That's What They Say
Friday at 4:45 p.m. and Sunday at 9:35 a.m.
Funner, snuck, and LOL are all things that we're hearing people say these days.
That's What They Say is a weekly segment on Michigan Public that explores our changing language. University of Michigan English Professor Anne Curzan studies linguistics and the history of the English language. Each week she'll discuss why we say what we say with Michigan Public All Things Considered host Rebecca Hector.
That's What They Say airs Fridays at 4:45 p.m. and Sundays at 9:35 a.m. on Michigan Public and you can podcast it here.
Do you have an English or grammar question? Ask us here!
Latest Episodes
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We scrimp and we save, and we skimp and we still save, which makes one wonder whether scrimping is different from skimping -
Cheesemongers sell cheese, and gossipmongers usually start the gossip or spread it, rather than sell it.
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Many of us don’t talk about doornails very often, but sometimes we will when things are really, well, dead.
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If you know how the sound "f" worked in Old English, it suddenly isn’t mysterious why the "f" in "leaf" turns into a "v" in the plural form "leaves."
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If I say I’m gonna do it, I don’t necessarily mean I’m headed out the door right now to do it.
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2025 had lots of people talking about sixes and sevens, but not in the loose ends kind of way.
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Next time you’re hanging out with friends, you can debate just how slangy the phrasal verb ‘hang out’ is.
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This may be one of the only times that throw pillows, golf, and curling all get wrapped into the same discussion.
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When we get schooled at something, we may feel humbled by the experience; but when we win something, we may also say we feel humbled by the experience.
