayword, Inc., a 501(c)(3) corporation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…
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A Way with Words - language, linguistics, and callers from all over


Understanding the varieties of conversational styles can mean the difference between feeling you’re understood and being insulted. “High-involvement” speakers interrupt or talk along with someone else to signal their enthusiasm, while “high-considerateness” speakers tend more toward thoughtful pauses and polite turn-taking. Adjusting your speaking style accordingly may improve not only your communication, but also your relationships. Plus, when you read a text message from someone, does it seem weird if they use ellipses? And: a delightful new documentary about the World Palindrome Championships will leave you with just one palindromic thought: Wow! Also, boo-boo and boo-hoo , prune and plum , grass widow and widows weeds , a rig and a half , barefoot tea , funny names for birds, a puzzle for movie lovers, and more. Hear hundreds of free episodes and learn more on the A Way with Words website: https://waywordradio.org . Be a part of the show: call or text 1 (877) 929-9673 toll-free in the United States and Canada; elsewhere in the world, call or text +1 619 800 4443 . Send voice notes or messages via WhatsApp 16198004443 . Email words@waywordradio.org . Copyright Wayword, Inc., a 501(c)(3) corporation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…
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A Way with Words - language, linguistics, and callers from all over


An anadrome is a word that forms a whole new word when you spell it backwards. For example, the word “stressed” spelled backwards is “desserts.” Some people’s first names are anadromes. There’s the girl named Noel in honor of her father Leon , and the woman named Edna who adopted the name Ande . Speaking of names, know anybody whose occupation fits their name? Maybe a college administrator named Dean , or a breadmaker named Baker ? Well, there’s a name for that concept: nominative determinism . Plus, a conversation about how hard it can be to gracefully end… a conversation. Also: a puzzle about famous names, Wellerisms, kaffedags and fika , a kissing game, moco , greissel , twacking , the plural of computer mouse , and more. Read full show notes, hear hundreds of free episodes, send your thoughts and questions, and learn more on the A Way with Words website: https://waywordradio.org/contact . Be a part of the show: call 1 (877) 929-9673 toll-free in the United States and Canada; worldwide, call or text/SMS +1 (619) 800-4443 . Email words@waywordradio.org . Copyright Wayword, Inc., a 501(c)(3) corporation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…
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A Way with Words - language, linguistics, and callers from all over


A flashlight emits a steady beam of light. So what’s the flash part of that word about? Also, if you’re a nervous Nellie , you’re skittish and indecisive—both characteristics of an American politician who earned that nickname in the 1920s. And, rhinestone : The name of this sparkly fake gem has a history that involves a famous river in Europe. Plus, the many names for toilet paper rolls and the sounds you can make with them, pull a seam , a puzzle all about the word it , a blessing and a curse, hitten vs. hit , idea vs. ideal , shaving yak hair vs. shaving gnat hair , daylo , knocking something galley-west , the evolving meaning of dab , and the role of cultural context in learning languages. All of which you should listen to right smack now ! Read full show notes, hear hundreds of free episodes, send your thoughts and questions, and learn more on the A Way with Words website: https://waywordradio.org/contact . Be a part of the show: call 1 (877) 929-9673 toll-free in the United States and Canada; worldwide, call or text/SMS +1 (619) 800-4443 . Email words@waywordradio.org . Copyright Wayword, Inc., a 501(c)(3) corporation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…
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A Way with Words - language, linguistics, and callers from all over


1 Lead on Macduff (Rebroadcast) - 17 February 2025 53:45
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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 books about life on the American prairie. And what do they call a sudden, heavy rain where you live? A gully-washer ? A frog-strangler ? Or maybe even a bridge-lifter ? All that, and the flowery language of seed catalogs, rank and file , cut me a husk , I am sat down vs. I am sitting down , Lead on, MacDuff! vs. Lay on, MacDuff! , a hematological puzzle, and a popular Spanish-language refrain about an extremely long goodbye. Read full show notes, hear hundreds of free episodes, send your thoughts and questions, and learn more on the A Way with Words website: https://waywordradio.org/contact . Be a part of the show: call 1 (877) 929-9673 toll-free in the United States and Canada; worldwide, call or text/SMS +1 (619) 800-4443 . Email words@waywordradio.org . Copyright Wayword, Inc., a 501(c)(3) corporation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…
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