Holy heck! Rob and Jess are back with an episode of biblical proportions. Join them as they get to the gospel truth about the origins of religious words. ⛪️ What was kept in the very first chapel? 🦛 Which animal was the original behemoth? 🗝️ Where does the word "conclave" come from? These questions answered – and many more – in another Words Unravelled. 👕 OUR MERCH 👚 US SHOP: https://wordsunravelledshop.myspreadshop.com/ EU/UK SHOP: https://wordsunravelledshop.myspreadshop.net/ 👀WATCH THIS ...
May 28, 2025•40 min•Ep. 45
Jess and Rob are unravelling the origins of our words for fabric and clothing in this highly fashionable episode of Words Unravelled. 🩲 Why do 'pants' mean different things in the UK and US? 👖 Which city are your jeans named after? 🪶 What's flappy about a 'flapper girl'? ✈️ Is 'nylon' really named after New York and London? These questions answered, and many more, in our most unravelly episode of Words Unravelled. 👕 OUR MERCH 👚 US SHOP: https://wordsunravelledshop.myspreadshop.com/ EU/UK SH...
May 21, 2025•39 min•Ep. 44
It's time to hit the road with Rob and Jess as they journey through the origins of words from road and rail. 🚃 Why do Brits say "transport" and Americans "transportation"? 🚊 What's the difference between a train and a locomotive? 🚙 How do you actually pronounce Hyundai? These questions answered – and many more – in this transport[ation] special of Words Unravelled. 👕 OUR MERCH 👚 US SHOP: https://wordsunravelledshop.myspreadshop.com/ EU/UK SHOP: https://wordsunravelledshop.myspreadshop.net/ ...
May 14, 2025•43 min•Ep. 43
Rob and Jess "pull out all the stops" in this episode explaining idiom origins. ✈️ Why do we say "balls to the wall" and "push the envelope"? 🐘 What's so useless about a "white elephant"? 👕 Where were the original "whole nine yards"? These questions answered and many more in this common sayings special of Words Unravelled. Here's our other idioms episode: https://pod.fo/e/2a54ba And the video version of this one: https://youtu.be/ca3lz3dXgW8 👕 OUR MERCH 👚 US SHOP: https://wordsunravelledshop...
May 07, 2025•50 min•Ep. 42
Let's explore British English and American English. In another transatlantic war of words, Rob (a Brit) and Jess (an American) debate the differing words for the same things either side of the pond. For our new Channel Memberships click "Join" just below the video. Our previous 🇺🇸 vs. 🇬🇧 episode 📺 https://youtu.be/o6KlBd7TPFI?si=EHmBIMV3PatoSQi9 🔊 https://pod.fo/e/240f60 👕 OUR MERCH 👚 US SHOP: https://wordsunravelledshop.myspreadshop.com/ EU/UK SHOP: https://wordsunravelledshop.myspreads...
Apr 30, 2025•48 min•Ep. 41
We're back for a new 🇬🇧series/🇺🇸season of Words Unravelled. In this episode, transatlantic word nerds Rob and Jess tackle the truth and lies surrounding Williams Shakespeare. ✍️ Did the Bard really invent 1,700 words? 🤬 Which insults did Willy give us? 🎭 Could he actually have written all of those plays? These questions answered and many more, just As You Like It. 👕 OUR MERCH 👚 US SHOP: https://wordsunravelledshop.myspreadshop.com/ EU/UK SHOP: https://wordsunravelledshop.myspreadshop.net...
Apr 23, 2025•33 min•Ep. 40
There's fightin' talk in this episode of Words Unravelled, in which Jess and Rob discuss words of warcraft. 🔫 Which woman are all guns named after? 🪖 Where does the word "war" come from? 👮 Is lieutenant pronounced loo-tenant or lef-tenant? These questions answered – and many more – in this military etymology special of Words Unravelled. 👕 OUR MERCH 👚 US SHOP: https://wordsunravelledshop.myspreadshop.com/ EU/UK SHOP: https://wordsunravelledshop.myspreadshop.net/ 🎥 WATCH THIS EPISODE: https:...
