From Fletching to Nutmeg: The Strange Language of the Olympic Games
When it comes to the Olympics, there are some words we all know — namely gold, silver, and bronze. But the vocabulary of the Olympics goes far beyond the winning medals.For example: Can you define the...
View ArticleThe Takeaway Weekender: Christmas Trees, Internet Phenomena, and Jargon
1. How Much Did You Pay For That Christmas Tree? | 2. Thanks, Internet: The Best 5 Things Online This Week | 3. The Jargonator
View ArticleToday's Takeaways: Cross Examining Dick Cheney, Elizabeth Warren Takes on...
1. The Cross Examination of Dick Cheney | 2. Elizabeth Warren Takes on Dems in Spending Fight | 3. Why It's So Hard to Discipline a Police Officer | 4. Meet The Man Who 'Saved' The Motor City | 5. The...
View ArticleThe Worst New Words of 2014
Remember those glorious days, back when we didn't say things like "wearables" or know the meaning of "YOLO"?Every year, new words take off and old ones die. Some words are preposterous, and some might...
View ArticleBolster, Explicate and Amplify Your Vocabulary
Ben Zimmer, linguist, lexicographer, and language columnist for The Wall Street Journal, quizzes us on what words mean and explains the often misunderstood history of common words in our lexicon. He’ll...
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To Improve Reading, A Few Key Words
This year, we've been spending time at M.S. 22 in the Bronx. It's one of Mayor Bill de Blasio's Renewal schools, the 94 low-performing schools that are getting more attention now with extra services...
View ArticleFrom 'Otherize' to 'The Best Words,' a Guide to Campaign Trail Language
With the 2016 election campaign season in full swing, pundits and candidates are reaching for some lesser-known phrases and are even creating their own words to talk politics - from "running the table"...
View ArticleExpand Your (Super-Specific) Emotional Vocabulary
Think of a super-specific feeling. Like, the deep urge to kiss someone. Or the anxiousness that comes with thinking your phone rang when it didn't.Tiffany Watt Smith, former theater director, research...
View ArticleNYPD Commissioner Bratton Plans to Step Down; A History of Our National Debt;...
Coming up on today's show:New York City Police Commissioner Bill Bratton will step down in September. WNYC's Brigid Bergin and Robert Lewis discuss the latest.Councilmember Vanessa Gibson talks about...
View ArticleFrog Strangler, Pot Cheese, Whistle Pig: A Celebration of Regional Slang!
Do you think of a downpour as a "frog strangler"? Is a groundhog just another "whistle pig"? Maybe not, but we're exploring the strange, wonderful, and possibly endangered array of regional American...
View ArticleGuilty Pleasure: The Word 'Moist'
People really hate the word moist. The little adjective has been voted out of the dictionary, endured tirade after tirade on blogs and forums, and even prompted a scientific investigation into its...
View ArticleThe 2016 Words of the Year
Jonathan Capehart guest hosts today!Ben Zimmer, language columnist for The Wall Street Journal, returns to talk about the words of 2016, and reviews the “Words of the Year” published for 2016!
View ArticleTrump Lost in Translation; Post-Election Stress Continues; Historical Fiction...
On today's show you'll hear:Pierre-Yves Dugua, senior U.S. Business correspondent for Le Figaro and Radio France, discusses the difference approaches to reporting on President Trump for an...
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