That's What They Say is a weekly segment on Michigan Public that explores our changing language. Each week University of Michigan English Professor Anne Curzan will discuss why we say what we say with Michigan Public Weekend Edition host Rebecca Kruth.
https://www.michiganpublic.org
Gesamtlänge aller Episoden: 8 hours 7 minutes
TWTS: An ouster for the ouster
An ouster can be an act of ousting, or it can be the one who does the ousting.…
TWTS: Need something? Manifest it
At this point, we can manifest our dream future, a good grade on a exam, or…
TWTS: "Curry favor" comes from a horse (of course, of course)
Currying favor has everything to do with flattery and horses, and nothing to do…
TWTS: Known liars better hope their pants never literally catch fire
There’s a children’s rhyme that involves liars and pants on fire and various…
TWTS: If or whether you should use "if" or "whether"
If you worry about if or whether you should use "if" or "whether" in exactly…
TWTS: Intensifiers are so intense
It's been really dreary and so icy outside lately. It's awfully tempting to…
TWTS: Badgered badgers badger
Badgers live underground and are nocturnal, so we don't see them running around…
TWTS: The American Dialect Society's 2023 Word of the Year
The year 2023 is officially in the record books. As part of taking stock, the…
TWTS: A rule about which we should be asking questions
Many of us were taught the rule that we shouldn’t end a sentence with a…
TWTS: Tupperware containers are plastic, but are plastic containers Tupperware?
It's undeniable that "Tupperware" has become a generic catch-all for plastic…