Maggie Rowe and Emily Garces

Fifty Words For Snow

Education EN ↓ 95 episodes

A linguistic expedition into brave new words. Maggie Rowe and Emily John Garcés hunt for words that lack an English equivalent. They like to think of themselves as Dora the Explorers of language, with their rucksacks and hats and notebooks and magnifying glasses, embarking on a cultural adventure, hunting and gathering useful new word specimens from far flung continents, and holding them up to see what new light they shine on old ideas.

Author

Maggie Rowe and Emily Garces

Episodes

Ep 60 Words From Portuguese Language: Saudade 15.01.2026 29:17

Maggie and Emily discuss the Portuguese word saudade with Lucas Gomes and Peter Rollins. Poem by Emily: Saudade.

Ep 59 Words from Puerto Rican Spanish: Gufear and Chinchorrear 08.01.2026 24:28

Maggie and Emily learn the Puerto Rican Spanish words gufear and chinchorrear and speak to Nerys Miller-Baynham about the fictional Welsh saint, Saint Toiletai. Poem by Maggie: One Day.

Ep 58 The New Year's Episode: German word Umwelt 01.01.2026 35:50

Maggie and Emily learn the German word umvelt from philosopher/Biblical scholar Jared Byas. Poem by Emily: The Umvelt of the Human Animal.

Ep 57 The Christmas Episode: Portuguese word Muvuca 25.12.2025 30:27

Maggie and Emily learn the Portuguese word muvuca from Kika Mousse and put the term "safe space" on trial with judge Matthew Laura Aitken. Poem by Maggie: Muvuca.

Ep 56 Words From French Language: Spleen and Yaourter 18.12.2025 29:18

Maggie and Emily learn the French words spleen and yaourter from Luc Lewitanski and the AI term hopium from C. Brian Smith. Poem by Emily: Spleen.

Ep 55 Words from French Language: retrouvailles and l'esprit d'escalier 11.12.2025 30:52

Maggie and Emily learn the French words rretrouvailles and l'esprit d'escalier from Parisian English and French teacher Luc Lewitanski. Then they put the word "banter" on trial. Poem by Maggie: L'esprit d'escalier.

Ep 54 Words from Portuguese Language: Cafofo and Cafuné 04.12.2025 33:14

Maggie and Emily learn the Portugese words cafofo and cafuné from Kika Mousse and put the word "self-made" on trial with judge Matthew Laura Aitken. Poem by Emily: Cafofo.

Ep 53 The Thanksgiving Episode: Word Biophilia 26.11.2025 29:06

Maggie and Emily learn the word "biophilia" from Globe Aware founder Kimbery Haley-Coleman and discuss two words coined by poet Norm Milstein: hapitat and ebullhumblexuberance. Poem by Maggie: Heavier Things Than Me.

Ep 52 The Journey of a Word: Tachles 21.11.2025 28:55

Maggie and Emily learn the word tachles (German/Hebrew/Yiddish) from retired Yeshiva principal and educator Seth Taylor and put the word “utilize” on trial with Judge Matthew Laura Aitken. Poem by Emily: Tachles.

Ep 51 The Illusion Episode: French word Chimera (Chimère) and Hindi word Mrugtrushna 13.11.2025 32:15

Maggie and Emily learn two words dealing with illusion, the French word chimère from Ralph Levinson and Luc Lewitanski and the Hindi word mrigtrishna from Vikas and Shashi Bandhu. Poem by Maggie: Condemned to Hope

Ep 50 Words From the Eye: Scotoma 06.11.2025 32:02

Maggie and Emily learn the word “scotoma” from retired ophthalmologist Ralph Levinson, then put scotoma “in action” with Eric Giancoli. They coin the word chatterflop with Daniel Wiltshire. Poem by Emily: Scotoma.

Ep 49 Words From Church part two - Reckoning 30.10.2025 34:59

Maggie and Emily discuss the word "reckoning" with pastor Cedric Lundy and put the word "forgiveness" on trial with judge Matt Laura Aitken. Poem by Maggie: While Washing The Dishes.

Ep 48 Words From Russian Language- Toska (Тоска) and Listopad (Листопад) 23.10.2025 29:17

Maggie and Emily learn the Russian words Toska (Тоска) and Listopad (Листопад) from Masha Lichtenberg. Word in action: the Hindi word jugaad with natual stone specialist Dan Wiltshire. Poem by Emily: A Cat Called Tosca

Ep 47 Words From Russian Language: Da nyet ( Да нет) and Apparatchik (Аппаратчик) 16.10.2025 29:32

Maggie and Emily learn the Russian words Da nyet (Да нет) and Apparatchik (Аппаратчик) from Masha Lichtenberg and put the term "can't wait" on trial with judge Matt Laura Aitken. Poem by Maggie: No.

Ep 46: Teen Slang: Words of the Young 09.10.2025 30:37

Maggie and Emily learn teen slang from Maggie's nieces, Addie and Ava, and Emily's son Ollie. Words include 6-7, gyatt, touch grass, riz, Stan, big back, Poem by Emily: Poem Number 67.

Ep 45 Wise Words From Church: Edify 02.10.2025 30:05

Maggie and Emily discuss the word "edify" with pastor Cedric Lundy and put the word "secular" on trial with judge Eric Giancoli. Poem by Maggie: Looking For God In All The Wrong Places.

Ep 44 Words From Hindi Language: Seva and Atithi 25.09.2025 27:49

Maggie and Emily learn the Hindi words seva and atithi from Vikas and Shashi Bandhu. "Word in action": seva with Nerys Miller-Baynham. Poem by Emily: seva.

Ep 43 Words From Hindi Language: Nazar 18.09.2025 32:46

Maggie and Emily learn the Hindi word nazar from Vikas and Shashi Bandhu and put one usage of the word "just" on trial. Poem by Maggie: Nazar.

Ep 42 Words From Welsh Language: Hiraeth 11.09.2025 31:09

Maggie and Emily learn the Welsh word hiraeth from Welsh educater Stephen Rule (Dr. Cymraeg.) Poem by Emily: Hiraeth.

Ep 41 Words from Astrophysics: Dark Matter and Parallax 04.09.2025 33:31

Maggie and Emily explore the Dutch word ietsisme and the terms “dark matter” and "parallax" with astrophysicist Margot Brouer. They discuss “scalation” with author/speaker Rob Bell. Poem by Maggie: Dark Matter.

Ep 40 Words From German Language - Weltschmerz 28.08.2025 31:55

Maggie and Emily learn the German word weltschmerz from Philipp De Vries. Word in action: Muße with Eric Giancoli. Poem by Emily: Wild.

Ep 39 - Words From Dutch Language: zingeving 21.08.2025 30:19

Maggie and Emiy learn the Dutch word zingeving from astrophysicist Margot Brouwer. Poem by Maggie: Zingeving.

Ep 38 - Words From German Language - Muße 14.08.2025 28:28

Maggie and Emily learn the German word m uße from Philipp De Vries and explore petrichor with Susan Sechrist. Poem by Emily: Muße.

Ep 37 Words From Dutch Language: Polderon 07.08.2025 30:36

Maggie and Emily learn the Dutch word polderon and put the word "boss" on trial with judge C. Brian Smith. Poem by Maggie: Polderon.

Ep 36 Words From Dutch Language: Uitwaaien and Voorpret 31.07.2025 23:01

Maggie and Emily learn the Dutch words uitwaaien and voorpret from Jozua Ros and explore the Cajun lagniappe with Brenda Pontiff. Poem by Emily: Uitwaaien.