That's What They Say
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!
TWTS: A phrase made from "scratch"
Cookies or bread made from scratch sound great, and raise the question of what the scratch is.
TWTS: A healthy dose of healthy language
We can be healthy and eating an apple seems clearly healthy, and then thereâs the healthy dose of salt, which may not be healthy at all.
TWTS: When "f" and "v" were sort of one
If you know how the sound âfâ worked in Old English, it suddenly isnât mysterious why the noun "leaf" with an "f" turns into "leaves" with a "v" when you make it plural
TWTS: Why no one is "gonna Pittsburgh"
If I say Iâm gonna do it, I donât necessarily mean Iâm headed out the door right now to do it.
TWTS: Dictionaries get glow-ups too
The New York Times announced that the Merriam-Webster Dictionary âis wordsmaxxingâ and NBC News described it as a âglow-upâ of the Merriam-Webster Dictionary.
TWTS: The same, just more exact
Concerns about redundancy are back this week. It's the exact same thing weâve talked about before, but this time about the expression "exact same."
TWTS: Fore! It's a lightning round
This may be one of the only times that throw pillows, golf, and curling all get wrapped into the same discussion.
TWTS: "Proactive" gets a reaction in advance
While people may agree that being proactive is a positive trait, the word proactive can elicit some very negative reactions, so to speak.
TWTS: Cat chasing pixies? There's a word for that
Is your cat running around in circles? Be advised, that kitty might be pixilated.
TWTS: Old English, new boundaries
When we talk about Middle English, it suggests that we know when English began and when it ends.
TWTS: The cards language deals
There are lots of cards we can still play now, but weâve lost some good ones too.
TWTS: "Hunky dory" is doing just fine
If "hunky dory" means the same thing as "right as rain," then we face the question of how right rain is.
TWTS: "Highfalutin" is too good for one spelling
While we may know highfalutin language when we hear it, we don't all agree about how to spell "highfalutin" or where it comes from.
TWTS: Be careful what you hear around the scuttlebutt
We exchange scuttlebutt at the proverbial water cooler, and there's an etymological clue in that.
TWTS: Time to talk about your watch
The little clock we wear on our wrist could be called a clock. Instead, it has long had its own term, being called a watch instead.
TWTS: Careful how you're using that đ
Sometimes new slang jumps out in front of you, waving its hands, or thumbs, so that you canât help but notice it. Sometimes it just sneaks up on you.
TWTS: Understanding the depth of "fathom"
We can count fathoms when weâre measuring things. We can also metaphorically fathom or not fathom things.
TWTS: Speaking of "bespoke"
This is a bespoke segment of Thatâs What They Say that focuses on âbespoke.â
TWTS: Up and down your alley... and your street
If itâs up your alley, it might also be up your street. And perhaps itâs down rather than up.
TWTS: One rank, two pronunciations
You say "lieutenant," I say âleftenantâ but letâs not call the whole thing off.
TWTS: The wonky journey of "wonky"
Thereâs more than one way to be wonky, and not all of them are bad.
