A Way with Words - language, linguistics, and callers from all over

A Way with Words - language, linguistics, and...

Release Date

‏الحلقات

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. Plus, a new book chronicles the history and uncertain future of modern dictionarie ...  عرض المزيد

Minicast Bonus: Cocktail

In this bonus A Way with Words minicast, Martha and Grant look into the myriad stories behind the word cocktail. Does the drink name come from feathers? Horses? Something up a horse’s rump? It’s a weird wandering down etymology lane… Hear hundreds of free episodes and learn more ...  عرض المزيد

Potatoes and Point - 15 December 2025

If there’s a logophile on your gift list, you have lots of choices, including a new trivia game for language-lovers and a murder mystery for the word-obsessed. Plus, if someone calls you a schmoozer, should you be flattered or insulted? And if you’re on a road trip, there’s one p ...  عرض المزيد

Minicast Bonus: Down Bucket

In this bonus A Way with Words minicast, Martha and Grant step into the historic streets of Marblehead, Massachusetts, where the simple cry of “Down bucket!” could serve as a kind of local password. After they ponder that and other language of “Headers,” you’ll cry “Up for air!” ...  عرض المزيد

Primary Colors (Rebroadcast) - 8 December 2025

Centuries ago, monks who took a vow of silence developed their own hand signs, with hundreds of gestures, that are still in use today. Plus, how do speakers of different languages distinguish similar shades and tints of colors such as red, yellow, and blue? It’s complicated! And: ...  عرض المزيد