1454-Caller-Kate-Porky by A Way with Words

A woman in Middlesex, Vermont, says that when she was a girl her parents sometimes described her as porky, but they weren’t referring to her appearance — they meant she was acting rebelliously. This use of the word might be related to pawky, or “impertinent,” in British English. via Pocket http://ift.tt/2dS1tG0

Filed under: My Amazing World Tagged: IFTTT, Pocket, soundcloud

1454-Caller-Derek-African-Parrot by A Way with Words

A listener in Hartland, Vermont, has a 25-year-old African parrot named Trouble, and says he’s often asked about the bird’s vocabulary and how the two of them communicate, which raises the question “What is a word?” Grant argues that the better question is “Does this bird have a language?” and the via Pocket http://ift.tt/2dEqra4

Filed under: My Amazing World Tagged: IFTTT, Pocket, soundcloud

1454-Caller-Mallory-Freckles by A Way with Words

A seventh-grader from Colorado wonders where the word freckle comes from. This word’s origin is a bit murky, but appears to be related to old Scandinavian term rooted in the idea of “scattering,” like the seeds that freckles resemble. via Pocket http://ift.tt/2e9Tgfk

Filed under: My Amazing World Tagged: IFTTT, Pocket, soundcloud

1454-Caller-Molly-Diamond-In-The-Rough by A Way with Words

What’s the meaning of the phrase diamond in the rough? Does it refer to a rose among thorns, to unrealized potential? The phrase derives from the diamond industry, where a diamond in the rough is one taken from the ground but still unpolished. via Pocket http://ift.tt/2dVVe7R

Filed under: My Amazing World Tagged: IFTTT, Pocket, soundcloud