Emily takes Kyle from the ocean to the sky this week with the seafaring (and spacefaring) word dunsel. With three potential etymologies, the duo takes a brief stay in a Dutch origin before expanding ever outward to those glorious and historical ships of yore, paintings of which have left viewers with eternal questions such as, “What do all those sa…

Kyle grabs the doorknob with his tongue this week to let Emily into the world of the word fomite. And if you’re still around after reading that sentence, then you’ll have no fear of what follows as Kyle decides to plunge us all head first into the subject of disease transmission. Not before, of course, introducing us to that household name Girolamo…

Kyle and Emily are taken on another journey through some misused and abused punctuation—this time with a particularly Y2K bent. They sit down with the founder of the “Blog” of “Unnecessary” Quotation Marks Bethany Keeley-Jonker to discuss blogging, the internet of the aughts, and quotation marks used for emphasis(?) From the quilt of niche blogs st…

Emily calls out to Kyle like a songbird this week to introduce him to the amply avian word roup. Soaring through the word’s Scottish and English uses, Emily shows Kyle the “roups”. From those simple nothing phrases upon which we force alliteration to roup’s somewhat mysterious origins, Kyle discovers just what kind of grave difference the definite …

This week, Kyle and Emily sit down with renowned psycholinguist Jean Berko Gleason to talk about wugs, wuggies, zibmen, and what they mean for child psychology. They discuss the Wug Test, and what it can tell us about how a child, toddler, or even baby progresses in language development. They talk about what this test has meant for early childhood …

Emily and Kyle answer the biggest questions of the cosmos, as they discuss the meaning and origin of the word ylem. Our hosts talk about how this word relates to matter and the elements, both in the works of Aristotle and other ancient thinkers, and in the Periodic Table. They chat about some quirks of grammar and pronunciation, but then they dig i…

Pack your bags and grab some snacks, because this week Kyle and Emily are going on a literal road trip through the meaning and origin of the word macadam. This eponym leads our hosts back to the life of one John McAdam, a man involved with Long Island history, the American Revolution, the Scottish highway system, and most of all civil engineering. …

Looking for some gift ideas to say thank you to your delivery person? You’re in luck, cause this week Emily and Kyle are discussing the meaning and origin of the word cumshaw. Our hosts spend some time getting to know Hokkien, a Chinese language variety from the area around Xiamen. They chat about what makes this variety different from others like …

In this episode, Kyle and Emily discuss the meaning and origin of the word jactitation. No cap. …Okay, maybe a little cap. They talk about the roots of this word, how it evolved from meanings like throw or scatter, to meanings like boast or brag. And this leads them to a fascinating dive into the history of the letter J, and its relation to the let…

Gather ‘round y’all, because this week Kyle and Emily are chatting with Bob McCalden, Chairman of the Apostrophe Protection Society. Our hosts talk with McCalden about how to write with this oft-misused piece of punctuation correctly. They discuss the apostrophe in possessives and contractions, as well as some more elusive cases of English grammar.…

Take a trip through the good, the bad, and the ugly sides of censorship, as Emily and Kyle discuss the meaning and origin of the word bowdlerize. They begin by talking about the family name from which this word derives. That takes them on a deep dive into a time which was very concerned with being family-friendly. Our hosts talk about the Regency a…

Take a load off and put your cares aside, because today Kyle and Emily are talking about the meaning and origin of the word cark. Our hosts dig into some etymology and talk about cark’s roots in French, Latin, and more. They talk about the many meanings and pronunciations this little word has traveled through, varying from physical weight or labor …

Poetry lovers are either gonna love or hate this one, because Seth takes Kyle and Emily on a journey through the meaning and origin of the word flarf. Our hosts travel back to the early 00s internet, and see the emergence of a rather avant garde form of poetry. They read a poem or two from this new genre, talk about how Google plays into their crea…

This week, Emily and Kyle discuss the meaning and origin of the word accismus. They’re too polite to say it themselves, but really they’d love for you to listen. Our hosts dive into the Ancient Greek arts of speech and rhetoric. They look at the origin of irony, and a classic comedic scene between Hercules and one of the Greek gods. And they look a…

Get ready for a sinfully good episode that is sure to get you out of a bad mood, because Kyle and Emily are discussing the meaning and origin of the word peccant. They talk about this word’s first appearances in texts from Ancient Greece. They explore its meanings from wicked to corrupt to unhealthy, as well as its connection to another modern word…

We hope you’re ready to start the revolution, because Emily and Kyle are talking about the meaning and origin of the word agitprop. Our hosts explore the role agitation and propaganda played in Russia during the rise of communism. They trace the paths of these words through Latin, English, and Russian, then explore the ways the Soviet Union propaga…

Get ready for some hot goss’ and buxom gals, because this week Kyle and Emily are discussing the meaning and origin of the word zaftig. The hosts delve into the history of Jewish immigrants and their languages in New York City and beyond. They look at some Yiddish words which have made their way into English, and they trace how zaftig evolved from …