Apr 02, 2025•41 min•Ep. 39
In this printing special of Words Unravelled, Jess proves herself a font of knowledge on names for typefaces and Rob makes a bit impression with the history of the printing press. 🆎 What's the difference between a font and a typeface? 😈 Who was the printer's devil? 📖 How did the printing press ruin English spelling? These questions answered — and many more — in this cliché-free episode of Words Unravelled. 👕 OUR MERCH 👚 🇺🇸 US SHOP: https://wordsunravelledshop.myspreadshop.com/ 🇬🇧 EU/UK ...
Mar 26, 2025•40 min•Ep. 38
It's here: the much-requested swearing episode of Words Unravelled. Join Rob and Jess as they explore the origins of all manner of profanity. #️⃣ Where did the F word come from? 📍 Which place names originally contained swear words? 📺 What are the worst words you can say on TV? These questions answered, and many more, in this NSFW edition of Words Unravelled. 👕WORDY NERDY MERCH👚 Our EU and US shops cover most of the world between them: 🇪🇺🇬🇧: https://wordsunravelledshop.myspreadshop.net/ �...
Mar 19, 2025•51 min•Ep. 37
Welcome to another bloomin' wonderful episode of Words Unravelled. This time, Rob and Jess are discussing the origins of all manner of flower name. 🌻Which flower makes you wet the bed? 👁️Which flower's name means "day's eye"? 🌹What is the origin of the word rose? 🥒What did Jess name her cucumber plant? These questions answered - and many more - in this anthology of horticultural etymologies. 🎥 Watch this episode: https://youtu.be/9Z2kjEJAscs 🤬 Merriam-Webster's flowers that sound like insu...
Mar 12, 2025•44 min•Ep. 36
Who wants to learn how to talk pretty? In this episode, Rob and Jess explore the clever tricks used by poets, novelists and speechwriters to surprise, move and persuade us. Join them as they discuss rhetoric and literary devices. 😉 What are the three types of irony? ❓Do you now an anaphora from an epistrophe? 🤷🏼♀️ Why is tmesis so un-flippin'-believable? These questions answered and many more in another Words Unravelled. WATCH THIS EPISODE: https://youtu.be/sKcuTYOT0yY...
Mar 05, 2025•39 min•Ep. 35
Let's discuss the etymology of the body from "head" to "toe". Join Rob and Jess on an adventure through anatomical word origins. 👅 Why is tongue spelt that way? 🍎 What did we originally call our Adam's apple? 🍆 How did our naughty bits get their names? These questions answered and many more in a body-positive episode of Words Unravelled. 👕 OUR NEW MERCH 👚 US SHOP: https://wordsunravelledshop.myspreadshop.com/ EU/UK SHOP: https://wordsunravelledshop.myspreadshop.net/ WATCH THIS EPISODE: http...
Feb 26, 2025•45 min•Ep. 34
Let this episode be music to your ears as Rob Watts and Jess Zafarris explore the melodic origins of all manner of musical words. 👦 Which instrument used to be called a "ho boy"? 🎤 What does "karaoke" literally mean? 🎷 Who is the saxophone named after? 🎶 How good is Rob's theremin impression? These questions answered, and many more in another Words Unravelled. WATCH THIS EPISODE: https://youtu.be/Kbvsg8ZPstg...
Feb 19, 2025•29 min•Ep. 33
Join Rob and Jess as they explore the origins of a myriad of mathematical terms and innumerable number words. 💯 What number was the original "hundred"? ♾️ What is the infinity symbol called? 🕚 Why does English have weird words for 11 and 12? These questions answered - and numerous others - in an incalculably fun episode of Words Unravelled. WATCH THIS EPISODE: https://youtu.be/ey38pmqPBnM
Feb 12, 2025•33 min•Ep. 32
Rob and Jess are on the wrong side of the law in this criminal episode of Words Unravelled. Join them as they discuss the origins of all manner of words for felony, misdemeanour and malfeasance. 🏴☠️ What is so black about blackmail? 🏚️ What is the "burg" in burglary? 💰 What's the difference between "robbery" and "theft"? 🎩 What Victorian prison slang are we still using today? Those questions answered and many more in this episode filled with criminal etymology. WATCH THIS EPISODE: https://y...
