The 2 Best A Way with Words - language, linguistics, and callers from all over Podcast Episodes
1) Loaded For Bear - 16 September 2019
One way to make your new business look trendy is to use two nouns separated by an ampersand, like Peach & Creature or Rainstorm & Egg or ... just about any other two-word combination. A tongue-in-chee...Show More
2) There's Something About A Way with Words... - 14 September 2016
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3) Sweet Science - 9 February 2026
Why is boxing called the sweet science when it’s obviously such a bruising sport? Also, a mother of five is baffled when her Gen Z kids use words she thought she knew. For example, they call sweatshir...Show More
4) All That and a Bag of Chips (Rebroadcast) - 2 February 2026
We tend to take the index of a book for granted, but centuries ago, these helpful lists were viewed with suspicion. Some even worried that indexes would harm reading comprehension! A witty new book te...Show More
5) Use Your Noodle - 26 January 2026
An acclaimed poet’s tender poem about holding a newborn for the first time reflects a complex swirl of emotions. And: A caller finds that in her workplace, the expression out of pocket can mean very d...Show More
6) Familiar Strangers (Rebroadcast) - 19 January 2026
This week on "A Way with Words": If you take up texting and social media late in life, there's a lot to learn! A 20-something wants advice getting her dad up to speed on memes, Instagram, and animated...Show More
7) Word Hoard (Rebroadcast) - 12 January 2026
Ever wonder what medieval England looked and sounded like? In Old English, the word hord meant "treasure" and your wordhord was the treasure of words locked up inside you. A delightful new book uses t...Show More
8) You Talk Like a Sausage (Rebroadcast) - 5 January 2026
Do you refer to your dog or cat as "somebody"? As in: When you love somebody that much, you don't mind if they slobber. In other words, is your pet a somebody or a something? Also, for centuries, ther...Show More
9) Pushing the Envelope (Rebroadcast) - 29 December 2025
Sure, there’s winter, spring, summer, and fall. But the seasons in between have even more poetic names. In Alaska, greenup describes a sudden, dramatic burst of green after a long, dark winter. And th...Show More
10) Safe as Houses - 22 December 2025
Temperature blankets are a visual and tactile mirror of the day’s weather. Knitters use specific shades of yarn to match daily temperatures, creating a colorful, cozy record of weather across time. Pl...Show More