Bunny Trails: A Word History Podcast

Dan gets an earworm and it turns into an entire episode on the phrase, "Pardon My French". Cause that's how it goes sometimes. This week our phrase moves from the early 1800s literal usage to a current way to excuse bad language, with plenty of high points along the way. #BunnyTrails Copyright 2021 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rights Reserved

Originally aired March 12, 2020 If you are looking for a lighter take on the global pandemic, you've come to the right place. Have you ever wondered how they come up with the names of new diseases? This week on Bunny Trails we'll walk you through the Word History of "coronavirus", as well as the process for naming the viruses and the diseases. We'll talk about who names them, how they name them, a...

Shauna and Dan look at the origins of the phrase "Dead of Night". Along the way, we learn a little about the word 'dead' and a few complimentary phrases like "in the gloom of night" (US Postal Service, anyone?) Plus your hosts argue about whether or not Tolkien's work is old. What do YOU think? Copyright 2021 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rights Reserved

It's a sports spectacular as Shauna and Dan both sports really hard. Or at least talk about sportsing hard. So hard. They "Keep Their Eye on the Ball" as they talk baseball, cricket, golf, and even rugby to find the origins of this wonderful phrase. #BunnyTrails Copyright 2021 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rights Reserved

Shauna looks at the origins and history of putting one's nose in something as a way of being engrossed by it. Dan defines engrossed, then invites Angela Lansbury to come to live with him. Shauna reads Dickens. Dan predicts the future. So much fun to be had on this week's #BunnyTrails! Copyright 2021 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rights Reserved

Originally aired April 17, 2019 - We revisit the phrase "Preaching to the Choir" This week, Shauna and Dan discuss Preaching to the Converted as they say in the UK, or Preaching to the Choir as they say in the US. Dan gets 50% on pop quizzes, and Shauna teaches him this idiom has a much greater variety of meanings than he thought. Copyright 2021 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rights Reserved

We talk about the etymology of "Etymology" itself, and then discuss the basics of historical linguistics, including Grimm's Law, Verner's Law, and more. We also talk about Isidore of Seville, the etymological puns of Latin poets, and the way Mark does his research for his videos. Original Episode on Alliterative. Net This episode on Youtube The Endless Knot Patreon This podcast is licensed under a...

Shauna and Dan try to figure out why someone who is "wet behind the ears" would be inexperienced. And is dry behind the ears a thing? Does the phrase really have something to do with newborn babies not getting the area behind their ears cleaned well enough? Find out answers to all of this, plus some amazing bonus facts, on this week's #BunnyTrails! Copyright 2021 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All...

This week Shauna and Dan explore the phrase Crossing the Rubicon. Dan takes a guess at the origin of this phrase, but can't even get the right "ancient crosser of things". It's a mix of Crash Course World History and etymological fun on this week's Bunny Trails!   Don't forget to be awesome! Copyright 2021 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rights Reserved

How do we get from a piece of furniture that blocks the heat from a fire to Dan not answering the phone unless he knows the number? It's all on this week's Bunny Trails! Shauna and Dan explore a brief history of the telephone to get to the bottom of "Screen Your Calls". Bonus notes from No Doubt, edIT, and Click and Clack - the Tappit Brothers. Copyright 2021 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rig...

Shauna and Dan look into the concept of luck, specifically the devil's luck. Is it good luck or bad luck? Could it be both? Dan forgets which shows they've done. Plus, bonus material includes Lake Placid, phone pixel art, romance novels, and Betty White. Betty White is so cool. www.bunnytrailspod.com Copyright 2021 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rights Reserved

What are Ides? Why should we Beware the Ides of March? Should we beware the Ides of other months? Do other months even have Ides? Again, what the heck is an Ide? Also, did Shakespeare really coin this phrase, or did he steal this one, too?   Spoiler Alert: He stole it. Copyright 2021 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rights Reserved

Shauna looks into the phrase "clear as a bell", which helps if you know the historical definitions of "Clear". Dan expresses his disappointment in Merriam Webster's entry of this particular phrase. There is a little bit of Edison spite, then Dan adeptly adds average alliterations. And why do some people get their private letters published and others don't? #BunnyTrails Copyright 2021 by The Readin...

