Words You Should Know

The English language can be mesmerizing. In the hands of a talented wordsmith, you can be entranced. But, do you know the origin of the word “mesmerize”? I love this story.

And as I was debating the pieces of this first podcast of "Words You Should Know," season 3, I wanted something awesome, something that might surprise you or catch you off guard, the mother lode/load of communication tips. And then it hit me. Mother lode/load. Are you spelling this correctly?

I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for more writing tips. A mother lode of them (yep, that's the correct spelling). But you don’t have to dig through dirt and craggy rocks to unearth them. I’ve been sharing my language notes and writing tips pretty much weekly since the fall of 2012, but you know what? I’m nowhere close to done. Thanks for that, confusing English language. Thanks oh-so-much for that.

This is the "Words You Should Know" podcast, Season 3: Episode 1. Words. Language. Communication. You've got this.

So, you’re telling me you think grammar is gross. You’re allergic to the idea of sentence diagramming. Actually paying attention to the English Language sounds kind of icky. Okay, sure, that’s not my opinion, but you knew that. And if it’s yours, that’s okay. I get it.

But you know what is icky to me? Lots of the creatures that seem to be coming out this time of year, and the problem is that the words we use about them often cause as much confusion as anything else.

Let's talk nervous "tics" & nervous "ticks," "poisonous" vs. "venomous" snakes, and how is it that you spell the word repellent/repellant?

This is the "Words You Should Know" podcast, Season 2: Episode 10, the final episode of the season. Words. Language. Communication. You've got this.

I don’t know if birth order has anything to do with grammar persnicketiness. Do "eldest"/"oldest" children have a tendency of dotting their i’s and crossing their t’s? Are youngest children inclined toward utter grammar rebellion?

Was that first known person to drop an "OMG" in 1917—yep, I said that date correctly, 1917—was he a youngest child? I bet he was.

Was the member of One Direction who once jumped off the stage to correct the grammar on a fan’s sign an oldest child? I have no idea, but that’s my guess.

Here’s what I do know:

- Lindley Murray, often called the “Father of Grammar” was an eldest child.

- Noah Webster, American English renegade, was the 4th child out of 5.

- Ben Franklin, English language revolutionary, was the 15th child out of 17. (Yikes, power to that mama...)

This is the Words You Should Know podcast, Season 2: Episode 9, and it's time to go deeper.

Today, let’s fight fire with grammatical fire. Or, let’s at least get your spelling right when you’re talking about fire. Think fast: if you have a “flaring” temper, how is that spelled? Is it the same as having a “flair” for fashion? And what is the past tense of the verb, “to light”? Lit? Lighted? What about the past tense of “burn”? Burned? Burnt?

So many burning questions. So little time.

This is the Words You Should Know Podcast, season 2, episode 8. Let’s dive in.

As I’m watching some clouds gather for some more April showers, let’s talk about the words of springtime and the garden. “Zucchini” comes from the Italian word for “sweetest.” The head of an asparagus is called the "squib." When lettuce flowers, these flowers are called "bolts."

But when you’re referring to your outdoor faucet, are you using the right word? Is it a "spicket"? Is it a "spigot"? Think fast. How do you spell it? How do you pronounce it?

Or do you know the difference between "spatter" and "spatter" as you're walking through rain puddles in your galoshes?

The English language fascinating. And maybe confusing. I hear you. But the more we dive in, the more effective you can be with your usage of words and the more ready you’ll be to drop some awesome language trivia at the water cooler. Who doesn’t need good trivia for the water cooler? Or the spicket/spigot for that matter.

This is the "Words You Should Know" podcast, Season 2, Episode 7.

Words. Language. Communication. Let's do this thing.

“Death, taxes and childbirth! There's never any convenient time for any of them.” So says Margaret Mitchell, author of Gone with the Wind, and you know, it’s a true statement.

It’s tax season, so let’s dive in. Into the numbers? Nope, not here. Let’s dive into the language of money.

When should "money" be written in the plural form “monies”? When should we talk about “the amount of” something versus the “number of” something? Yep, there’s a difference. And lastly, what is the language equation that baffles math minds everywhere where the plural plus the plural of this money term equals the singular form?

This is the "Words You Should Know" podcast, Season 2, Episode 6.

Words. Language. Communication. Let's do this thing.

Today, we’re going to explore a great question that came in: “What’s the deal with using both "un-" and "in-" as prefixes, and is there any logic behind when you use each one?”

It’s a great question, an awesome question. So let’s devote this episode to the Latin you didn’t realize you already knew. Et tu, Brute! It’s true.

Ipso facto, don’t let a typo be your downfall. Mea culpa if I’m pushing too hard here, but it’s the little things that we have to pay attention to. Making sure you know the right answer is just my modus operandi.

This is the "Words You Should Know" podcast, Season 2, Episode 5

Words. Language. Communication. Let's do this thing.

If you’re listening along as I publish each episode, you might know it’s flu season in the U.S. I’m not going to go into how to spell "flu," as in influenza, versus a chimney "flue" or the past tense of "fly," but I do want to talk about how an apple a day can keep the doctor away. Or if not the medical side of this conversation, let’s at least turn to the language side of things.

Apples. Are they "preventative" or "preventive"? What’s the surprising linguistic twist of the Bible’s mention of the apple in the Garden of Eden? And while we’re on the subject, what’s the explosive story behind the expression, "how do you like them apples?"

Apples, apples, everywhere.

This is the "Words You Should Know" podcast, Season 2, Episode 4

Words. Language. Communication. Let's do this thing.

The English language can be difficult, I know. But there’s a certain pet peeve of mine we’re going to dive into today. It’s all about the word "butt." And it’s not about starting a sentence with it. I’m talking about butts—B-U-T-T-S—that shouldn’t be there.

Is it "nip it in the butt" or "nip it in the bud"? Is it "butt naked" or "buck naked"? Just because you saw it on the internet doesn't make it correct. You should know that by now, right?

Be honest. Have you ever gotten these wrong? It's okay. I won't tell. Now, at least, you can have a grip on the correct versions of these expressions.

This is the "Words You Should Know" podcast, Season 2: Episode 3.

Words. Language. Communication. Let's do this thing.

This podcast is on one of my favorite explorations. It's all about words you wish existed.

Sometimes the world seems annoyed that there just isn’t a word to express exactly what you want. There’s no English word for that intimate feeling of sitting around a fire in the winter with close friends (though it exists in Danish: hygge). There’s no word for the feeling of anticipation when you’re waiting for someone to show up at your house and you keep going outside to see if they’re there yet (though it exists in Inuit: iktsuarpok). Or what about the word for that panicky hesitation just before you have to introduce someone whose name you can’t quite remember? (The Scots call this tortle.)

Of course, sometimes the word you need seems simple. How do you differentiate a singular versus plural “you”?

But here’s the secret. For this one, at least, the English language already has an answer.

This is the "Words You Should Know" podcast, Season 2: Episode 2.

Words. Language. Communication. Let's do this thing.