Butter No Parsnips

In this episode, Kyle and Emily discuss the meaning and origin of the word jactitation. No cap. …Okay, maybe a little cap.

They talk about the roots of this word, how it evolved from meanings like throw or scatter, to meanings like boast or brag. And this leads them to a fascinating dive into the history of the letter J, and its relation to the letter I. But the real meat and potatoes of this episode is a look at some of history’s greatest show-offs.

Kyle tells us about a saint who defeated the devil with a horseshoe, as well as a church whose monks may have stretched the truth a bit. And Emily delights in the story of a woman who is perhaps history’s greatest jactitator. This coquette’s thrilling life included a not so lucky marriage, a suspect title of duchess, and a possible brush with the Pope.

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

Gather ‘round y’all, because this week Kyle and Emily are chatting with Bob McCalden, Chairman of the Apostrophe Protection Society.

Our hosts talk with McCalden about how to write with this oft-misused piece of punctuation correctly. They discuss the apostrophe in possessives and contractions, as well as some more elusive cases of English grammar. McCalden also shares his thoughts on some other places the apostrophe turns up, like social media, brand names, and Irish surnames.

The trio talk about how grammar evolves over time, cases where correctness is perhaps not as important, and cases where it’s very important indeed. McCalden’s discussion on why the apostrophe matters is valuable for those learning English, those teaching English, or any writers who want to make sure their writing hits home.

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.

Special thanks to Bethany Keeley-Jonker of unnecessaryquotes.com for her contribution to this episode. To hear an extended interview with Keeley-Jonker about her blog and the Y2K internet, support us on Patreon at Patreon.com/ButterNoParsnips

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Produced by Seth Gliksman, Kyle Imperatore, and Emily Moyers

Main theme and accompanying themes by Kyle Imperatore

Take a trip through the good, the bad, and the ugly sides of censorship, as Emily and Kyle discuss the meaning and origin of the word bowdlerize.

They begin by talking about the family name from which this word derives. That takes them on a deep dive into a time which was very concerned with being family-friendly. Our hosts talk about the Regency and Victorian eras, when modesty and morality were of the utmost importance.

Our hosts (and producer) also perform a bit of theatre, taking a look at a famously censored edition of Shakepeare. They read bowdlerized quotes from Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, and Macbeth. Emily and Kyle also bring this word to the modern era, talking about their experiences with banned books in libraries.

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

Take a load off and put your cares aside, because today Kyle and Emily are talking about the meaning and origin of the word cark.

Our hosts dig into some etymology and talk about cark’s roots in French, Latin, and more. They talk about the many meanings and pronunciations this little word has traveled through, varying from physical weight or labor to mental stress or worry.

They also talk about the many modern words cark is related to, like car and charge and cargo. Kyle introduces us to some (apparently) oft-used phrases like “cark and care” and “toil and moil.” But Emily takes particular joy in cark’s modern usage in Australian slang.

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

Poetry lovers are either gonna love or hate this one, because Seth takes Kyle and Emily on a journey through the meaning and origin of the word flarf.

Our hosts travel back to the early 00s internet, and see the emergence of a rather avant garde form of poetry. They read a poem or two from this new genre, talk about how Google plays into their creation, and discuss the divisive impact these poems had on the larger poetry community.

But flarf also leads our hosts into asking the BIG questions. What really is art? What makes good or bad writing? Does the author matter? They also link flarf poetry to other works of modernism and surrealism, and see how it contrasts to more process oriented writing.

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.

Special thanks to Grogan Ardizzoni (@heygrogan) for their vocal talents.

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Produced by Seth Gliksman, Kyle Imperatore, and Emily Moyers

Main theme and accompanying themes by Kyle Imperatore

Additional music:

Title: Happy Happy Game Show

This week, Emily and Kyle discuss the meaning and origin of the word accismus. They’re too polite to say it themselves, but really they’d love for you to listen.

Our hosts dive into the Ancient Greek arts of speech and rhetoric. They look at the origin of irony, and a classic comedic scene between Hercules and one of the Greek gods. And they look at that most polite form of irony, saying ‘no thank you’ when you really want to give an emphatic ‘yes please.’

They also bring you a host of examples through history, literature, and myth. They talk about a possible tradition upon being named bishop in the Churck of England, a Shakespeare quote about Caesar nearly taking modesty too far, and even an Aesop fable about sour grapes.

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

Get ready for a sinfully good episode that is sure to get you out of a bad mood, because Kyle and Emily are discussing the meaning and origin of the word peccant.

They talk about this word’s first appearances in texts from Ancient Greece. They explore its meanings from wicked to corrupt to unhealthy, as well as its connection to another modern word. But the bulk of our hosts’ conversation this week is about humor.

Why are the four humors called humors? How much did Aristotle understand the diseases of the human body? Does your blood affect whether you’re in a good mood or feeling melancholy? And could everybody benefit from a little menstruation? All will be answered!

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

We hope you’re ready to start the revolution, because Emily and Kyle are talking about the meaning and origin of the word agitprop.

Our hosts explore the role agitation and propaganda played in Russia during the rise of communism. They trace the paths of these words through Latin, English, and Russian, then explore the ways the Soviet Union propagated its ideals. They take a look at some communist poster design with that iconic 1984 look, and some dubious theater from Bertolt Brecht.

But this word doesn’t end with Soviet Russia. Emily and Kyle also chat about its modern use, with both propaganda and activism. They discuss how “agit” can be used to describe punk art and rebellious music, and how it also has a hidden meaning in Korean.

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

Get ready for some hot goss’ and buxom gals, because this week Kyle and Emily are discussing the meaning and origin of the word zaftig.

The hosts delve into the history of Jewish immigrants and their languages in New York City and beyond. They look at some Yiddish words which have made their way into English, and they trace how zaftig evolved from describing fat, juicy melons to describing… Well, the definition didn’t travel far.

The duo also leaf through some classic New York celebrity gossip, straight from the first ever tabloid magazine. Surprise to no one, tabloids have been problematic from the beginning. This one had everything from lewd comments about actresses, to outing of queer celebrities, to blackmail of Broadway producers!

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Produced by Seth Gliksman, Kyle Imperatore, and Emily Moyers

Main theme and accompanying themes by Kyle Imperatore

This one goes out to all the IT guys, all the nerd dads, and anyone else who likes to hack, cause today Emily and Kyle are talking about the meaning and origin of the tech word mung.

Our hosts skim through a bit of Old English, and the many connections mung has to other modern words. But then they quickly get down to what this episode is all about: acronyms and information technology.

Emily and Kyle talk about how an MIT club became a haven for hacking and computer technology, how mung came to refer to making a mess of things, some little-known acronyms like SCUBA and PATRIOT, and what the Ts in TINT stand for.

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