Tribble Trouble - 8 March 2021

A Way with Words - language, linguistics, and callers from all over

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 fiction influences our everyday conversation, from the tribble on your hat to vaccine development at warp speed! Plus unkempt vs. unkept, erase vs. delete, tribbles vs. pompoms, placid, meuf, a cryptic quiz, a tasty pangram, Barney for “trouble,” earthborn, apple-dancing, dirtsider, one hand washes the other and both hands wash the face, and You must be holding your mouth wrong!

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/. Email [e-mail]. Twitter @wayword. Our listener phone line 1 [phone] is toll-free in the United States and Canada. Elsewhere in the world, call [phone]; charges may apply. From anywhere, text/SMS [phone]. Copyright Wayword, Inc., a 501(c)(3) corporation.

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