This one goes out to all the IT guys, all the nerd dads, and anyone else who likes to hack, cause today Emily and Kyle are talking about the meaning and origin of the tech word mung. Our hosts skim through a bit of Old English, and the many connections mung has to other modern words. But then they quickly get down to what this episode is all about:…

This week, the sun, moon, and planet earth all come into conjunction as Kyle and Emily talk about the meaning and origin of the word syzygy. This word lies where stars and planets align, thus it delves our hosts into some fascinating astronomy. They chat about the movements of celestial bodies, what causes an eclipse or a full moon, and exactly how…

Emily and Kyle take a break from Duolingo to talk about language learning with an expert on the subject: polyglot, journalist, and author of language books Babel and Lingo, Gaston Dorren. Our hosts chat with their multilingual guest about his linguistic travels from his native Limburgish and Dutch, to other European languages, and beyond. Dorren ta…

Kyle and Emily take a cup o’ kindness for the sake of auld lang syne, and talk all about Hogmanay, i.e. New Year’s in Scotland. Turns out the Scottish new year looks considerably different than what Kyle and Emily are used to. They take a look at midnight visitors and gifts, a pagan tradition from the Scottish highlands, why the town of Stonehaven …

It’s that time of year again, and Seth, Kyle, and Emily are celebrating the merriest of holidays. Is it Christmas, you ask? No, of course not! It’s Chump!! Chump is a beautiful holiday, in which we indulge in some linguistic nostalgia and some delightful wordplay. But of course the most important Chump tradition is party games! After all, what holi…

This week, Kyle and Emily leave their manners a little on the left hand as they’re joined by the author of Green’s Dictionary of Slang and foremost slang lexicographer Jonathon Green. Our hosts get at the heart of what it takes to compile such an impressive collection of slang words. They delight in Green’s exaltation of the Captain of slang himsel…

This week, Kyle and Emily peek over the fence to get a glimpse at both the neighbor’s yard and the meaning and origin of the word stickybeak. This delightful portmanteau prompts us to stick our nose into some Australian rhyming slang, sniff around at some 20th century poetry, and even peep into Holinshed’s Chronicles. But this nosy word also made o…

This week, Emily and Kyle open the Sunday newspaper, turn to the funnies page, and read all about the meaning and origin of the word grawlix. They talk about how this cartoon cursing word was coined by the cartoonist behind Beetle Bailey, who quite literally wrote the book on cartoon art. But these swearing scribbles have been in comics a lot longe…

Better brush up on your manners, because this week Kyle and Emily are talking about the meaning and origin of the word punctilio. The pair discuss Latin origins, petty details, and all things strict and proper as they explore this word’s history. Digging into its usage over time, they unearth stories about 16th century satire, the Italian book of e…

Emily and Kyle talk to Joshua Blackburn, founder of Two Brothers Games and creator of the quiz game about words and language League of the Lexicon. Listen along as Joshua shares with them the intricacies of what it took to put together one of the most successful word games in Kickstarter history. From the many collaborators, including a previous gu…

Get ready for an episode that really rocks! And it’s ’cause we’re talkin’ about rocks! This week, Emily and Kyle explore the meaning and origin of the word menhir. They begin by discussing this word’s origin in one of the Celtic languages, like Breton, Cornish, or Welsh, as well as skimming through a bit of Celtic history. Then they take a look at …

Kyle and Emily are joined this week by musician and host of the podcast Coffee Clutch with Ron and Jill, Ronnie Gross, as Kyle shares the cinematic origins of the word greeble. From model-making to the silver screen, Kyle takes his companions through the history of one teeny-tiny part of the massive space opera Star Wars, missing no opportunity to …

This Halloween, Kyle and Emily discover that following a mishap in the lab, Seth has raised ghost words back from the dead using that most lugubrious ledger, the Lexiconicon! Follow the gang as they meet these etymologically dubious terms which weave them through dictionary history and echo the names of such famous friends as the scholar Cicero, th…

Cthulhu fans rejoice, because this week Emily and Kyle discuss the meaning and origin of chthonic, a word that likely inspired the name of Lovecraft’s most beloved beast. They talk about this word’s association with both the underground and the underworld, and get in a delightful dose of Greek mythology to boot. Chthonic can be used to describe Gre…

This episode sees Kyle and Emily discuss the meaning and origin of humdudgeon. And believe us–this word is nothing to gripe about! This slang word from Scotland is great for when you’re feeling ill, falsely or otherwise, and you want to make sure everybody knows about it. Our hosts explore how it’s been used to describe an unnecessary whine, a genu…

This word is everything. And it’s also just ken. This week, Emily and Kyle discover that ken is a lot more than just a doll in Barbie land. They find that this word begins, aptly, with Old English definitions related to birth and kin. Ken quickly leaves the next, however, flying to Scotland and gaining a myriad of meanings about knowledge and sight…

