Light-hearted conversation with callers from all over about new words, old sayings, slang, family ex
Hockey mom, mavericky, snow machines, and--how could we forget that other memorable phrase from the
The death of Martha's favorite cat Typo prompts her to reminisce about him, and about one of her fav
We're continuing our look at some of the words of the year of 2008. Last week we talked about "groun
We're continuing our look at some of the words of the year of 2008. Being an election year, it ge
[This episode first aired September 20, 2008.] Here's a bit of political slang now making the round
We kick off our series on contenders for 2008's "Word of the Year" with a look at "nuke the fridge."
It's that time again, when people start thinking about a 'new or resurgent word or phrase that best
It's a warm day in late autumn. You're out for a stroll in the country. If the air is still, and the
[This episode first aired September 13, 2008.] When you get to the end of a wonderful book, your fi
Last year British slang lexicographer Jonathon Green struck a deal with the publisher Chambers Harra
This week on 'A Way with Words': Feel like having a little 'hair of the dog'? Grant and Martha expla
Here's a riddle: 'Nature requires five, custom gives seven, laziness takes nine, and wickedness elev
The British publishers of the Collins dictionary have announced 24 words on their endangered species
Reading the OED from A to Z (minicast) Word nerd Ammon Shea quit his job as a furniture mover in Ne
The world of politics tops this week's language headlines, including an explanation of the Bradley e
A listener in Brazil challenges Martha's pronunciation of the odd English word antipodes. Their emai
Mmmmmaverick. Maverick, Maverick, Maverick. Maverick, Maverick, Maverick, Maverick. Maverick. Is it
Some people wouldn't be caught without the season's latest fashions, and others never leave home wit
[This episode first aired January 19th, 2008.] Does your family use a special word you've never hea
A caller from Imperial Beach, California has a punctuation question: Dr. Tei Fu Chen and his wife, D
