English up to date 'Go Postal' - podcast episode cover

English up to date 'Go Postal'

Nov 08, 20102 min
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Summary

John Ayto explores the phrase 'go postal,' contrasting the reality of postal work in Britain versus the USA, where the phrase originated from a spate of killings by American postal workers. The episode details how the phrase gained popularity, notably after its use in the film 'Clueless,' and how its meaning has softened from a 'murderous frenzy' to simply becoming 'extremely angry' in everyday American English. It also touches on British speakers' current perception of the idiom.

Episode description

In this week's episode, John Ayto explores the origin, meaning and use of the phrase 'go postal'.

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