Blog This!

Calling all blogophiles! Martha and Grant discuss some of their favorite online reading. A caller asks if there’s a word for “fear of palindromes.” Grant explains the origins of the expression “don’t have a cow.” Martha rhapsodizes about her favorite collective nouns.

 The " Blue Bark" Mystery

A caller asks a delicate question about the phrase “blue bark shipment,” a term involving the transport of deceased members of the military. Martha and Grant discuss this puzzling expression and the challenge of tracking down its origins.

 Fun with Mnemonics

Did you memorize the colors of the rainbow using the mnemonic “Roy G. Biv”? Martha and Grant discuss how word combinations can help you recall passwords and other information. Grant explains the origin of the phrase “Who’s Your Daddy?” Martha reveals why there’s a devil in “deviled eggs.”

 Let's Split!

Some expressions sound like they came right out of a 50's diner. Martha and Grant discuss the phrase "Let's blow this popstand" – along with its many variations, including blowing a “popsicle stand,” a “popcorn stand,” and a “taco stand.”

 Royal Flush

Did Prince William drop his girlfriend because of her mum’s less-than-genteel locutions -- like using the word “toilet” instead of “lavatory”? Martha and Grant discuss the mini-scandal that tabloids are calling “Toiletgate.” A fan of TV’s smash hit “The Office” wants to know if “disadulation” is a real word.

 Grant: Dangerous Books You Should Read

Discover the joys (and temptations!) of two new books of collected wisdom: The Yale Book of Quotations edited by Fred Shapiro, and James Geary’s “Guide to the World’s Great Aphorists.” Grant explains why leafing through such books can be rewarding — but hazardous to your time management.

 Martha and Grant: Hey That's MINE!

When you were a child and wanted to lay claim to something, what did you say? Did you call “dibs”? Or “hosey” it? A caller is curious about another verb used in such situations: “finnie.” Grant explains this word’s meaning and origin.

 Is There a Synonym for . . . "Synonym"?

What do you get when you cross a spelling bee with American Idol, and mix all that with a few rounds of Jeopardy!? Why, the National Vocabulary Championship, of course! Martha and Grant discuss this nail-biting, mind-expanding event. Grant explains why people yell “Geronimo!” when they jump out of planes, and Martha muses about how many soldiers there have to be before you have a “troop.”

 The Vocabulary Police

A few choice words landed deejay Don Imus in lots of trouble. But is it realistic to police people’s word choices? Martha and Grant kick around that question, and then kibitz about the word . . . “kibitzing.”

 Your Brain on Shakespeare

What, ho! Researchers in England report that reading Shakespeare "positively excites" your brainwaves. To which Martha and Grant say: "Duh!"

 Martha: Appalachian Cackleberries

Martha reminisces about her family’s mountain roots while dipping into the delicious vocabulary of Southernisms found in The Dictionary of Smoky Mountain English. Listen to this one, ya’ll, and you find out what a “cackleberry” is, and why you don’t want to drink milk that’s “blinky.”

 Martha: The Love Dimple

What's the name for that little dent in your upper lip? It's called a "philtrum." Martha reveals the erotic origins of this word, and proves once again that etymology is nothing if not sexy.

 To Kill an Adjective

This week on A Way with Words: Are you guilty of adjective abuse? Martha and Grant discuss a new book that says Americans use too many.

 Martha: A Collection of Collective Nouns

And now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for: The results of the “A Way with Words” Collective Noun Contest! What collective noun would you apply to groups of 1) tennis players, 2) aliens from outer space, and 3) language-loving word hosts? You sent us a cleverness of witty entries, and Martha has the winners.

 The Language of Love

Is sweet talk any sexier in a foreign tongue? Martha and Grant look at terms of endearment in other languages.

 Lost in Translation

This week on A Way with Words: When traveling abroad, are you charmed by mistranslations? Martha and Grant discuss China’s effort to eradicate awkward English before the Olympics. And . . . podcast only: Martha announces the winner of the Collective Noun Contest.

 Martha and Grant: Buffet Flats

Do you know what a “buffet flat” is? Is it A) a type of shoe you wear to all-you-can-eat dinners, B) a lull in economic growth predicted by Warren Buffet, or C) a squalid apartment found in the Rocky Mountain States? Find out when Grant gives you the whole megillah.

 Martha and Grant: This Week or Next?

The Pod Couple – also known as Martha and Grant – consider just when is “next week,” anyway? A husband and wife with a long running dispute turn to Martha and Grant for help.

 Grant: Phonemarking

You’ve heard of earmarking, trademarking, bookmarking, and benchmarking. But what in the world is “phonemarking”? Mark our words: Grant has the answer. This week, take his slang quiz to find out.

 Martha: Letters and Canadian Doubles

Martha’s been putting together a collection of your favorite collective nouns. Plus, Martha and Grant swat around a caller’s question about what to call a game of tennis when you have only three players.