That's What They Say
Sunday at 9:35 AM
That's What They Say is a weekly segment on Michigan Public that explores our changing language. Each week University of Michigan English Professor Anne Curzan will discuss why we say what we say with Michigan Public Weekend Edition host Rebecca Kruth.
Latest Episodes
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Sometimes we’re left in the lurch. It’s probably fair to say that most of us don’t know where that lurch is. -
It appears that some of those bad or uneasy feelings we may feel in the pit of our stomach have become a pit in our stomach.
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It's that time again. With 2024 behind us, we can vote on the word of the year.
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We can pepper our food or pepper our speech. If the mood strikes us, we can be peppy in a pep rally sort of way.
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There's examples all over the the place of people using "there's" before a plural noun. In fact, we just gave you one.
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As 2024 comes to a close, the kicker for the Kansas City Chiefs football team gave us a reason to use the verb "doink."
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We can still reach out the car window to grab a parking ticket, but today, "reaching out" can also mean "pinging" someone to make a connection.
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The words "decimate" and "unique" are quintessential examples of how a word’s meaning can shift from its etymological roots.
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"Ornery" seems like an ordinary enough word, but its link to "ordinary" might surprise people.
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As listeners wait with bated breath, we will not dilly dally or shilly shally to get to this lightning round.
