That's What They Say

May 13 2024 4 mins 622

That's What They Say Podcast artwork

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.

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TWTS: It "ghosts" without saying ... well, anything

May 13 2024 4 mins

Social media has made a couple of longstanding English verbs work or mean differently.

TWTS: You can pay homage with or without the "h"

Apr 29 2024 4 mins

If you want to pronounce "homage" to a tee, it may depend what you mean.

TWTS: Learning new slang is good "for the plot"

Apr 21 2024 5 mins

As we live our lives, there's some new slang words that can help us narrate it as we go. That is, if we're in a demographic that allows us to use slang credibly.

TWTS: Whether "or not" belongs in "whether or not" or not

Apr 14 2024 5 mins

We don’t all agree on whether or not we should correct the phrasing "whether or not."

TWTS: Going forth and back on "back and forth"

Apr 07 2024 4 mins

We can talk about sending emails back and forth. But why does it sound odd to talk about sending them forth and back?

TWTS: You can tuna fish, but you may not need the "fish"

Apr 01 2024 4 mins

Given that “tuna” is a fish, some may find it unnecessary to call out that fact out in the compound “tuna fish.” For others, “fish” may be an important distinction.

TWTS: Prone to be prone

Mar 24 2024 5 mins

You can be prone to do something, whether you're lying down or not.

TWTS: Attend as many "trainings" as you like

Mar 17 2024 5 mins

There’s evidence of a new peeve arising. This one is focused on “training” as a countable noun.

TWTS: An oft overlooked double possessive

Mar 10 2024 4 mins

Lots of people don't like the redundancy in "irregardless." However, no one's fussy about the redundancy in a phrase like "a friend of mine."

TWTS: An ouster for the ouster

Mar 03 2024 5 mins

An ouster can be an act of ousting, or it can be the one who does the ousting. But we seem to have opted for one of those meanings over the other.