Use Your Noodle - 26 January 2026

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

A Way with Words

Language Learning, Society & Culture, Education

4.6 • 2.3K Ratings

🗓️ 26 January 2026

⏱️ 52 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

An acclaimed poet’s tender poem about holding a newborn for the first time reflects a complex swirl of emotions. And: A caller finds that in her workplace, the expression out of pocket can mean very different things: either “being unavailable” or “acting out of line.” Which is correct? Plus, if you plan on a long evening at a pub, better make sure you’re zebra striping! All that, and poosley, noodle, Black Beauty, verschluck, a letter-splitting brain teaser, eating off the mantel, 50 cents vs. 50 cent, quotation marks, fat lighter, and lots 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 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	This episode is brought to you by Shopify. With Shopify, 2026 is the year you make it happen. It gives you the tools to build your dream store, online and in person. Plus with marketing built in, it'll help you reach exactly who you need to. Join the millions who've already made the leap, like Jim Shark and All Birds, and ring in the new year with Shopify.
0:23.4	Sign up for your £1 per month trial at Shopify.com.uk.
0:29.6	You're listening to Away With Words, the show about language, and how we use it.
0:33.8	I'm Grant Perret.
0:34.9	And I'm Martha Barnett.
0:36.7	Back when Johnny Carson was host of The Tonight Show, he had this schick where he'd start a
0:42.7	sentence with something like, it was so cold.
0:46.1	And then the audience would respond with, how cold was it?
0:50.3	Right. I remember that one big chant.
0:52.3	How cold was it?
1:00.7	Right. And then Carson would say goofy things like, it was so cold. The ice cubes were wearing earmuffs.
1:15.9	That's very goofy and I could just see him mugging. Yeah, yeah, exactly. Well, I was thinking, what if we take that idea and we expand it to other areas of interest to our listeners, or at least to us?
1:16.6	Okay.
1:17.9	Like, I don't know.
1:21.3	That language class was so hard.
1:23.5	How hard was it? It was so hard.
1:25.5	Even the silent letters complained.
1:28.2	Oh.
1:29.0	How hard was it?
1:31.9	Even the subjunctive was in a bad mood.
1:34.7	Oh, how hard was it?
1:37.2	Are you going to make me do this again?
	...

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