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You're Saying It Wrong

KMUW
English Language
Grammar
Etymology
Language Evolution
Pronunciation
Language
British English
Linguistics
Latin Phrases
American English
Pet Peeves
SAT
Spelling
Language Change
Canadian English
Language Usage
Rhetoric
Fossil Words
Language Pronunciation
Auxiliary Verbs

From KMUW Studios and part of the NPR Podcast Network, You're Saying It Wrong is a podcast that looks at what we get wrong—and what we sometimes get right—when it comes to this English language. Hosted by KMUW's Fletcher Powell, each episode features a conversation with the sister and brother who wrote the book on it. Literally. You're Saying It Wrong: A Pronunciation Guide to the 150 Most Commonl... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes200Founded8 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Language LearningComedyEducation

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Artwork for You're Saying It Wrong

Latest Episodes

Be careful how you say these words! It could be a matter of life and death.

Hydronyms, dromonyms… toponyms! (Place names. We’re talking about place names.)

We gaze again into the ocean of difference between American English and British English.

Sometimes you read something that makes you throw the book against the wall, never to pick it up again.

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Number of Listeners
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Recent Guests

Kathy Petras
Author; language expert
Co-author of You're Saying It Wrong
Episode: Toponymy!
Ross Petras
Author; language expert
Co-author of You're Saying It Wrong
Episode: Toponymy!
Kathryn Petras
New York Times bestselling author
Authors of You're Saying It Wrong
Episode: Common Grammar Controversies

Hosts

Fletcher Powell
Host and producer at KMUW; guides conversations on language with a mix of humor and curiosity.
Kathryn Petras
Co-author of You're Saying It Wrong; language expert focusing on pronunciation and historical usage.
Ross Petras
Co-author of You're Saying It Wrong; language expert focusing on pronunciation and etymology.

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 257 ratings
  • As a grammar cop, this podcast is the best "book" to throw at word offenders! Makes me feel smart and dumb all in the same episode and I love it!

    Podcast Addict
    5
    raysmo
    a month ago
  • Perfect

    I love your podcast. Its fun and educational. How dare someone give this show a bad review. If you don’t like it, don’t listen to it.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    coyote dancing
    United Statesa month ago
  • Lost me after the third-conditional discussion

    If “language is changing” is used to justify such outrageously wrong usage, why bother talk about language at all?

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Jimmy Stardust
    United Statesa month ago
  • One of my favorites

    I really look forward to hearing this show.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Buster83843
    United States2 months ago
  • What fun!

    This is such an entertaining show!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    ninky333
    United States4 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Audience praises chemistry between hosts and guests, calling conversations witty, informative, and accessible.
Listeners frequently note high production quality, strong expertise, and entertaining language banter.
Guests are seen as approachable experts who make linguistics fun and practical for everyday use.

Chart Rankings

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

A Lowdown Dirty Spelling Quiz (Part 2)
Q: The question, are ED endings to verbs always the past tense?
ED endings can mark past tense, but they also appear in past participles and in participial/adjectival forms; the hosts explain the distinction and provide examples.
Cymraeg
Q: What is the origin of the word silhouette according to the episode discussion?
The term silhouette was linked to the French finance minister silhouette de Silhouette, with a debate whether the name or the brief tenure in office led to the association with cheap likenesses.
Cymraeg
Q: How did the hosts approach Welsh pronunciation in the quiz and what rules were highlighted?
They demonstrated that Welsh spelling uses heavy consonant clusters and sounds like CH as a guttural and LL as a lateral sound, with guidance on how W and Y behave in Welsh words and where vowels commonly produce OO or EE sounds.
Cymraeg
Q: What is the origin of the phrase 'see a man about a dog' and how has it evolved over time?
The earliest confirmed publication is in a 1866 play, and the expression expanded in Prohibition-era usage to refer to purchasing or consuming alcohol; later pop culture references reinforced the dual dog/horse variants.
[Encore] Where Are the Beeves?
Q: What happened to the plural F changing to V, and why does it happen?
The F often changes to V due to intervocalic voicing where the fricative becomes voiced when flanked by vowels after plural formation, a process rooted in Old English changes that were reinforced by Norman-era spelling conventions.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About You're Saying It Wrong

What is You're Saying It Wrong about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Relentlessly curious about the quirks of English, this show blends scholarly etymology with lighthearted banter. A trio—host Fletcher Powell and language experts Kathy and Ross Petras—explores word origins, pronunciation, and usage through witty conversations, quizzes, and audience questions. Episodes cover Greek roots, spelling quirks, pronunciation rules, and everyday terms, often tying language history to pop culture and current usage. Noteworthy qualities include a strong emphasis on accessibility, practical takeaways for writers and communicators, and a warm, collaborative dynamic among long-running co‑hosts and expert guests, making complex linguistic detail approachable and entertaining.

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Which podcasts are similar to You're Saying It Wrong?

These podcasts share a similar audience with You're Saying It Wrong:

1. Fresh Air
2. Throughline
3. Hidden Brain
4. Science Friday
5. The Atlas Obscura Podcast

How many episodes of You're Saying It Wrong are there?

You're Saying It Wrong launched 8 years ago and published 200 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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What guests have appeared on You're Saying It Wrong?

Recent guests on You're Saying It Wrong include:

1. Kathy Petras
2. Ross Petras
3. Kathryn Petras

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