Feb 05, 2025•48 min•Ep. 30
In this episode, Rob and Jess debunk some myths about the origins of common sayings, and prevent the even more fascinating true stories behind the idioms we use day-to-day. 🔴 Who was the first to "paint the town red"? 🌩️ How can someone's "thunder" be "stolen"? 🐕 What's the (horrible) origin of "to screw the pooch"? 🥃 Where did the phrase "on the wagon" come from? These questions answered and many more in another Words Unravelled. WATCH THIS EPISODE: https://youtu.be/Fkf61-j8VmQ...
Jan 29, 2025•48 min•Ep. 31
Join Rob and Jess for a festive feast of Christmas etymology. 🎅🏼 Is Santa Claus an Americanism? 🎩 Who was Sir Christmas? 🦌 How did the Santa's reindeer get their names? 🎶 Is it "four calling birds" or "four colly birds"? These questions answered and many more as we deck the halls with linguistic intrigue in another episode of Words Unravelled. 👀WATCH THIS EPISODE 👀 https://youtu.be/9A0hAxeFyo4
Dec 18, 2024•38 min•Ep. 29
Let's explore our words for jobs, professions and trades. 🪵What did carpenters originally make? 🐐Which animal did butchers originally butcher? 💩Where did a "gong farmer" actually farm? 🛒What is so gross about a grocer? These questions answered and many more in another Words Unravelled with RobWords and Jess Zafarris. 👀WATCH THIS EPISODE👀 https://youtu.be/L8QXVs2DNFk
Dec 11, 2024•47 min•Ep. 28
Join Rob and Jess for a period as they get straight to the point about punctuation. 🏛️ Which punctuation mark came first? 💀 How can you punctuate sarcasm? ❓ Why does a question mark look like that? These questions answered - and many more - in another punctilious episode of Words Unravelled. 👀WATCH THIS EPISODE👀 https://youtu.be/DLBBiY5w8qM
Dec 04, 2024•43 min•Ep. 27
Time to bust some jargon in another Words Unravelled. In this episode, Rob and Jess wade their way through the sea of business speak and legalese. 🦍Which joke created the "800-pound gorilla" 🪶Is all jargon a modern invention? 🏛️What do legal Latin phrases literally mean? These questions answered and many more in another wordy nerdy episode of Words Unravelled. 🎥 WATCH THIS EPISODE 🎥 https://youtu.be/ZqBYXlunxds...
Nov 27, 2024•41 min•Ep. 26
In this playful episode of Words Unravelled, Rob and Jess dive into the fascinating world of fun and games. Ever wondered why we call it "chess" or how "poker" got its name? From the origins of classic card games to the strategic world of board games, our hosts uncover the surprising stories behind the words we use for play. ♠️ Who is the Jack in a pack of cards? ♟️ What exactly is a pawn? 🌍 How did Jenga get its name? 🅾 What's the best possible Scrabble word? These questions answered and more...
Nov 20, 2024•43 min•Ep. 25
❗️HEADS UP❗️ This episode includes much alcohol talk 🍻 Rob and Jess are getting a round in at the bar in this episode crammed with boozy etymology. Let's explore the origins of our words for beers, wines and spirits, and delve into the stories behind the names of cocktails. 🍺 Where does the word "beer" come from? 🍹 How did the "negroni" get its name? 🥴 How many words for "drunk" to Brits actually have? Grab a nip of your favourite liquor, mix yourself a mocktail or pull yourself a pint, and ...
Nov 13, 2024•44 min•Ep. 24
In this episode of Words Unravelled, Rob and Jess explore woodland words. Join us to to uncover the extraordinary origins of names for forest flora and fauna. 📕 Which trees are books named after? 🦔 Which animal is the "hedgehog of the sea"? 🦡 What does it actually mean to be "badgered"? These questions answered, and many more, in another Words Unravelled. 🎥 WATCH THIS EPISODE: https://youtu.be/gUlIcVkWj1I ==LINKS== Rob's YouTube channel: youtube.com/robwords Jess' Useless Etymology blog: htt...
