TWTS: Pundits have thoughts about "pundents"
There are pundits who really don't like it if people call them "pundents." As a listener pointed out to us, this mispronunciation isn't uncommon. Susa...
That's What They Say
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About
That's What They Say is a weekly segment on Michigan Radio that explores our changing language. Each week University of Michigan English Professor Anne Curzan will discuss why we say what we say with Michigan Radio Weekend Edition host Rebecca Kruth.
TWTS: Two "p" words with nothing in common
This week we looked at two words that have nothing to do with each other, aside from the fact that they both begin with “p.” At least they’ve got one ...
Keeping track of “track” and “tract”
We keep track of things, we lose track of things, we run track, and listen to tracks. Sometimes though, we confuse “track” with “tract.” Recently, a g...
TWTS: "Can hardly" or "can't hardly"? It hardly matters
Our listener Susan Lessian is a Boston transplant who says she still struggles with some "midwesternisms," despite having moved here years ago. She sa...
TWTS: A rule about which we should be asking questions
Many of us were taught that a sentence should never end with a preposition. However, some sentences just sound better when they do.
TWTS: By "either," do you mean "either" or "either?"
Generally, the word “either” is pronounced either with a long “I” sound or a short “I” sound. People on both sides have pledged loyalty to their parti...
TWTS: Just between us, sometimes we say "between" when the rules say use "among"
The rule about when to use "between" and when to use "among" seems straightforward, until you look more closely. Then it's not straightforward at all....
TWTS: An "abstruse" takeover
When we describe someone as “obtuse,” there are clear negative connotations. The scope of those connotations has been expanding, perhaps because of th...
TWTS: The American Dialect Society's "so 2020" Word of the Year
On this week's That's What They Say, English Professor Anne Curzan fills us in on the American Dialect Society's annual "Word of the Year" vote. The f...
TWTS: Dashing through the snow ... or mud
If someone tells you to leave your keys on the dash, you probably know right where to leave them -- on top of the panel in your car that displays cont...