Kyle’s in a giving spirit this week, and shows his charitable nature by telling Emily all about the word eleemosynary. They reveal the word’s Latin and Greek roots, and how it’s related to words for donation, mercy, and even a war cry! They talk about the importance of charity, the plight of the beggar--and how there are, perhaps, better words to u…

Emily and Kyle talk unearth ancient treasure and sift through linguistic bric-a-brac as they discuss the word mathom. They talk about the word’s origin in Old English, and the definition’s journey from valuable gifts to sundry knick-knacks. They also explore some long-forgotten letters of the English alphabet, like a consonant called thorn and a vo…

This week, Kyle takes Emily on a circular journey around the word deasil. (And, no, he didn’t just misspell the word diesel.) They discover the secret of why clockwise is clockwise, and discuss how the movement of the sun was once seen as lucky. They also reveal their north bias, wondering if clocks turn the right way south of the equator. But they…

Emily and Kyle go on a quest through a rich etymology and a myriad of meanings, and battle the linguistic dragon that is the word swinge. No, not swing. Not singe. Swinge. Emily and Kyle delve into exactly what separates all these similar words--and the facets of linguistics that connect them, like etymological doublets and shifts in pronunciation.…

Taxonomy fans rejoice! Kyle and Emily are talking about animal adjectives--in particular, a word that is both dear and deer, elaphine. The pair discuss the red deer stag: king of all other deer! They dig into the plethora of Greek, Latin, and English words that have been applied to these animals. And they peer into the world of old-timey deer hunti…

Get ready for a side-splitting episode, cause this week Emily and Kyle are exploring the laughter-filled etymology of abderian. Visit the Greek polis of Abdera, and hear how it may or may not have been founded by Hercules. Learn what made the Joker call Gotham a city of fools. And listen to some utterly absurd jokes that totally brought the house d…

Kyle and Emily examine the rich tapestry of language, fashion, and politics that is the word foulard, and unravel the threads connecting stamped silk to nifty neckerchiefs to religious raiments. They delve into the oldest methods of dyeing silk handkerchiefs--a process not unlike how you dyed your t-shirt at summer camp. Kyle and Emily then discuss…

This week, the Butter No Parsnips gang reflects on a year of words. With poetry, leisurely strolls down memory lane, and special cameos by voices from their past, Emily, Kyle, and Seth celebrate what one year of an etymology podcast can do to a trio of friends. Don’t get it confused for any standard year-end retrospective though, those poems aren’t…

Today, in preparation for our anniversary, we submit for your consideration a sneak peek into the seedy underbelly of Butter No Parsnips, the BNP after dark Patreon series Butter’d Parsnips. In this episode, Kyle and Emily are tasked with exploring the qualities of some of the worst words Seth could conjure up in an effort to tap into what it is ab…

This week, Emily and Kyle look at a real doozy of a word, zemblanity, and its equally delightful companion word, serendipity. They find out how these two words are linked to the island nation of Sri Lanka, and to a cozy Persian fairy tale about a trio of lucky princes. And the winding tale of these words leads them to a famous Walpole, and his invo…

Kyle and Emily dive into the world of public performance and many other professions to explore mogiphonia, as well as its sister words mogigraphia and mogilalia. They begin by looking at a malady which has afflicted every singer, musician, and public speaker for centuries. And they might get a glimpse of where this stereotype of the temperamental p…

We hope you brought your BEC, cause this week Emily and Kyle are talking about their deeply-ingrained Long Island roots. …Oh, and they’re also talking about the meaning of shibboleth! They chat about this word’s origins in the Hebrew Bible–which isn’t just the Torah, by the way! Emily reads verses about a high-risk test in the Book of Judges, and K…

This week Kyle and Emily pack up some snacks, get some showtunes going, and take a road trip through the meaning and history of the caravanserai. They find out that it’s actually a compound word. They’ve heard of a caravan, but… a serai? And this word answers valuable questions, like: What are the best places to stay along the Silk Road? What’s the…

Come along with Emily and Kyle as they discuss the incunable (not an adjective!) and the beginning of books as we know them. This Latin word takes us through the history of printing, in Europe and beyond. We learn about all the ways people have put words on the page--from the manuscript, to block printing, to the infancy of moveable type and the Gu…

Kyle and Emily glimpse into their crystal ball and reveal a word that melds birdwatching and divination into one: alectryomancy. They look at this word’s origins in ancient Greek, as well as its importance in ancient Rome. Turns out the magic of the rooster is not to be understated! (Though it is stated beautifully by our old friend Pliny the Elder…

Kyle, Emily, and special guest Arne Christensen (@learnfirm_med_term) sit down and chew the fat about digestion, and medical terminology at large. Christensen shares his research on the Greek and Latin roots behind several medical terms doctors use every day. And he discusses how the journey from ancient meaning to modern usage is not always so sim…

This week Emily and Kyle travel eastward, taking a look at the Sanskrit language and at the little-known word bahuvrihi. The pair discuss the grammar of compound words, both in English and Sanskrit. And they discover how adjectives and nouns can take on new meanings when joined together, becoming greater than the sum of their parts. They also explo…