
Fun conversation with callers from all over about new words, old sayings, slang, family expressions, word histories, linguistics, dialects, word games, books, literature, writing, and more. Be on the show with author/journalist Martha Barnette and linguist/lexicographer Grant Barrett. Share your thoughts, questions, and stories: waywordradio.org/contact or words@waywordradio.org. In the US... more
| Publishes | Weekly | Episodes | 981 | Founded | 21 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Categories | Society & CultureEducationLanguage Learning | |||

If someone tells you it’s flisky or flobby outside, do you need to take an umbrella? A new book about England’s soggy climate includes 188 terms for rainy weather. Americans have their own joking names for local weather, from June Gloom in Southern C... more
How do you transform ancient Chinese script for use in the modern age? English uses a keyboard with just 26 letters, but the first Chinese typewriter looked like a small table under a huge disk with more than 4,000 characters. A new book chronicles t... more
What’s up with ketchup? The shifting history and spelling of the name of this condiment. For centuries, ketchup was a fishy sauce originating in Asia—the tomatoes came only later! Plus, a new book shows what’s lost when a language dies: when there ar... more
If you’re ever near a sundial, step closer and look for a message. Many sundials bear haunting, poetic inscriptions about the brevity of life. Plus, language development in toddlers: why and how little ones pick up the exclamation Uh-oh! And a new Ja... more
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Love the show. Thank you
I always look forward to each new show. It’s fun to listen to with an early morning cup of coffee. Thank you Grant and Martha!
With so much going on, this show helps calm my spirit and lifts my mood.
I had the pleasure of serving Martha at my restaurant tonight! Martha and Martha’s partner were so amazing! They let me know about this show, so I listened, fittingly, to the ‘Cocktail’ episode after work. I loved it! Can’t wait to listen to more.
Silver tongue and quick on their feet.
Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.
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Apple Podcasts | #197 | |
Apple Podcasts | #126 |
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A lively, listener-driven show about language, word origins, slang, and dialects, featuring caller anecdotes and expert insights. Hosts guide conversations through etymologies, regional expressions, and historical quirks, often weaving in quizzes and book references. Notable for its warm banter, crowdsourced linguistic data from everyday speakers, and a playful yet rigorous approach to language history and usage across North America and beyond.
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A Way with Words launched 21 years ago and published 981 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.
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Recent guests on A Way with Words include:
1. Cindy Evans
2. Irv Teitelbaum
3. John Chinesky
4. John Chonesky
5. Daniel Mendelsohn
6. Betty Wooten
7. Jacob B.
8. Katya Hilton
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