Emily has thrown down the gauntlet and challenged Kyle to a swordfight, but the blade she pulls is a little smaller than expected. The two hack and slash at language and history, as they discuss the winding origins of the word snickersnee.

Our hosts look back at some Dutch roots that stick like glue, put a stitch in your side, and are even surprisingly snide. Kyle gets a refresher on how words can come together to make something new and beautiful… In this case, a knife! And Emily puts this knife in context with a bit of Anglo-Dutch history.

Snickersnee leads our hosts to several related words and phrases, including snicker that’s not as funny as it sounds, as well as a memorable term from the poem “Jabberwocky”. Emily upgrades from a knife to a sword, revealing what it means to be cut and thrust. And Kyle takes a stab at naming some fictional weapons.

Join us every week as we explore the fascinating origins and meanings of words, uncovering the hidden stories behind language and how it evolves over time, for language enthusiasts and etymology buffs alike.

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Produced by Seth Gliksman, Kyle Imperatore, and Emily Moyers

Main theme and accompanying themes by Kyle Imperatore