A Way with Words — language, linguistics, and callers from all over

A clever pun can make the difference between a so-so phrase and a memorable one. The phrase "the last straw" refers to an old fable about too many …

A stereotype is a preconceived notion about a person or group. Originally, though, the word stereotype referring to a printing device used to produce lots of identical copies. If you suspect there's a connection, you're …

Sometimes it's a challenge to give a book a chance: How many pages should you read before deciding it's not worth your time? There's a new formula to …

In deafening workplaces, like sawmills and factories, workers develop their own elaborate sign language to discuss everything from how their weekend went to when the boss is on his way. Plus, English speakers borrowed …

Sensuous words and terms of endearment. Think of a beautiful word. Now, is it simply the word's sound that makes it beautiful? Or does its appeal …

How often do you hear the words campaign and political in the same breath? Oddly enough, 19th-century grammarians railed against using campaign to …

The names of professional sports teams often have surprising histories -- like the baseball team name inspired by, of all things, trolley-car …

You may have heard the advice that to build your vocabulary you should read, read, and then read some more--and make sure to include a wide variety …

This week on "A Way with Words": The language of political speech. Politicians have to repeat themselves so often that they naturally develop a …