Strange Spelling Bee Words (Rebroadcast) - 27 August 2012

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A Way with Words

Society & Culture, Language Learning, Education

4.6 • 2.3K Ratings

🗓️ 26 August 2012

⏱️ 51 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Why do spelling bees include such bizarre, obsolete words as cymotrichous? Why is New York called the Big Apple? Also, the stinky folk medicine tradition called an asifidity bag, the surprising number of common English phrases that come directly from the King James Bible, three sheets to the wind, the term white elephant, in like Flynn, Australian slang, and what to call foam sleeve for an ice-cold beverage can. Hear hundreds of free episodes and learn more on the A Way with Words website: https://waywordradio.org. Be a part of the show: call or text 1 (877) 929-9673 toll-free in the United States and Canada; elsewhere in the world, call or text +1 619 800 4443. Send voice notes or messages via WhatsApp 16198004443. Email words@waywordradio.org. Copyright Wayword, Inc., a 501(c)(3) corporation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	You're listening to Away With Words. I'm Grant Barrett.
0:02.8	And I'm Martha Barnett. Grant, I have a quiz for you.
0:05.0	Oh, please.
0:05.8	Here we go. What's the common thread that unites all of the following phrases?
0:11.9	Pour out your heart. A still small voice.
0:16.4	A man after his own heart turned the world upside down.
0:21.4	Any guesses?
0:22.5	No?
0:23.5	No, I'll give you some more clues.
0:24.8	Okay.
0:25.3	Okay, these are more phrases in the same category.
0:28.7	Fell flat on his face, the root of the matter, from time to time, the skin of my teeth.
0:37.1	Are these cliches that come from Shakespeare?
0:39.6	Not cliches.
0:40.7	Cings, expressions?
0:41.7	Close.
0:42.2	Here's one more.
0:43.0	To everything there is a season.
0:45.0	From the Bible.
0:46.1	Yes, yes.
0:47.2	These are all classic phrases that were introduced into English or popularized by the King James Bible.
0:53.0	And it's the kind of thing that you can learn from a very
	...

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