Butter No Parsnips

Butter No Parsnips

Comedy EN ↓ 205 episodes

Every week on Butter No Parsnips, your hosts Emily Moyers and Kyle Imperatore take you on an adventure through the weird, wacky, wonderful, and sometimes wicked history of one wayside word. Strange characters, delightful bits, and general joyousness abound, join them as they test each other's etymological expertise!

Author

Butter No Parsnips

Category

Comedy

Latest episode

Jul 6, 2026

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Episodes

29. Tautonym w/ Mike Stephan 20.02.2023

Kyle and Emily are joined by the not-at-all mephitic Michael Stephan, pagerunner for @tautonyms on Instagram, who helps Kyle out with a tough word and then delivers a few of his own as he guides our hosts through the animal world of the doubly-named. Support us! www.patreon.com/ButterNoParsnips Main theme and accompanying themes by Kyle Imperatore Produced by Seth Gliksman, Kyle Imperatore, and Em...

28. Apricity 13.02.2023

In this hearty and humorous presentation, Emily and Kyle look at a few early English dictionaries, learn a forgotten word that never really took off, and read the decidedly difficult writings of one Lorenzo Altisonant. Support us! www.patreon.com/ButterNoParsnips Main theme and accompanying themes by Kyle Imperatore Produced by Seth Gliksman, Kyle Imperatore, and Emily Moyers

27. Cicerone 06.02.2023

Join Kyle and Emily as they take a tour of Roma (Italy and Texas), discover the real reason marble statues are missing their noses, and visit the tragic resting place of one of Shakespeare’s most tragic families. Support us! www.patreon.com/ButterNoParsnips Main theme and accompanying themes by Kyle Imperatore Produced by Seth Gliksman, Kyle Imperatore, and Emily Moyers

26. Sex, Lies, & Insults w/ Jess Zafarris 30.01.2023

On this special episode of Butter No Parsnips, Kyle and Emily speak to author of the book Once Upon a Word: A Word-Origin Dictionary for Kids and word wizard Jess Zafarris ( @uselessetymology ) about just a few of the most illicit of her many etymological adventures. Support us! www.patreon.com/ButterNoParsnips Main theme and accompanying themes by Kyle Imperatore Produced by Seth Gliksman, Kyle I...

25. Grok 23.01.2023

This week, Emily attempts to describe the nuances of Martian culture, reveals the unexpected link between beat literature, I.T. magazines, and Forbes articles, and tests Kyle’s knowledge of science fiction. You grok? Support us! www.patreon.com/ButterNoParsnips Main theme and accompanying themes by Kyle Imperatore Produced by Seth Gliksman, Kyle Imperatore, and Emily Moyers

24. Eurhythmic 16.01.2023

Sweet dreams are made of words! Kyle and Emily learn way too much about architecture (it’s all about the cupolas), get personal with Mr. and Madame So-and-So, and realize modern art might all lead back to two Swiss-Austrian artists. Support us! www.patreon.com/ButterNoParsnips Main theme and accompanying themes by Kyle Imperatore Produced by Seth Gliksman, Kyle Imperatore, and Emily Moyers

23. High-muck-a-muck 09.01.2023

This word might be familiar to some (or it might not…), but it prompts Emily and Kyle to discuss the formation of hybrid languages, the presence of indigenous terms in Seattle slang, and Mark Twain’s travels and tribulations in the tropics. Support us! www.patreon.com/ButterNoParsnips Main theme and accompanying themes by Kyle Imperatore Produced by Seth Gliksman, Kyle Imperatore, and Emily Moyers

22. Oulipo 25.12.2022

Seth opens up the Lexiconicon once more, but this time in a jolly way, as he takes Emily and Kyle on a journey through the strange, French, and enviably productive world of Oulipo. And all to serve an incredibly contrived and festive end no less! Support us! www.patreon.com/ButterNoParsnips Main theme and accompanying themes by Kyle Imperatore Produced by Seth Gliksman, Kyle Imperatore, and Emily...

21. Coxcomb 19.12.2022

Kyle and Emily are no fools in this episode, in which they discuss a play about an old lady with poor decision making skills, the 3 oldest Stooges, Tom, Dick, and Dan, and the life of one of America’s underrated and overlooked authors. Support us! www.patreon.com/ButterNoParsnips Main theme and accompanying themes by Kyle Imperatore Produced by Seth Gliksman, Kyle Imperatore, and Emily Moyers

20. Scorigami 12.12.2022

Strap in, sports fans, because Emily and Kyle are talking about the crazy scoring of American football, the constant evolution of modern language, and the creative word-smithery of Lewis Carroll. Support us! www.patreon.com/ButterNoParsnips Main theme and accompanying themes by Kyle Imperatore Produced by Seth Gliksman, Kyle Imperatore, and Emily Moyers

19. Soigné 05.12.2022

Take a taste of the high life as Kyle and Emily weasel their way into the upper class intrigue of the 19th century, meet the first muppet president of Iceland, and play a long game of telephone – er, letters, we guess. Support us! www.patreon.com/ButterNoParsnips Main theme and accompanying themes by Kyle Imperatore Produced by Seth Gliksman, Kyle Imperatore, and Emily Moyers

18. Squint 28.11.2022

Think you know this word already? Take another squint at it, as Emily tells Kyle about  some protrusive parish architecture, a comparably cushy form of seclusion, and a seriously saucy group of nuns. Support us! www.patreon.com/ButterNoParsnips Main theme and accompanying themes by Kyle Imperatore Produced by Seth Gliksman, Kyle Imperatore, and Emily Moyers

