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A Way with Words - language, linguistics, and callers from all over

Lunatic Fringe - 25 Oct. 2010

A Way with Words - language, linguistics, and callers from all over

A Way with Words

Education, Language Learning, Society & Culture

4.62.1K Ratings

🗓️ 25 October 2010

⏱️ 53 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

SUMMARYIn this week's episode, "It was bright cold day in April and the clocks were striking thirteen." Martha and Grant discuss their favorite first lines from novels. Also this week, Palmer Housing, beanplating, meeting cute, bad billboard grammar, and what it means when someone says you look like a tree full of owls. And which is correct: another thing coming or another think coming?FULL DETAILSSome novels grab you from the get-go. "I am an invisible man." "Call me Ishmael." "The cold passed reluctantly from the earth, and the retiring fogs revealed an army stretched out on the hills, resting." Martha and Grant discuss some of their favorite first lines.You're falling asleep, then suddenly snap awake. There's a term for that: hypnagogic startle or hypnic jerk.A North Carolina listener reports seeing a billboard that read, "Be Stronger Connected to Your Son." Bad grammar or good advertising?When is your golden birthday? It's when your age and the date match, such as turning 23 years old on the 23rd day of the month.Quiz Guy John Chaneski presents a puzzle involving inverted M's and W's called "Turn the Worm." Among many African-Americans, the term Palmer Housing means, "walking with an unusual gait." A screenwriter connects some dots in his own family's history when he asks about the origin.In the film industry, the expression meet cute refers to "an overly precious first encounter between the romantic leads." A man named Kris wants to name his son Qhristopher. Have a problem with that?Grant shares some favorite bad first lines from novels.The hosts tackle a longstanding mystery about the word shoshabong.A favorite quotation from George Eliot: "Blessed is the man, who having nothing to say, abstains from giving wordy evidence of the fact."Is the correct phrase another think coming or another thing coming?Grant reveals the surprising origin of the term lunatic fringe.The term like a tree full of owls describes someone's appearance. What does it mean, exactly? And why owls?Need a great synonym for "overthinking"? Try beanplating. --A Way with Words is supported by its listeners. Drop a few bucks in the guitar case: http://waywordradio.org/donateGet your language question answered on the air! Call or write with your questions at any time:Email: [email protected]:United States and Canada toll-free (877) WAY-WORD/(877) 929-9673London +44 20 7193 2113Mexico City +52 55 8421 9771Site: http://waywordradio.org/Donate: http://waywordradio.org/donate/Podcast: http://waywordradio.org/podcast/Forums: http://waywordradio.org/discussion/Newsletter: http://waywordradio.org/newsletter/Twitter: http://twitter.com/wayword/Skype: skype://waywordradioCopyright 2010, Wayword Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

Spark your creativity with the Sims. Sometimes you might feel like you're not creative

0:06.7

and you have to go in search of your creative spark again. Maybe this is catching up with

0:11.3

creative friends, experimenting with a new look or trying out a new recipe.

0:15.7

And thanks to The Sims, inspiration is just one game and one spark away.

0:21.1

Ready to spark something? Download the Sims 4 and play for free.

0:27.0

Hey, podcast listener, even though you're hearing this recorded show, you can still call us whenever you want.

0:34.5

1-877 929-967-93.

0:38.0

Our voicemail will take your call, later we'll listen to it just as we listen to all of them and then there's always a chance that

0:44.6

we'll decide to have you on the show to ask your question or share your story.

0:48.8

On with the show.

0:50.4

Support for away with words comes from National University where flexible online classes let you earn your degree or credential on your schedule.

0:57.5

Learn more at inU.edU.

1:00.0

And from Mozy Pro online backup.

1:03.0

Mozy Pro protects your business's data with simple and secure backup solutions.

1:07.0

Information available at MOZY.com slash Words. You're listening to Away With Words. I'm Grant Barrett.

1:20.0

And I'm Martha Barnett. You can't judge a book by its cover, right?

1:23.6

But I sure do judge a book by its first line.

1:26.6

I've got to get hooked in that first line.

1:28.4

That's how you do it?

1:29.4

You read the first line?

1:30.4

And one line, that's all that you give them. I, you know, it's my journalistic background. I got to be hooked right at the beginning.

1:38.0

Okay. How about this one? It was a bright cold day in April and the clocks were striking 13. Oh as John Stewart would say

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