Nov 06, 2024•58 min•Ep. 23
🤔 Where do our emotions come from? In this episode of Words Unravelled, Rob and Jess dive deep into the fascinating origins of the words we use to express how we feel! From the familiar words like "sad," "mad," and "glad," to the more complex emotions of feeling "mortified" or "envious," we explore the linguistic history that shaped these terms and how their meanings evolved over time. Join us as we uncover the surprising roots and cultural influences that color our emotional vocabulary. Whethe...
Oct 30, 2024•49 min•Ep. 22
In this episode of Words Unravelled, Rob and Jess dig into the spooky origins of Halloween words. From 'ghosts' and 'ghouls' to 'warlocks' and 'witches', they uncover the hauntingly fascinating roots of supernatural lingo. 🐺 What is the 'were' in werewolf? 🧌 Why is there a 'monster' in 'demonstrate'? 🦇 What does 'vampire' literally mean? These creepy questions answered and many more. Join us... if you dare 👻 🎥 WATCH THIS EPISODE: https://youtu.be/hZK6kCAmwEQ 📙 JESS'S BOOK 'WORDS FROM HELL'...
Oct 23, 2024•50 min•Ep. 21
In this episode of Words Unravelled , Rob and Jess explore the fascinating stories behind the names of the elements of the periodic table. From gods and mythological creatures to places and famous scientists, discover how history, language, and culture have shaped the names we use in chemistry today. 💨Why does oxygen have the wrong name? 🧌Which element is named after a mischievous mythological figure? 🇸🇪Why has a small Swedish village inspired four element names? Tune in for an educational y...
Sep 18, 2024•47 min•Ep. 20
In this pulchritudinous episode of Words Unravelled, Rob and Jess discuss the longest words in English and beyond: from antidisestablishmentarianism to opadotemachoselachogaleokranioleipsanodrimhypotrimmatosilphiokarabomelitokatakechymenokichlepikossyphophattoperisteralektryonoptekephalliokigklopeleiolagoiosiraiobaphetraganopterygon. ❓What does floccinaucinihilipilification mean? ⛈️What sound does Bababadalgharaghtakamminarronnkonnbronntonnerronntuonnthunntrovarrhouna...
Sep 11, 2024•40 min•Ep. 19
In this episode, Jess and Rob sling some mud as they explore the etymology of insults. 🐳 Does "dork" mean what people say it means? 🤬 Which was Shakespeare's rudest character? 🍆 What exactly is a "plonker"? These dastardly questions answered - and many more - in another Words Unravelled! 🎥WATCH THIS EPISODE: https://youtu.be/60VKgSd3wM0 📕JESS'S BOOK: https://tr.ee/Ghw8DYkqBh 👕 ROB'S MERCH: https://robwords.myspreadshop.com/ ==LINKS== Rob's YouTube channel: youtube.com/robwords Jess' Useles...
Sep 04, 2024•35 min•Ep. 18
In this episode, Rob and Jess dive headfirst into the topsy-turvy world of palindromes: words, phrases, and numbers that read the same backward and forward. From the humble "wow" to a mind-boggling 1,300-word monster, we've got the subject covered from top to bottom (and back to front). 🔁 What's the longest known palindrome? 🔁 What's the oldest we've ever found? 🔁 Who were the winners at this year's palindrom awards (The Symmsys)? These questions answered and more in another Words Unravelled....
Aug 28, 2024•29 min•Ep. 17
Take a walk on the wild side with Rob and Jess as they explore animal etymologies. 🐻Why were we too scared to give bears a proper name? 🐶Why don't we know where the word "dog" came from? 👻Which animal is the "ghost" of the jungle? These questions answered - and many more - in another Words Unravelled. THANKS to Martyn Williams for editing this episode. 🎥 WATCH THIS EPISODE: https://youtu.be/_iAT5Z5cwJY ==LINKS== Rob's YouTube channel: youtube.com/robwords Jess' Useless Etymology blog: https:...
Aug 21, 2024•48 min•Ep. 16
