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That's What They Say

Anne Curzan, Rebecca Hector

Funner, snuck, and LOL are all things that we're hearing people say these days.That's What They Say is a weekly segment on Michigan Public that explores our changing language. University of Michigan English Professor Anne Curzan studies linguistics and the history of the English language. Each week she'll discuss why we say what we say with Michigan Public All Things Considered host Rebecca Hector.That's What They Say airs Fridays at 4:45 p.m. and Sundays at 9:35 a.m. on Michigan Public and you can podcast it here.Do you have an English or grammar question? Ask us here!

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28 episodes
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English

Episodes 28

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Friday · 5 min
TWTS: A phrase made from "scratch"
Cookies or bread made from scratch sound great, and raise the question of what…
October 23 · 5 min
TWTS: A healthy dose of healthy language
We can be healthy and eating an apple seems clearly healthy, and then there’s…
October 16 · 5 min
TWTS: When "f" and "v" were sort of one
If you know how the sound ‘f’ worked in Old English, it suddenly isn’t…
October 9 · 5 min
TWTS: Why no one is "gonna Pittsburgh"
If I say I’m gonna do it, I don’t necessarily mean I’m headed out the door…
October 2 · 5 min
TWTS: Dictionaries get glow-ups too
The New York Times announced that the Merriam-Webster Dictionary “is…
September 25 · 5 min
TWTS: The same, just more exact
Concerns about redundancy are back this week. It's the exact same thing we’ve…
September 20 · 5 min
TWTS: Fore! It's a lightning round
This may be one of the only times that throw pillows, golf, and curling all get…
September 11 · 5 min
TWTS: "Proactive" gets a reaction in advance
While people may agree that being proactive is a positive trait, the word…
September 4 · 5 min
TWTS: Cat chasing pixies? There's a word for that
Is your cat running around in circles? Be advised, that kitty might be…
August 28 · 5 min
TWTS: Old English, new boundaries
When we talk about Middle English, it suggests that we know when English began…
August 27 · 4 min
TWTS: The cards language deals
There are lots of cards we can still play now, but we’ve lost some good ones…
August 14 · 5 min
TWTS: "Hunky dory" is doing just fine
If "hunky dory" means the same thing as "right as rain," then we face the…
August 7 · 5 min
TWTS: "Highfalutin" is too good for one spelling
While we may know highfalutin language when we hear it, we don't all agree…
July 31 · 5 min
TWTS: Be careful what you hear around the scuttlebutt
We exchange scuttlebutt at the proverbial water cooler, and there's an…
July 24 · 5 min
TWTS: Time to talk about your watch
The little clock we wear on our wrist could be called a clock. Instead, it has…
July 17 · 5 min
TWTS: Careful how you're using that 👍
Sometimes new slang jumps out in front of you, waving its hands, or thumbs, so…
July 10 · 5 min
TWTS: Understanding the depth of "fathom"
We can count fathoms when we’re measuring things. We can also metaphorically…
July 3 · 5 min
TWTS: Speaking of "bespoke"
This is a bespoke segment of That’s What They Say that focuses on “bespoke.”
June 26 · 4 min
TWTS: Up and down your alley... and your street
If it’s up your alley, it might also be up your street. And perhaps it’s down…
June 22 · 5 min
TWTS: One rank, two pronunciations
You say "lieutenant," I say “leftenant” but let’s not call the whole thing off.

Showing 1–20 of 28 episodes