Butter No Parsnips

Kyle, Emily, and special guest Arne Christensen (@learnfirm_med_term) sit down and chew the fat about digestion, and medical terminology at large.

Christensen shares his research on the Greek and Latin roots behind several medical terms doctors use every day. And he discusses how the journey from ancient meaning to modern usage is not always so simple.

Best of all, Christensen takes you on a Dungeons and Dragons style quest through the digestive system, from the mouth to the stomach all the way to the intestines, sharing little-known medical terminology and etymology all along the way.

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.

Like and follow us on Instagram and Facebook @ButterNoParsnipsPodcast

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⁠www.patreon.com/ButterNoParsnips⁠

Produced by Seth Gliksman, Kyle Imperatore, and Emily Moyers

Main theme and accompanying themes by Kyle Imperatore

This week Emily and Kyle travel eastward, taking a look at the Sanskrit language and at the little-known word bahuvrihi.

The pair discuss the grammar of compound words, both in English and Sanskrit. And they discover how adjectives and nouns can take on new meanings when joined together, becoming greater than the sum of their parts.

They also explore the influence of Indian languages in English--and how that influence shows up in places you might not expect! (Sure, words from Hinduism and Buddhism, like karma, aren’t hard to believe. But juggernaut? Or fruit punch??)

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.

Like and follow us on Instagram and Facebook @ButterNoParsnipsPodcast

Support us!

⁠www.patreon.com/ButterNoParsnips⁠

Produced by Seth Gliksman, Kyle Imperatore, and Emily Moyers

Main theme and accompanying themes by Kyle Imperatore

Kyle and Emily sate their etymological appetite once again, as they discuss the sinfully satisfying word “ingordigious.”

They explore the word’s origins in Italian and Latin, and its connection to the Spanish “gordo.” They also peer into the life of one John Bastwick, and his veritable litany of grievances about the greedy world around him. And his thoughts are seconded (more tactfully, perhaps) by modern lexicographer Susie Dent!

But it’s not just greed on the menu today! There’s also gluttony, lust, sloth--and a whole host of spectacular slang terms related to the Seven Deadly Sins.

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.

Like and follow us on Instagram and Facebook @ButterNoParsnipsPodcast

Support us!

⁠www.patreon.com/ButterNoParsnips⁠

Produced by Seth Gliksman, Kyle Imperatore, and Emily Moyers

Main theme and accompanying themes by Kyle Imperatore

This week, Emily and Kyle explore the word “grognard,” its roots in French history, and its modern usage in tabletop gaming.

The two unpack grognard’s historical context in the French Imperial Army of Napoleon. They read the laundry list of requirements of his esteemed Old Guard, and how the privileges of their position gave way to a new word.

They also talk about the connection between Napoleon’s grumbling old soldiers and the RPG world’s grumbling war gamers--and the semantic change that bridges the two. And they (carefully) address the differences between war games and Dungeons and Dragons.

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.

Like and follow us on Instagram and Facebook @ButterNoParsnipsPodcast

Support us!

⁠www.patreon.com/ButterNoParsnips⁠

Produced by Seth Gliksman, Kyle Imperatore, and Emily Moyers

Main theme and accompanying themes by Kyle Imperatore

Kyle and Emily journey from ancient Greek philosophy to American transcendentalism, as they delve into the history of the Lyceum.

Back in their old stompin’ grounds of ancient Greece, Kyle and Emily discover the connections between the god Apollo, the gymnasium, and the birth of academia. They also chat about the intellectual legacy of Aristotle and his impact on lecturing.

Fast-forwarding a ways, they explore the American Lyceum movement, and its effect on 19th century transcendentalism. They look at figures like Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson: how they embraced the Lyceum, education, and self-reliance.

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.

Like and follow us on Instagram and Facebook @ButterNoParsnipsPodcast

Support us!

⁠www.patreon.com/ButterNoParsnips⁠

Produced by Seth Gliksman, Kyle Imperatore, and Emily Moyers

Main theme and accompanying themes by Kyle Imperatore

Emily and Kyle chat it up with writer T Campbell in this puzzling episode of Butter No Parsnips as they uncover the multiple meanings of the term 'logology' and venture into the fascinating world of wordplay. 

They get the scoop on the recently shuttered wordplay journal Word Ways, but find hope in Campbell’s newly launched Journal of Wordplay. He delights them with tastes of submissions so far including abecedarian sentences, spoonerisms, alphagraphic arithmetic, hidden words, and all of the AI technology in between. He even brings a few to life with some brain bending on-air examples.

Campbell even lifts the veil on what it means to be not just a crossword enthusiast, but designer as well, as he shares some details of what it takes to design a record breaking crossword.

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.

Like and follow us on Instagram and Facebook @ButterNoParsnipsPodcast

Support us!

⁠www.patreon.com/ButterNoParsnips⁠

Produced by Seth Gliksman, Kyle Imperatore, and Emily Moyers

Main theme and accompanying themes by Kyle Imperatore

Seth opens the Lexiconicon again this week in this captivating episode of Butter No Parsnips where Kyle and Emily explore the indexy world of hapax legomena.

Discover how the intriguing legomenon phenomenon appears in the Holy Bible, Shakespeare's works, and how it may contribute to evidence for the Baconian theory of Shakespeare authorship. 

You’ll learn of the fascinating patterns behind Zipf's Law, Heap's Law, and Benford's Law in language and literature, and journey through the Pauline epistles to get there. 

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.

Like and follow us on Instagram and Facebook @ButterNoParsnipsPodcast

Support us!

⁠www.patreon.com/ButterNoParsnips⁠

Produced by Seth Gliksman, Kyle Imperatore, and Emily Moyers

Main theme and accompanying themes by Kyle Imperatore

On this episode of Butter No Parsnips, Kyle and Emily dive deep into the fascinating etymology of the word “quark” and the complexity of particle physics.

They discuss the spelling and dichotomy of pronunciation of "quark," and uncover surprising connections between James Joyce's "Finnegan's Wake" and the legendary tale of Tristan and Isolde.

But the exploration doesn't stop there: they delve even deeper into Joyce's peculiar writing style, including the stunning and terrifying "thunderwords."

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.

Like and follow us on Instagram and Facebook @ButterNoParsnipsPodcast

You can watch this episode on YouTube at www.YouTube.com/@ButterNoParsnips

Support us!

⁠www.patreon.com/ButterNoParsnips⁠

Main theme and accompanying themes by Kyle Imperatore

Produced by Seth Gliksman, Kyle Imperatore, and Emily Moyers

You’ll be quaking in your buckled shoes this episode as Emily learns the naming origins of name-words, finds herself in the middle of a mistaken-identity crisis, and discovers Kyle’s new fascination with oat-based meals.

Support us!

⁠www.patreon.com/ButterNoParsnips⁠

Main theme and accompanying themes by Kyle Imperatore

Produced by Seth Gliksman, Kyle Imperatore, and Emily Moyers

Pull out your history books, kids! This week, Kyle does a refresher course on the French Revolution, the British Parliament holds a rather nervous meeting, and Emily reveals the unexpected origins of some everyday words.

Support us!

www.patreon.com/ButterNoParsnips

Main theme and accompanying themes by Kyle Imperatore

Produced by Seth Gliksman, Kyle Imperatore, and Emily Moyers