1463-Caller-Ann-Kitten by A Way with Words

A Carmel, Indiana, teacher is puzzled to hear younger colleagues pronounce the words kitten and mitten as KIT-un and MIT-un, with a noticeable break between the syllables. via Pocket http://ift.tt/2kIiCr8

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1463-Caller-Benjamin-Pig-Latin by A Way with Words

Ix-nay on the ocolate-chay in the upboard-cay is how you’d say Nix on the chocolate in the cupboard in Pig Latin. English speakers have a long history of inserting syllables or rearranging syllables in a word to keep outsiders from understanding. via Pocket http://ift.tt/2khN62t

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1463-Caller-Eric-Be-There-Directly by A Way with Words

In much of the United States, the phrase I’ll be there directly means “I’m on my way right now.” But particularly in parts of the South, I’ll be there directly simply means “I’ll be there after a while. via Pocket http://ift.tt/2jtz5KR

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1463-Caller-Jerry-Duds by A Way with Words

A New York City caller wonders why we refer to clothing as duds. The term dates back to the 1300’s, when the word dudde referred to a cloak or mantle of coarse cloth. Over time, it came to refer to shabby clothing, and eventually acquired a more neutral meaning of simply “clothes. via Pocket http://ift.tt/2khJf5G

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1463-Caller-MaryBeth-So by A Way with Words

Why do so many people begin their sentences with the word So? In linguistics, this is called sentence-initial so. The word So at the start a sentence can serve a variety of functions. http://waywordradio.org via Pocket http://ift.tt/2kJziKN

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1463-Caller-Libby-Grab-Root-And-Growl by A Way with Words

The exhortation Grab a root and growl is a way of telling someone to buck up and do what must be done. The sense of grabbing and growling here suggests the kind of tenacity you might see in a terrier sinking his teeth into something and refusing to let go. This phrase is at least 100 years old. via Pocket http://ift.tt/2jtw1OF

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1463-Caller-Rachel-Liberal-Libertarian by A Way with Words

The political terms liberal and libertarian may look similar, but they have very different meanings. Both stem from Latin liber, “free,” but the word liberal entered English hundreds of years before libertarian. http://waywordradio.org via Pocket http://ift.tt/2kIAhit

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1463-Film-At-Eleven by A Way with Words

For English speakers of a certain age, Film at 11 is a slang phrase means “You’ll hear the details later.” It’s a reference to the days before 24-hour cable news, when newscasters would read headlines during the day promoting the 11 p.m. via Pocket http://ift.tt/2kJm6Wo

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1463-Caller-Sherod-Baby-Shower-For-Man by A Way with Words

An Austin, Texas, listener says he and his buddies are throwing a baby shower for a dad-to-be, but they’re wondering what to call a baby shower thrown for the father. A man shower? A dadchelor party? http://waywordradio.org via Pocket http://ift.tt/2kDGFV5

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