17. Smaragdine 21.11.2022

In this episode Kyle dazzles Emily with an ancient and magical word, alerts the world to the existence of the “werely porpapyne”, and we learn that “smaradge” isn’t just from a The Princess Bride bit. Support us! www.patreon.com/ButterNoParsnips Main theme and accompanying themes by Kyle Imperatore Produced by Seth Gliksman, Kyle Imperatore, and Emily Moyers

16. Popinjay 14.11.2022

This week Emily and Kyle answer such beastly questions as: What does it mean to have a parrot on your coat of arms? Who gets to be the Popinjay King? and What are the best (and worst) animal sounds? Support us! www.patreon.com/ButterNoParsnips Main theme and accompanying themes by Kyle Imperatore Produced by Seth Gliksman, Kyle Imperatore, and Emily Moyers

15. Pip 07.11.2022

Emily discovers the variety of meanings a three-letter word can have, everything’s snappy and, just, “Blix”, you know, and Clapham and Dwyer take us back to the era of Gugnuncs with their classic vaudeville routine. Support us! www.patreon.com/ButterNoParsnips Main theme and accompanying themes by Kyle Imperatore Produced by Seth Gliksman, Kyle Imperatore, and Emily Moyers

14. Anagrams 31.10.2022

On this terrifying episode of Butter No Parsnips, your hosts Kyle Imperatore and Emily Moyers are joined by the spirit of Seth Gliksman as he cracks open the sacred Lexiconicon to peer deep into the weird word world. Through divination and conjuration and prestidigitation, Seth shares the hidden mysteries of anagrams gone by before the Lexiconicon beckons him back to the realm whence he came. Supp...

13. Picaresque w/ Jackie Quaranto 24.10.2022

In our first ever guest episode, Kyle and Emily are joined by fellow word enthusiast Jackie (@jackiequaranto) to discuss Spanish rascals, a beloved Australian children’s book, and a questionable career move for several actors. Support us! www.patreon.com/ButterNoParsnips Main theme and accompanying themes by Kyle Imperatore Produced by Seth Gliksman, Kyle Imperatore, and Emily Moyers

12. Tantivy 17.10.2022

Tantivy, soho! Saddle up and ride tantivy with yokels Kyle and Emily as they discover the Lexicon Balatronicum, flashback to slander the likeness of an old friend, and sing their little hearts out (if you don’t leave this one humming, you’ve got no groove). Support us! www.patreon.com/ButterNoParsnips Main theme and accompanying themes by Kyle Imperatore Produced by Seth Gliksman, Kyle Imperatore,...

11. Quincunx 10.10.2022

Kyle might find it hard to believe that this word has multiple meanings--but Emily reveals how “quincunx” relates to a short-lived Roman coin, a bizarre horticultural book, and even a common board game piece. Support us! www.patreon.com/ButterNoParsnips Main theme and accompanying themes by Kyle Imperatore Produced by Seth Gliksman, Kyle Imperatore, and Emily Moyers

10. Abecedary 03.10.2022

In this third of a line of ‘y’-ending words: Emily describes the day-to-day of Mayor of Thebes and man-about-tomb, Senefer, Kyle introduces the sport of battledore (not a colosseum-style fight to the death), and the two discuss the meaning of some pneumatic mnemonics. Support us! www.patreon.com/ButterNoParsnips Main theme and accompanying themes by Kyle Imperatore Produced by Seth Gliksman, Kyle...

9. Calumny 26.09.2022

Kyle twiddles his fingers in excitement as Emily deciphers the Middle English writings of a female saint, airs the grievances of a 17th century French incel, and finds a symbol of empowerment in the most unlikely of places. Support us! www.patreon.com/ButterNoParsnips Main theme and accompanying themes by Kyle Imperatore Produced by Seth Gliksman, Kyle Imperatore, and Emily Moyers

8. Logomachy 19.09.2022

Strap in for the long haul as Kyle takes Emily on a deep-dive into the hidden intentions of the Hermetic tradition, the biography of real ladies-man Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa von Nettesheim (yes, he’s definitely single, trust me), and a seriously strange suffix. Support us! www.patreon.com/ButterNoParsnips Main theme and accompanying themes by Kyle Imperatore Produced by Seth Gliksman, Kyle Imper...

7. Afflatus 12.09.2022

Emily brings Kyle the oldest word this podcast has seen, Stoic hero Quintus Columbo McCarthy takes on the world’s greatest injustices, and Jon Voight reveals his most famous catchphrase. Support us! www.patreon.com/ButterNoParsnips Main theme and accompanying themes by Kyle Imperatore Produced by Seth Gliksman, Kyle Imperatore, and Emily Moyers

6. Quire 05.09.2022

Travel back in time with Kyle and Emily to confront medieval baby-faced adults and adult-faced babies, grapple with the existence of Renaissance brand identities, and examine the worst ways to organize a dictionary (hint: anything not alphabetical). Support us! www.patreon.com/ButterNoParsnips Main theme and accompanying themes by Kyle Imperatore Produced by Seth Gliksman, Kyle Imperatore, and Emi...

5. Spaghettification 29.08.2022

This week, Emily presents Kyle’s dream episode--in which he tells us about his pasta-related roots, learns about something called “Arp,” and talks about the gagadoodoononsense play King Ubu . Support us! www.patreon.com/ButterNoParsnips Main theme and accompanying themes by Kyle Imperatore Produced by Seth Gliksman, Kyle Imperatore, and Emily Moyers

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