Join Your Brain on Facts, Endless Knot, Vocal Fries, Lexitecture, and Sandman Stories Presents as we talk about some of our favorite phrases & language types from around the world. From Dundonian Scots eh a' i' ah to whistling languages, from being between Scylla and Charybdis to sleeping tight, spilling the beans and saying f**k it and find out, and armchair quarterbacking a dancing on your grave...

In which Shauna warns against taking a bear by the tooth, Dan tries to bring back the name Ebenezer, Shauna focuses on not poking the bear, and Dan curses math and orders of magnitude. Also… they don't know anything about Canadian currency, so help them out on the socials. #BunnyTrails www.bunnytrailspod.com Become our Patron! www.patreon.com/bunnytrailspod Copyright 2021 by The Readiness Corner,...

This week Shauna and Dan take a look at the Calm Before The Storm. Then quickly learn there is SO MUCH MORE to this phrase! Join them on a whimsical adventure to explore the calm before and after the tempest. #BunnyTrails www.bunnytrailspod.com Copyright 2021 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rights Reserved

This week Shauna and Dan talk aviation with "Fly By The Seat of Your Pants". This is a relatively new phrase in the grand scheme of English idioms. But it still has a fun history around it! Hot air balloons, airplanes, and British trousers on this week's #BunnyTrails. Copyright 2021 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rights Reserved Music by Dan Pugh Show notes, updates, and links to everything we...

Shauna and Dan are full of joy and whimsy as they tackle a gloomy phrase in Under the Weather. Maybe it means you are sick or maybe it means you are drunk. Or in some rare cases maybe you are having some financial difficulties. But the biggest question of all... does this really have nautical origins? And if so... why do we first see it in print from a Texas Revolutionary? We have some, but not al...

Finders Keepers, Losers Weepers! This week Shauna talks about the origins of the possibly less-than-moral proverb. But Dan starts us off with his need for routine regarding masks, then later on coins. We get one random Babylon 5 reference and the duo share parenting goals, all on this week's #BunnyTrails!  Copyright 2021 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rights Reserved

Science fiction and science fact collide this week as Shauna and Dan discuss the origins and fun pre-history of the word "earworm". And then they talk all about those songs that just won't leave your brain! But don't worry, there is hope as they talk about possible cures, too. So much practical knowledge on this week's #BunnyTrails! Readiness Corner, LLC All Rights Reserved 2021

It's an equine spectacular! This week Shauna teaches us the fun history of "neck and neck", while Dan - punch drunk from too much 2020 - struggles to figure out how the cartoon anthropomorphic horses he has conjured in his mind would conduct a sack race. Plus, the pair struggle with math, distance, and pronunciation. It's a whimsical adventure on this week's #BunnyTrails! Readiness Corner, LLC All...

This week we get into the Christmas Spirit while talking about the Christmas Blues. Um, actually, we talk about both! Learn about some of your favorite holiday idioms. Plus, the origins of "White Elephant" gift exchanges. It's all here for your holiday enjoyment on Bunny Trails! Readiness Corner, LLC All Rights Reserved 2020

This week Shauna and Dan trip the light fantastic while talking about Phineas and Ferb, the Titanic, and Lin Manuel Miranda. Dan almost hums a song - A Whiter Shade of Pale by Procol Harum - for reasons that will become obvious. Skip the light fandango, anyone?  Readiness Corner, LLC All Rights Reserved 2020

This week Shauna and Dan discuss retronyms, a new term created for something that already exists, but because another thing has been invented, the original word is confusing and needs further clarification - usually the original term plus a modifying word. Like black-and-white television, which started being used once color TV became a thing.  www.bunnytrailspod.com Readiness Corner, LLC All Right...

Shauna looks at the history of the phrase, Wrong Side of the Bed. Dan plays a game. They both make fun of America for failing to learn the metric system. Plus, 3 great book recommendations: Schmegoogle by Daniel Klien Words The Sea Gave Us by Grace Tierney Your Brain on Facts by Moxie LaBouche Readiness Corner, LLC All Rights Reserved 2020