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That's What They Say

That's What They Say is a weekly segment on Michigan Radio that explores our changing language. Each week University of Michigan English Professor Anne Curzan will discuss why we say what we say with ... Read more

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Ranked #1

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TWTS: Your verbiage might be your best quality, unless its your worst

TWTS: Your verbiage might be your best quality, unless its your worst

If you mention my verbiage, it’s no longer clear if I should be insulted.

14 Aug 2023

4mins

Ranked #2

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TWTS: An extra maître d' serves up a spelling question

TWTS: An extra maître d' serves up a spelling question

If you have more than one head waiter at a restaurant, you run into a funny spelling question in English.

6 Aug 2023

4mins

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Ranked #3

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TWTS: How clean is a whistle, really?

TWTS: How clean is a whistle, really?

Coaches, referees and gym teachers are probably better authorities than we are, but we've got a feeling that whistles pr... Read more

30 Jul 2023

4mins

Ranked #4

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TWTS: Don't blow off "off"

TWTS: Don't blow off "off"

“Off” isn’t just an insect repellant. It’s a versatile word that might not look like much, but it’s amazing how many dif... Read more

23 Jul 2023

4mins

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Ranked #5

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TWTS: Comparatives need gooder usage rules

TWTS: Comparatives need gooder usage rules

There’s a reason it sounds odd if we say it just got beautifuller and beautifuller.

16 Jul 2023

5mins

Ranked #6

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TWTS: Broadcasting doubt about "broadcasted"

TWTS: Broadcasting doubt about "broadcasted"

Today we broadcast the news. Tomorrow we will broadcast the news. And yesterday? We broadcast the news.

9 Jul 2023

4mins

Ranked #7

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TWTS: Both may come from a hare, but it's still "hide nor hair"

TWTS: Both may come from a hare, but it's still "hide nor hair"

There's the hair on on our heads and the hares we see hopping around our yards. There's been some confusion over which o... Read more

2 Jul 2023

4mins

Ranked #8

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TWTS: Dictionaries are defined by their editors

TWTS: Dictionaries are defined by their editors

Often we will refer to looking something up in "the dictionary." That suggests that it doesn’t really matter which dicti... Read more

25 Jun 2023

5mins

Ranked #9

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TWTS: We hereby sanction you to use "sanction" as you see fit

TWTS: We hereby sanction you to use "sanction" as you see fit

If we sanction things with no other context, it’s not clear whether these things will be allowed or whether they will be... Read more

11 Jun 2023

5mins

Ranked #10

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TWTS: What's the "hap" in "haphazard"?

TWTS: What's the "hap" in "haphazard"?

Some speakers have come to understand "haphazard" as "half-hazard," because who knows what a "hap" is.

4 Jun 2023

4mins

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