You're Saying It Wrong

From KMUW Studios and part of the NPR Podcast Network, You're Saying It Wrong is a podcast that looks at what we get wrong—and what we sometimes get right—when it comes to this English language. Hosted by KMUW's Fletcher Powell, each episode features a conversation with the sister and brother who wrote the book on it. Literally. You're Saying It Wrong: A Pronunciation Guide to the 150 Most Commonly Mispronounced Words and Their Tangled Histories of Misuse is by Kathryn Petras and Ross Petras.On June 24, 2022, You’re Saying It Wrong received first place in Division B for Interview Podcasts from the Public Media Journalists Association. The awards recognize the best work in public media journalism from across the country.

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Episodes

We're Talking Politics! (Poli-talk?) | YSIW

We're talking politics! (Sort of.) Mayoral, electoral, gubernatorial (where the heck does that one come from?)... and Ross pulls a word from waaaaay out in left field.

Dec 06, 2019•21 min

A Little More German | YSIW

We're back to German this episode, but we've got some serious language wanderlust. We'll start with realpolitik, hop over to doppelganger, try to rank weltschmerz vs. ennui vs. angst, take a whole lot of detours and try to talk our way through some questions we have, and also chat a bit about... spare ribs?

Nov 22, 2019•29 min

I Know A Little German | YSIW

Schadenfreude, weltschmerz, zeitgeist, sturm und drang... whatever it is, German's probably got a word for it.

Nov 08, 2019•28 min

Digging Up Some Fossil Words | YSIW

In this episode of You're Saying It Wrong, we're talking about "fossil words," words that aren't used anymore except in idioms or very specific contexts, like "ado," "dudgeon," and "petard." And we broaden into words that are dying or might be dying in the future.

Oct 25, 2019•26 min

Prefixes Leave Us Plussed | YSIW

Can we be combobulated? Or gruntled? Not Fletcher. He's been disgruntled and discombobulated thinking about this subject for a long time.

Oct 10, 2019•20 min

Did 'They' Say It Wrong? | YSIW

Merriam-Webster just added to their definition of the word "they" to indicate it's being used as a non-binary gender pronoun. We happen to think that the singular "they" is excellent. As did Shakespeare and Ben Jonson. In fact, the singular "they" can be traced back to 1375.

Sep 27, 2019•23 min

Precision In Language | YSIW

In this episode, Fletcher, Kathy & Ross talk about precision in language: why it's good, why it's bad, why we like it, and why we sometimes just need to let it go.

Sep 13, 2019•32 min

Which-Hunting: Throwing Out The Rules! | YSIW

OK, lotsa complicated stuff this time.

Aug 30, 2019•28 min

Do-Gooders | YSIW

Here's a question for you: How are you?

Aug 16, 2019•27 min

When It Comes To Hypercorrectiveness, Woe Are We | YSIW

In this episode, we're talking about using "I" vs. "me" in a sentence ("between you and I" or "between you and me"), who vs. whom, and how people "hypercorrect" and work so hard to get things right that they go too far and end up getting them wrong.

Aug 02, 2019•27 min

Strong Verbs! | YSIW

"Last night I lay down my book and sunk into a deep sleep."

Jul 19, 2019•24 min

So... | YSIW

So... why do begin sentences this way? Is it OK? In this episode we take a deep dive into the use (or misuse?) of this little word.

Jul 05, 2019•24 min

An Avalanche Of Eggcorns! | YSIW

It's an avalanche of eggcorns! Good eggcorns, bad eggcorns, eggcorns it's OK to use, eggcorns you should avoid altogether, and even one eggcorn that's maybe a little bit NSFW.

Jun 21, 2019•26 min

You're Saying It... Right? | YSIW

In this episode we're talking about things you actually probably get right. But you get them right without realizing what you're doing.

Jun 07, 2019•30 min

We've Entered A Language Penumbra | YSIW

This episode, we're back to words you might think you know, but that you just might be using incorrectly — brought to you by the letter "P".

May 24, 2019•24 min

With These Words, Maybe We Shouldn't Try | YSIW

Sometimes there are words that really don't mean what they look like they mean. And to avoid confusion, it's probably best you just don't use them.

May 10, 2019•27 min

It's Time For A Little Housekeeping | YSIW

Now that we have 17 episodes behind us, it's time for a little housekeeping. No, we're not debating the pronunciation of the word "housekeeping," but instead are cleaning up a few odds and ends, answering questions raised from recent episodes.

Apr 26, 2019•31 min

Sufferin' Succotash! The Tricky Double 'C' | YSIW

Fletcher turned the tables on Kathy and Ross and selected a word for them in this episode. How do you say flaccid? Or succinct? How about accessory? Those double 'c' words are becoming tricky!

Apr 12, 2019•26 min

Hyperbole & The Magic 'E'| YSIW

On this episode of You're Saying It Wrong, Kathy and Ross explain the notion of the magic "e". Does that "e" have anything to do to hyperbole, epitome, Hermione, and Aphrodite? And speaking of Aphrodite, why does hermaphrodite — the combination of Hermes and Aphrodite — play by different rules?

Mar 29, 2019•18 min

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