Words You Should Know

This is episode 3 of the "Words You Should Know" podcast, and it’s time to take a step back. What am I doing here? Here’s a hint: it’s more than teaching you that you want your football team to have a disinterested ref rather than an uninterested ref. And this podcast is more than making sure you know whether you should teach your dog to “lay” or “lie” down… though I’ll get back to that second one.

Let’s figure out why "spilled" beans (with an "-ed" on "spilled") and "spilt" milk (with a "t" on "spilt") are both okay. Let's join the ranks of Ben Franklin and Teddy Roosevelt and hash out how we should put our words down on paper.

Our language can be disorderly and oftentimes nonsensical, and that’s where this podcast comes from.

Words. Language. Communication. Let’s do this.

If you’re in a crowd and you’re trying to get across the room, would you “wind” your way around the other people or would you “wend” your way around them? How confident are you in your answer?

And let me ask another question: Have you ever wondered why the past tense of “go” is “went”? No? Well, are you at least a little bit curious now that I pose the question?

Knowing the answer to one will help you with the answer to the other.

This is the "Words You Should Know: podcast, Season 1: Episode 2.

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

Should "nevermind" be one word or two? And how is this related to Nirvana? Love him or hate him, but you can partially credit Kurt Cobain for a shift in spelling that has occurred in the past twenty-five or so years around this(these) word(s).

Here it is, folks. Season one, episode number one of the "Words You Should Know" podcast. First came the blog, then came the indie book, then came the traditional publishing deal (shout-out to Get a Grip on Your Grammar, Career Press, 2017). Now, it's time for my next project.

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