Why Do We Cringe at 'Pepper and Salt'? Why 'S...

1217. This week, we talk to Florence Hazrat, author of "On the Mark," about how punctuation evolved over 2,000 years. We look at why ancient Greek and Roman writing had no spaces between words, how a librarian in Alexandria introduced the first marks to help readers, and why the ...  Show more

1216. In honor of Labor Day, we look at occupational surnames — why Baker, Cooper, and Fletcher sound like jobs, and why Wainwright, Chandler, and Fuller were jobs too, even though they don't sound like it anymore. We also look at how names like Webster and Baxter preserve an Old ...  Show more

Do you put your mask or earbuds on first? Why were soda fountains a big deal? Why don't holes in the ground below sea level always fill with water? Where did XOXO as hugs and kisses in letters come from? How do you tell if someone has been quantum leapt? Why is pint pronounced th ...  Show more

Have you ever had a guy say things that give you completely mixed messages? Or you've heard a phrase several times and are left scratching your head wondering what it actually means?   You're not alone.   In this episode we asked YOU for your best examples of confusing phrases yo ...  Show more

Exploring the pettiest reasons that make or break potential relationships. Tune in! 

Rhyming with 'shorter' and 'border,' this is a quirky word. Full episode transcripts at www.pronuncian.com/podcast.