Words You Should Know

How do the origins of the words "saunter" and "stroll" speak to both the holy and the criminal? There's an etymology story here and more social media memes we need to question.

Welcome to this episode, where we’ll saunter, stroll, and meander through our conversation about hikes and walking. And we’ll maybe get into what punctuation you may be according to your zodiac sign. Seriously? Maybe not, but articles like that always make me smile and lead to further questions. You know you’re curious.

Find out the latest in writing and communications news and more in Episode #42 of The "Words You Should Know" podcast.

Welcome this episode, where we’ll not only question the difference between "conservation" and "preservation," but we’ll also explore the surprisingly complex correct answer when it comes to the plural of “octopus.” Think you know what it is? Maybe, but maybe not.

Macaque monkey grammar, whale and dolphin communications, and getting all those octopi/octopuses/octopodes straight once and for all, find out the latest in writing and communications news and more in Episode #41 of The "Words You Should Know" podcast.

Welcome to episode number 40, where we’ll discuss the origins of the phrase “running amok,” not only because we all can feel like chickens with our heads cut off at times but also because this is another expression that has a false story floating around when it comes to its etymology. These days, we think of “running amok” as things getting out of hand. Preschoolers on the loose with finger-paints on the walls? They’re running amok, right? But this expression actually has a much darker history.

Ancient Egyptian editors, brain research, getting into the muck about "amok" (see what I did there?), find out the latest in writing and communications news and more in Episode #40 of The "Words You Should Know" podcast.

Today, we’re not talking tech. Today, we’re talking myth, fables, legends, paganism … well, kind of. Today, in short, we’re talking about “gargoyles.”

What’s the origin of the word “gargoyle”? Who are these guys and where did they come from in terms of story history? Fantasy readers, this episode might just be dedicated to you.

Ready for this? I feel like this is where you shout “arg!” or something, but I think that’s more pirate than gargoyle. What does a gargoyle say? Maybe something profound, but I’ll leave that up to you.

Find out the latest in writing and communications news and more in Episode #39 of The "Words You Should Know" podcast.

If asked who I would have dinner with out of any historical figure, my answer might just be in this episode.

What is the plural of "thesaurus"? Who was Dr. Peter Mark Roget? Why should we all be intrigued by this guy? And how can data analysis decipher classic writing advice? There's so much to talk about in this episode. Did I mention the venomous spiders?

Find out the latest in writing and communications news and more in Episode #38 of The "Words You Should Know" podcast.

This episode isn’t just about brain science or artificial intelligence. It might be about a misogynistic legal system, or it might be about more fake language news. Maybe a bit of both, actually. Rumors? Scandals? There's a lot to get into.

Have you ever wondered about the origin of the phrase “rule of thumb”? As in, the rule of thumb for buying a house or semicolon usage? (Which is harder? You decide.)

The phrase, “rule of thumb,” as we know means a general principle regarded as correct or understood, but what’s the deal with this thumb? Whose thumb are we talking about and why is it the guide for our decisions?

Find out the latest in writing and communications news and more in Episode #37 of The "Words You Should Know" podcast.

There's an Elizabethan contraction I argue we should bring back: "with’t," as in “with it.” If you wanted to be really with it—or should we say “with’t”—you should know when and how you can use your contractions. Yep “with’t,” that’s "W-I-T-H" apostrophe "T." Was that Shakespearean slang? Let’s be clear. It wasn’t. But maybe we can bring it back with a new twist? Okay, maybe that's going too far.

The rules of contractions aren't quite so black and white, and history lends so much more to this discussion.

Find out the latest in writing and communications news and more in Episode #36 of The "Words You Should Know" podcast.

Cutting-edge technology meeting the study of language itself is awesome. And when I say "awesome," I don't just mean, "cool," though that's true too. I mean something that I'm in awe over, something bordering on miraculous, no?

Plus, why do we call the American leader the "president"? The meaning and history of the word "presidency" itself is fascinating. There's so much to share.

Find out the latest in writing and communications news and more in Episode #35 of The "Words You Should Know" podcast.

Let’s talk Isms, the origins of the "-ism" suffix, and how it’s popped up in fascinating ways throughout history. Did you know that in the mid-1800s, a political movement in the American South built an entire platform on being anti-Ism? No, I’m not leaving out any part of that word, actual phrasings just referred to these “isms” as if this was a stand-alone word, synonymous with radical lofty beliefs. There's so much to cover!

Find out the latest in writing and communications news and more in Episode #34 of The "Words You Should Know" podcast.

Let’s talk about the glamour of grammar—no not tossing pearls onto semicolons or diamonds onto Oxford commas. I’m talking about the words “glamour” and “grammar.” Did you realize that these two are etymological siblings? Plus, the "word of the year" lists have started to be announced. Any guesses on the winners?

Find out the latest in writing and communications news and more in Episode #33 of The "Words You Should Know" podcast.