The Other Shoe - 2 June 2025

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

A Way with Words

Education, Language Learning, Society & Culture

4.6 • 2.1K Ratings

🗓️ 2 June 2025

⏱️ 52 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

So you think you can spell? Youngsters in modern spelling bees are expected to memorize a wide range of words, from chemical processes to names of rare animals. Also: In many languages, the word for “mother” begins with the letter M — but not in all of them. And where are you from, eh? If you phrase a question that way, it’s pretty clear where you’re from. Plus, saltigrade and tardigrade, bite the dust and buy the farm, Hoofddorp, a family euphemism, pilkunviilaaja, a letter-lopping brain teaser, sacar la garra, and a whole lot more. 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 [email protected]. Copyright Wayword, Inc., a 501(c)(3) corporation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.8	Amazon offers term time working to their employees, like Anton,
0:07.4	who's home to look after his daughters during their holidays.
0:10.0	Hello!
0:10.8	To him, this is the best sound in the world.
0:17.2	Actually, maybe that's the best sound of all.
0:23.1	Now that's term time working.
0:24.5	Offered at Amazon.
0:26.8	Ten weeks off guaranteed per year.
0:29.0	Mix of paid holiday and unpaid time off.
0:29.8	Conditions apply.
0:31.6	You're listening to Away with Words,
0:34.0	the show about language and how we use it.
0:35.1	I'm Grant Barrett. And I'm Martha Burnett.
0:37.0	Grant, do you know what an
0:38.1	Avahi is? Abahi? It sounds like a fancy sparkling water. It sounds like an all-inclusive resort
0:49.6	in a faraway, wonderful place. Club Avahi. It sounds like an airline that I can't afford.
0:58.2	Let me tell you what an Avahi is.
1:01.1	It's spelled A-V-A-H-I.
1:04.0	And an Avahi is a woolly lemur of Madagascar.
1:08.1	They're very cute.
1:09.0	Oh, so big tucks, they roam the planes.
1:13.7	No, no. No, they're little bitty, but they have real big eyes.
	...

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