421 - Part II: Why Do People Say 'A-Whole-Nother'?
Why do people say "a-whole-nother"?It's the same reason we say "an apron" instead if "a napron."
Episodes
Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing
Five-time winner of Best Education Podcast in the Podcast Awards. Grammar Girl provides short, friendly tips to improve your writing and feed your love of the English language. Whether English is your first language or your second language, these grammar, punctuation, style, and business tips will make you a better and more successful writer. Grammar Girl is a Quick and Dirty Tips podcast.
Episodes
420 - Why 'A-Whole-Nother' Isn’t Like 'Ala-Frickin’-Bama' and 'Hizzouse'
While researching why people say "a-whole-nother," Syelle Graves discovered that even knowing what to call the phrase gets complicated (and interesting).
419 - Using Stick Figures to Understand First, Second, and Third Person
Using Stick Figures to Understand First, Second, and Third Person
417 - An Unparalleled Letdown
The authors of "The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation" help us understand parallel structure.
416GG How to Kick Your Annoying Preposition Habit
How to Kick Your Annoying Preposition Habit
415 - Commas Are Like People on the Subway
Commas are like people on the subway: You think you know them, but they're awfully complex. This week, we'll dig deeper and get to know some of their jobs: separating items in a series (the Oxford comma), delineating appositives, and surrounding nonrestrictive phrases.
414 - Luisa Zissman's Missing Apostrophe
Sometimes companies leave apostrophes out of their names when it seems as if the name would need an apostrophe. Why do they do it, and is it wrong?
413 - Words Invented by Shakespeare
In honor of Shakespeare's 450th birthday, we'll look at Shakespeare's words, phrases, insults, and false friends. I bet you don't know them all.
412 - Can I Help Who's Next?
Neal Whitman addresses some annoying phrases you hear in stores and restaurants, such as "Can I help who's next?" and "Did you want cream in your coffee?" Find out why people say such things.
411 - Addictive Versus Addicting
Addictive Versus Addicting
410GG Just Because
It's tricky to pick apart the grammar of a sentence such as "Just because you’re correct doesn’t mean you’re not annoying." Guest writer Neal Whitman explains why such sentences work and what they really mean.
408 - Why We Don't End Sentences With "You're"
Some words have strong forms, weak forms, and even weaker forms.
407GG Why Canadians Don't Really Say "Aboot"
Gretchen McCulloch from the All Things Linguistic explains why Canadians don't say "aboot" and why most Americans think they do.
406GG Begging the Question
Language is changing but that doesn't mean you have to go with the flow.
405 - Is Cash Money a Regional Expression?
Is Cash Money a Regional Expression?
404 - Why "Substitute" Is Weird
Why it’s hard to talk about substituting one thing for another without confusing people. Guest Writer: Neal Whitman Sponsor: AudiblePodcast.com/GG
403 - Preventative and Orientate
Today, we’re going to talk about two cases in which English has two words that mean the same thing and whether one choice is better than the other. Preventative and preventive, and orient and orientate. Sponsor: Grammar Girl’s Peeve Wars. Visits FundAnything.com/peevewars to learn more.
402 - Little Bunny Foo Foo
The Hoax Behind Little Bunny Foo Foo
401 - How Clipping Creates New Words
Great tales of English word evolution: From pantaloons to pants, caravan to van, and much more. Guest Writer: Bonnie Trenga Sponsor: http://FundAnything.com/peevewars
400 - How Reading Tickles Your Neurons
When you read about a character, in some ways your brain acts as though it thinks you ARE the character. It's amazing. Grammar Girl and the Savvy Psychologist explain how. Subscribe to the Savvy Psychologist's show at iTunes. Get the card game Peeve Wars at http://FundAnything.com/peevewars
399 - Your Brain on Fiction
How Literature Changes Your Brain for the Better. If you liked this podcast, check out our new show, The Savvy Psychologist.
071 Units Of Measure
Units Of Measure: Feet, Ft., Lb., Degrees, and Percents
398GG Why Some Band Names Take "The" and Some Don't
Why can we say "the Jefferson Airplane" but not "the Led Zeppelin"?
397 - Secrets of Bestselling Novels
A new study uncovered things that successful novels have in common.
396 GG Tenterhooks or Tenderhooks?
What could this week’s topic be?
192 Do I Hate Your Singing or You Singing?
Do I Hate Your Singing or You Singing?
395 GG How to Use Quotation Marks
How to mix quotation marks with other punctuation.
394GG Hashtag Rap
Did Kanye West Coin the Term "Hashtag Rap"?
393 GG Nonsense Syllables
Why we sing "fra la la" instead of "fa spla spla"
392 GG Orangehead
Why do we call people redheads instead of orangeheads? Guest writer Gretchen McCulloch has the amazing answer. Grammar Pop Winterfest is a new wintery edition of the original Grammar Pop iOS game. It has new winter art and all new sentences, and it's on sale for only 99 cents until December 15. Get it today!