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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Segues are unrelated to segments, although the two words sound similar and are both about parts.On this week’s edition of That’s What They Say, host Rina… -
The word "party pooper" is clearly slangy, but maybe it's also a little bit taboo.This week on That’s What They Say host Rina Miller and University of…
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If you know where the "yoopers" and the "trolls" live, there’s a very good chance that you’re from Michigan.On this week’s edition of That’s What They…
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There are not enough proverbs in the world for everything that is proverbial.On this week’s edition of That’s What They Say, host Rina Miller and…
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If something is inflammable, it is no longer entirely clear whether we can set it on fire, or we can’t.On this week’s edition of That’s What They Say,… -
The contraction of the word “of” to o’ is considered highly informal, but the phrase “o’clock” is somehow different. This week on That’s What They Say,…
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If a "preventive" measure is the same thing as a "preventative" measure, it seems hard to justify having both words.This week on That’s What They Say,…
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It seems like it should be straightforward to figure out if the subject of your sentence is singular or plural, but sometimes it’s just not.On this week’s…
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The expression for all intents and purposes has become, for some folks, an expression about purposes that are intensive.On this week’s edition of That’s…
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The acronym YOLO has gotten a new lease on life with the "YOLO flip."This week on That’s What They Say, Host Rina Miller and University of Michigan…
