Word Mall: a podcast about the English language.

Names of Food Experts 05.07.2026 3:27 ↓

Technical terms for variety of food experts

250th Anniversary 30.06.2026 3:07 ↓

Various ways to say 250 in formal or academic language as we observe the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

Dangling Modifiers 23.06.2026 5:04 ↓

Dangling modifiers occur in English because it is an analytic language -- meaning depends on word position.

HALF A LOAF 01.06.2026 3:19 ↓

The word bread is hidden the early meanings of many words, showing its importance.

Irish Bulls 25.05.2026 4:29 ↓

Unintentional humor caused by incongruity or logical absurdity

Names that suit their profession 15.05.2026 9:33 ↓

Certain names are very suitable to the job. For instance, Doctors Fillar, Aichen, and Chiew are dentists; Justice, Robb, and Law are lawyers; and researchers Haddock, Bass, and Herring are oceanographers.

Small Change -- idioms involving coins 15.05.2026 4:35 ↓

Pennies, nickels, and dimes are often used as similes and metaphors.

EPIPHANY and its opposite, EPICALYPTRY 08.05.2026 3:12 ↓

Had to invent a term that is the opposite of epiphany. It is based on Greek word parts.

Language Myths 8: The Whole Nine Yards 05.05.2026 11:56 ↓

The Holy Grail of phrase origins -- everyone has a favorite explanation in the search

LANGUAGE MYTHS 7: Son of a Gun, Spud, Throw the Baby out with the Bathwater, Tip, Turn the Tables, Wallop 01.05.2026 6:19 ↓

Part of a series about false explanations for proverbial words and phrase.

Language Myths # 6: Saved by the bell, Shit, Sincere, Skins, Sleep tight, Snob 01.05.2026 6:38 ↓

Again, more phony tales about the origin of popular words and phrase, with corrections.

Language Myths 5: Not Enough Room to Swing a Dead Cat, Not Playing with a Full Deck, Not Worth a Tinker's Damn, Posh, Rule of Thumb 29.04.2026 8:14 ↓

Even more phony explanations of how words and phrases originated.

Language Myths #4: Keep your nose to the grindstone, Let the cat out of the bag, Losing face, Mind your own beeswax, News 28.04.2026 4:47 ↓

More of the many language myths found on the internet about the origin of popular words and phrases

Language Myths #3 -- The Devil to Pay, Frog in One's Throat, Golf, Gossip, Hunky Dory 27.04.2026 4:42 ↓

More phony stories found on the internet concerning the origin of familiar words and phrases

Language Myths #2: Cold Enough to Freeze the Balls off a Brass Monkey, Giving the Cold Shoulder, Cop, Costing an Arm and a Leg, Crack a Smile 26.04.2026 5:36 ↓

More phony stories about the origins of words and phrases

Language Myths #1: Above Board, amazon, Bigwig, Chairman, Chew the Fat 26.04.2026 5:25 ↓

Several phony stories about word and phrase origins

DOUBT and REDOUBT 25.04.2026 2:03 ↓

Is there a connection between doubt, redoubt, and redoubtable?

Words to the Wise final episode April 7, 2026 21.04.2026 1:00:07 ↓

This the final episode of the "Words to the Wise" radio show with Ron Jolly on WTCM-AM 580 that ran on Apri 7, 2026, at the end of a 25-year run.

Words to the Wise radio show--Pun show 2026 21.04.2026 1:00:07 ↓

This the penultimate episode of the "Words to the Wise" radio show on WTCM-AM 580 that ran on March 31, 2026, at the end of a 25-year run.

ACRONYMS and INITIALISMS: the long and the short of it 09.04.2026 3:34 ↓

Words formed from first letters of existing words

Silent Letters: I see you, but I can't hear you 03.04.2026 4:21 ↓

For historical reasons, many words contain letters that are no longer pronounced. They are as useful as a cat with three tails, but we are stuck with them.

PORT and STARBOARD 01.04.2026 2:53 ↓

Sailors don't use the words right and left for a good reason.

Hidden Farts: Silent But Deadly 30.03.2026 3:29 ↓

While the word fart is a word all by itself, it hides in other words.

Word Parts 30.03.2026 7:27 ↓

Word parts, letter combinations that always stay the same, can greatly improve your vocabulary.

Context: Pay Attention to Your Surroundings 30.03.2026 14:11 ↓

The words and ideas that surround an unknown word can help you figure out what that word means. But you have to know how to find the clues.