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From New York City, this is Lexicon Valley, a podcast about language. I'm John McWhorter.

And we're going to start here in 1951 with Phil Silvers and Rosemary in top banana words and music by Mr. Johnny Mercer.

Yeah, we're going to kick right in with the Broadway to illustrate something.

Evie, you are one of the people listening who knows that my wife and I have performed this number in a certain public venue. Here it goes, a word a day. Did you ever hear to the Reader's Digest? Oh, sure. They got an article in there called A Word Today. Learn those words? You're as smart as anybody else. That's fine, but you have to know the meaning of the words. I know the meaning of the words. You do? All right, wise guy. Here's the dictionary.

Try me. All right. Asiduous. Asiduous. Them's the things that live on sea or on land. Amphibious. Amphibious? That means someone who can use either hand. To simulate.

To simulate. Take a benzadrine and have a few yaks.

Eskutcheans.

Eight departments store like sacks.

Appreciate.

Appreciate.

That's like last year what you lost on your car.

Posterity. Posterity.

Posterity.

What you're sitting on wherever you are.

Carricature.

Carricature.

A caricature in China's a cab.

To disappear.

When the waiter brings the tale.

A word a day.

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