Butter No Parsnips

We hope you’re ready to start the revolution, because Emily and Kyle are talking about the meaning and origin of the word agitprop. Our hosts explore the role agitation and propaganda played in Russia during the rise of communism. They trace the paths of these words through Latin, English, and Russian, then explore the ways the Soviet Union propagated its ideals. They take a look at some communist...

Get ready for some hot goss’ and buxom gals, because this week Kyle and Emily are discussing the meaning and origin of the word zaftig. The hosts delve into the history of Jewish immigrants and their languages in New York City and beyond. They look at some Yiddish words which have made their way into English, and they trace how zaftig evolved from describing fat, juicy melons to describing… Well,...

This one goes out to all the IT guys, all the nerd dads, and anyone else who likes to hack, cause today Emily and Kyle are talking about the meaning and origin of the tech word mung. Our hosts skim through a bit of Old English, and the many connections mung has to other modern words. But then they quickly get down to what this episode is all about: acronyms and information technology. Emily and Ky...

This week, the sun, moon, and planet earth all come into conjunction as Kyle and Emily talk about the meaning and origin of the word syzygy. This word lies where stars and planets align, thus it delves our hosts into some fascinating astronomy. They chat about the movements of celestial bodies, what causes an eclipse or a full moon, and exactly how much the Greek astronomers knew. Speaking of the...

Emily and Kyle take a break from Duolingo to talk about language learning with an expert on the subject: polyglot, journalist, and author of language books Babel and Lingo, Gaston Dorren. Our hosts chat with their multilingual guest about his linguistic travels from his native Limburgish and Dutch, to other European languages, and beyond. Dorren talks about what makes learning languages challengin...

Kyle and Emily take a cup o’ kindness for the sake of auld lang syne, and talk all about Hogmanay, i.e. New Year’s in Scotland. Turns out the Scottish new year looks considerably different than what Kyle and Emily are used to. They take a look at midnight visitors and gifts, a pagan tradition from the Scottish highlands, why the town of Stonehaven is all aflame on New Year’s Eve, and why the peopl...

It’s that time of year again, and Seth, Kyle, and Emily are celebrating the merriest of holidays. Is it Christmas, you ask? No, of course not! It’s Chump!! Chump is a beautiful holiday, in which we indulge in some linguistic nostalgia and some delightful wordplay. But of course the most important Chump tradition is party games! After all, what holiday party would be complete without a little compe...

This week, Kyle and Emily leave their manners a little on the left hand as they’re joined by the author of Green’s Dictionary of Slang and foremost slang lexicographer Jonathon Green. Our hosts get at the heart of what it takes to compile such an impressive collection of slang words. They delight in Green’s exaltation of the Captain of slang himself, Francis Grose, author of the 1811 Dictionary of...

This week, Kyle and Emily peek over the fence to get a glimpse at both the neighbor’s yard and the meaning and origin of the word stickybeak. This delightful portmanteau prompts us to stick our nose into some Australian rhyming slang, sniff around at some 20th century poetry, and even peep into Holinshed’s Chronicles. But this nosy word also made our hosts curious about the connection between a bu...

This week, Emily and Kyle open the Sunday newspaper, turn to the funnies page, and read all about the meaning and origin of the word grawlix. They talk about how this cartoon cursing word was coined by the cartoonist behind Beetle Bailey, who quite literally wrote the book on cartoon art. But these swearing scribbles have been in comics a lot longer than the word, as revealed by a comic strip from...

Better brush up on your manners, because this week Kyle and Emily are talking about the meaning and origin of the word punctilio. The pair discuss Latin origins, petty details, and all things strict and proper as they explore this word’s history. Digging into its usage over time, they unearth stories about 16th century satire, the Italian book of etiquette “Il Gataleo,” and that book’s surprising...

Emily and Kyle talk to Joshua Blackburn, founder of Two Brothers Games and creator of the quiz game about words and language League of the Lexicon . Listen along as Joshua shares with them the intricacies of what it took to put together one of the most successful word games in Kickstarter history. From the many collaborators, including a previous guest on this show, to the ornate design, to why si...

Get ready for an episode that really rocks! And it’s ’cause we’re talkin’ about rocks! This week, Emily and Kyle explore the meaning and origin of the word menhir. They begin by discussing this word’s origin in one of the Celtic languages, like Breton, Cornish, or Welsh, as well as skimming through a bit of Celtic history. Then they take a look at other prehistoric stone monuments akin to the menh...

