Word Matters

By Merriam-Webster, New England Public MediaEducation Arts Books

Word Matters episodes

March 31, 2021 34. What Is a 'Retronym'?
You probably encounter them all the time: new words created to describe the older version of a thing. (Like an acoustic guitar. Or skim milk.) Let's talk about them. Then, we'll check in on the English language's former 27th letter: &. No, that's not a typo. We're talking about the ampersand. (And how it got that name.)
Hosted by Emily Brewster, Neil Serven, Ammon Shea, and Peter Sokolowski.
Produced in collaboration with New England Public Media.
Transcript available here.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
18 min
March 24, 2021 33. Tracing the Origins of Famous Phrases
We're catching up on our email! This week, we answer some listener questions about the murky origins of two famous idioms.
Hosted by Emily Brewster, Neil Serven, Ammon Shea, and Peter Sokolowski.
Produced in collaboration with New England Public Media.
Transcript available here.

Today's Podcast is brought to you by The Great Courses Plus. Visit TheGreatCoursesPlus.com/matters to receive a free month of unlimited access.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
15 min
March 17, 2021 32. The Story of the Backward Index
Strange but true: in the basement of our Springfield office, we have a file of 315,000 words typed in reverse. Why would anyone want (or do) such a thing? We'll explain.
Hosted by Emily Brewster, Neil Serven, Ammon Shea, and Peter Sokolowski.
Produced in collaboration with New England Public Media.
Transcript available here.

Today's Podcast is brought to you by The Great Courses Plus. Visit TheGreatCoursesPlus.com/mattersto receive a free month of unlimited access.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
12 min
March 10, 2021 31. Why Is It Called an 'Adam's Apple'?
The Adam's apple: it's neither an apple nor is it possessed exclusively by people named Adam. We'll talk about why that is, plus another linguistic conundrum: how did 'physician' become a word for "doctor" while 'physicist' stayed in the realm of matter and energy?
Hosted by Emily Brewster, Neil Serven, Ammon Shea, and Peter Sokolowski.
Produced in collaboration with New England Public Media.
Transcript available here.

Today's Podcast is brought to you by The Great Courses Plus. Visit TheGreatCoursesPlus.com/mattersto receive a free month of unlimited access.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
18 min
March 03, 2021 30. How We Wrote Our Bilingual Dictionaries
We're going deep on dictionary lore this week! Listen in for an interview with editor Peter Sokolowski on how we wrote our French and Spanish bilingual dictionaries.
Hosted by Emily Brewster, Neil Serven, Ammon Shea, and Peter Sokolowski.
Produced in collaboration with New England Public Media.
Transcript available here.

Today's Podcast is brought to you by The Great Courses Plus. Visit TheGreatCoursesPlus.com/mattersto receive a free month of unlimited access.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
21 min
February 24, 2021 29. There Is No Such Thing as "The Dictionary"
No, we don't mean that we've been ghosts this whole time. (Or do we?)
What we're saying is we are not "the" dictionary. We're just one among many, all with their own aims and procedures and standards. We'll explain.
Hosted by Emily Brewster, Neil Serven, Ammon Shea, and Peter Sokolowski.
Produced in collaboration with New England Public Media.
Transcript available here.

Today's Podcast is brought to you by The Great Courses Plus. Visit TheGreatCoursesPlus.com/mattersto receive a free month of unlimited access.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
19 min
February 17, 2021 28. The Onomatopoeia Episode
O-N-O-M-A-T-O-P-O-E-I-A. The forming of a word in imitation of a sound.
First, we'll look at some words that first described a sound (like pop, or buzz) that then went on to describe completely different things (like pop, or buzz). Then, we'll get into the phenomenon known as back-formation, or, the creation of a word by the alteration of an existing word (like burgle from burglar). It leaves some people feeling less than gruntled.
Hosted by Emily Brewster, Neil Serven, Ammon Shea, and Peter Sokolowski.
Produced in collaboration with New England Public Media.
Transcript available here.

Today's Podcast is brought to you by The Great Courses Plus. Visit TheGreatCoursesPlus.com/matters to receive a free month of unlimited access.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
27 min
February 10, 2021 27. What's the Longest Word in the Dictionary?
This episode is all about dictionary myths and mysteries. Is the longest word the one you think it is? Probably not. Are some words harder to define than others? Undoubtedly. Are there multiple philosophies on how to even write a definition in the first place? You'll find out.
Hosted by Emily Brewster, Neil Serven, Ammon Shea, and Peter Sokolowski.
Produced in collaboration with New England Public Media.
Transcript available here.

Today's Podcast is brought to you by The Great Courses Plus. Visit TheGreatCoursesPlus.com/matters to receive a free month of unlimited access.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
16 min
February 03, 2021 How do you pronounce 'often'?
First, we examine the common word 'often.' Is one way of saying it more correct than the other? And does the English language delight in making us distrust our eyes and ears? Then, we look into the language of getting out of a rut and the difference between getting "on track" vs. "untracked."
Hosted by Emily Brewster, Neil Serven, Ammon Shea, and Peter Sokolowski.
Produced in collaboration with New England Public Media.
Transcript available here.
Today's Podcast is brought to you by The Great Courses Plus. Visit TheGreatCoursesPlus.com/matters to receive a free month of unlimited access.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
22 min
January 27, 2021 25. New Words in the Dictionary
Language never rests, and neither do we. In January 2021, Merriam-Webster added 520 new words and definitions to the dictionary. In this special episode, editors Emily Brewster and Peter Sokolowski break down the new additions.
Hosted by Emily Brewster, Neil Serven, Ammon Shea, and Peter Sokolowski.
Produced in collaboration with New England Public Media.
Transcript available here.
Read more about this new batch of words here.
Today's podcast is sponsored by Audible. Visit audible.com/wordmatters or text "word" to 500-500 to start your free 30 day trial.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
33 min

About Word Matters

From the publisher's feed

Word Matters is a show for readers, writers, and anyone who's curious about the English language. Join Merriam-Webster editors as they challenge supposed grammar rules, reveal the surprising…