Butter No Parsnips

Emily sets sail with Kyle this week into the nautical history of ‘scrimshank.’ With not a second to spend dawdling, the duo drift quickly into the world of whaling, sailor slang, and idle shipboard hobbies. As with many...

<p>This week, Kyle and Emily finally throw some shade. In learning the etymology and history of the word historiaster, they’ll unearth a treasure trove of historical diss-tracks and put-downs harsh enough to make an...

<p>This week Emily and Kyle are looking for the perfect cure-all, but all they find are false claims. They’ll separate good remedies from bad, both within the pharmaceutical world and without, as they discuss the...

<p>Kyle and Emily are mired in a true word salad this week. Diving into a bit of food history as well as word history, they’ll talk about mish moshes of all different kinds, as well as the meaning and origin of the word...

<p>Better pack an umbrella, because this week Emily and Kyle are seeking shelter from the rain. A conversation beginning at thatched roofs trickles down to local snoops, as our hosts discuss the meaning and origin of...

<p>This week, Kyle and Emily talk, chat, banter, converse, and more with author and dance critic Sarah L. Kaufman about her new book Verb Your Enthusiasm. Drawing from her background in dance, Kaufman connects movement...

<p>Kyle and Emily have a traitor in their midst, and his name is Quisling. They’ll talk about a decidedly terrible politician, a quagmire of Q words, and a word for all betrayers great and small.</p><p>This eponym takes...

<p>Get ready to think more than ever about the way you talk and the way people talk to you as Emily and Kyle sit down this week with sociolinguist Valerie Fridland to discuss her latest book Why We Talk Funny: The Real...

<p>Emily and Kyle think, therefore they are—and this week thinking is the name of the game! They’re digging into the philosophy of human intelligence, the mind that set the universe turning, and common sense in British...

<p>How closely does one need to stick to the letter of the law? Emily and Kyle explore just that, as they discuss Greek grouches, Christian controversy, diabolical discourse, and the word adiaphoron.</p><p>Our hosts...

<p>Kyle encounters what he thinks is an obvious word, in more ways than one, but Emily puts some complications in his path. Together they’ll parse through unexpected definitions, clunky phrases, and linguistic...

<p>Who’s got the power? Anyone from proper princesses to mighty militias, and devastating dandies to high-jumping horses, as Kyle and Emily reveal in discussing the word puissant.</p><p>Our hosts dive into yet another...

<p>Emily has thrown down the gauntlet and challenged Kyle to a swordfight, but the blade she pulls is a little smaller than expected. The two hack and slash at language and history, as they discuss the winding origins...

<p>Get ready for some classic love potion hijinks! This week Kyle and Emily are talking about magical concoctions, dubious enchantments, desirable faces, and the word 'philtrum'.</p><p>This word gets our hosts in the...

<p>You can support worm.so directly at https://www.worm.so/worm-plus. After three months of membership, you’ll be eligible to receive a worm.so–branded tote!</p><p>Kyle and Emily sit down with Kara Raynoha this week to...