Kyle and Emily are joined this week by musician and host of the podcast Coffee Clutch with Ron and Jill, Ronnie Gross, as Kyle shares the cinematic origins of the word greeble. From model-making to the silver screen, Kyle takes his companions through the history of one teeny-tiny part of the massive space opera Star Wars, missing no opportunity to flaunt his George Lucas impression.  But it’s not...

This Halloween, Kyle and Emily discover that following a mishap in the lab, Seth has raised ghost words back from the dead using that most lugubrious ledger, the Lexiconicon!  Follow the gang as they meet these etymologically dubious terms which weave them through dictionary history and echo the names of such famous friends as the scholar Cicero, the founder of the OED James Murray, and the woeful...

Cthulhu fans rejoice, because this week Emily and Kyle discuss the meaning and origin of chthonic, a word that likely inspired the name of Lovecraft’s most beloved beast. They talk about this word’s association with both the underground and the underworld, and get in a delightful dose of Greek mythology to boot. Chthonic can be used to describe Greek gods of both Hell and Earth, including Hades, P...

This episode sees Kyle and Emily discuss the meaning and origin of humdudgeon. And believe us–this word is nothing to gripe about! This slang word from Scotland is great for when you’re feeling ill, falsely or otherwise, and you want to make sure everybody knows about it. Our hosts explore how it’s been used to describe an unnecessary whine, a genuine sickness, or a downright coward. In breaking d...

This word is everything. And it’s also just ken. This week, Emily and Kyle discover that ken is a lot more than just a doll in Barbie land. They find that this word begins, aptly, with Old English definitions related to birth and kin. Ken quickly leaves the next, however, flying to Scotland and gaining a myriad of meanings about knowledge and sight. Turns out it even relates to the everyday word ‘...

Kyle’s in a giving spirit this week, and shows his charitable nature by telling Emily all about the word eleemosynary. They reveal the word’s Latin and Greek roots, and how it’s related to words for donation, mercy, and even a war cry! They talk about the importance of charity, the plight of the beggar--and how there are, perhaps, better words to use than this rather long one. They also discuss th...

Emily and Kyle talk unearth ancient treasure and sift through linguistic bric-a-brac as they discuss the word mathom. They talk about the word’s origin in Old English, and the definition’s journey from valuable gifts to sundry knick-knacks. They also explore some long-forgotten letters of the English alphabet, like a consonant called thorn and a vowel called ethel. Our hosts then turn to the world...

This week, Kyle takes Emily on a circular journey around the word deasil. (And, no, he didn’t just misspell the word diesel.) They discover the secret of why clockwise is clockwise, and discuss how the movement of the sun was once seen as lucky. They also reveal their north bias, wondering if clocks turn the right way south of the equator. But they also discuss the opposite of deasil, widdershins,...

Emily and Kyle go on a quest through a rich etymology and a myriad of meanings, and battle the linguistic dragon that is the word swinge. No, not swing. Not singe. Swinge. Emily and Kyle delve into exactly what separates all these similar words--and the facets of linguistics that connect them, like etymological doublets and shifts in pronunciation. Our hosts take a liking to “swinge” as an epic fa...

Taxonomy fans rejoice! Kyle and Emily are talking about animal adjectives--in particular, a word that is both dear and deer, elaphine. The pair discuss the red deer stag: king of all other deer! They dig into the plethora of Greek, Latin, and English words that have been applied to these animals. And they peer into the world of old-timey deer hunting. But it’s not all antlers and hunting today. Ky...

Get ready for a side-splitting episode, cause this week Emily and Kyle are exploring the laughter-filled etymology of abderian. Visit the Greek polis of Abdera, and hear how it may or may not have been founded by Hercules. Learn what made the Joker call Gotham a city of fools. And listen to some utterly absurd jokes that totally brought the house down in Ancient Greece. Lastly, dip your toe into s...

Kyle and Emily examine the rich tapestry of language, fashion, and politics that is the word foulard, and unravel the threads connecting stamped silk to nifty neckerchiefs to religious raiments. They delve into the oldest methods of dyeing silk handkerchiefs--a process not unlike how you dyed your t-shirt at summer camp. Kyle and Emily then discuss how language, too, is a tie-dyed blend of metapho...