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A podcast about talking, including etymology, frustrating topics, current events, and other random subjects.
Want to contact the hosts or have a suggestion for a future episode? Email us at ihatetalkingpodcast@gmail.com.
Special thanks to Tim Wright aka CoLD SToRAGE for his permission to use the song Operatique.
99 Episodes
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Send us a text In episode 88 of I Hate Talking, the hosts revisit the idea of “color of the year” and unpack Pantone’s 2026 pick: Cloud Dancer. Instead of finding it calming or inspiring, they both react strongly against it, describing the off‑white shade as dingy, dirty, and more like a stained wall or leaky dishwasher water than a serene, billowy cloud. They also read and gently roast Pantone’s poetic marketing language about clarity, creativity, and fresh starts, noting how little it...
Send us a text Episode 87 of I Hate Talking dives into the surprisingly rich world of pants—sparked by the hosts’ recent closet decluttering and reflections on how many clothes a typical American household accumulates. They start with definitions and regional differences: in North America, “pants” means trousers, while in British English “pants” often means underwear and can even be slang for “nonsense” or “rubbish.” They trace the word back through “pantaloons,” to the comic Italian ch...
Send us a text In episode 86 of I Hate Talking, the hosts take on the deceptively simple word “goodbye” and discover how emotionally loaded it has become in modern conversation. They unpack why “goodbye” can feel harsh or final—more like a relationship-ending period than a casual sign‑off—and contrast it with softer alternatives such as “bye,” “see you later,” and even the more cheerful “good morning.” Digging into etymology, they explain how “goodbye” began as the devotional phrase “Go...
Send us a text No new episode this week—your hosts are taking a break to celebrate Thanksgiving in the United States! If you’re looking for something to listen to while you cook, travel, or relax, there’s a rich catalog of over 85 past episodes to choose from. For a listener favorite, check out the 'Synesthesia' episode (Jan 23, 2025), which offers a deep dive into the fascinating phenomenon of mixing senses. If your mood leans festive, revisit 'Christmas Tide, When Will It End, and the...
Send us a text In episode 85 of I Hate Talking, the hosts open with a milestone announcement: November marked their most downloaded month since the podcast launched, second only to their debut month. Listeners are encouraged to catch early episodes and share feedback—preferably with a dose of kindness or even pure praise! The word of the episode is "regatta," inspired by the recent Cub Scout rain gutter regatta boat race. The hosts break down the origins and meaning of "regatta," tracin...
Send us a text Episode 84 explores Dictionary.com's controversial 2025 "Word of the Year"—the number —and the explosion of meme culture in everyday language. The hosts debate whether numerals can truly count as words, and dissect what it means for a dictionary to embrace viral Gen Alpha fads as legitimate lexicon. They unpack the origin of 67 as slang: from a rapper's lyric and TikTok trends, to schoolyards and sports memes, to its status as an in-joke that, paradoxically, includes ever...
Send us a text In Episode 83 of I Hate Talking, the hosts dive into the concept of "nostalgia," sparked by a listener suggestion and a memorable quote: "Nostalgia is just a longing for a time we know we can survive." The duo debates the merits and shortcomings of this definition, reflecting on whether nostalgia is more about overcoming hardships or an emotional longing for the best moments of our pasts. With personal stories about parenting, childhood memories, and once-in-a-lifetime tr...
Send us a text In Episode 82, the hosts take a listener suggestion and spotlight the word fetid—a recent Wordle answer—and trace its meaning, origins, and less obvious relatives. The hosts discuss both their Wordle strategies, starter words, and the minor heartbreaks and little victories that come with daily word games, before diving into vocabulary. They explain that fetid means “having a heavy, offensive smell”—think stinky swamps, unwashed gear, or foul breath. Drawing on its Latin ...
Send us a text In this richly layered episode, the hosts follow up on unanswered questions from last week’s exploration of blue. They start by confirming what Russians actually call their beloved “Blue” cats—Синий русский (Siniy russkiy)—and dive into why Puritan “blue laws” might have literally come from blue paper or blue clothing. From there, the couple unpacks theories on how “blue” came to mean both “religious strictness” and “indecency,” tracing its tangled linguistic roots throug...
Send us a text Overview: An unexpectedly multifaceted English word examined through color, emotion, temperature, and cultural usage—plus comparisons to Russian and historical linguistics.Why it came up: The hosts had recently discussed Russian—the language’s treatment of blue inspired today’s topic.Linguistic Insight: Russian Words for “Blue” Russian distinguishes light and dark blue with two separate terms:синий (siniy) — dark blueголубой (goluboy) — light blueScientific st...
Send us a text Word of the Episode: Timidity Definition (Oxford): Lack of courage or confidence.Usage: More common historically (esp. 1800s), in decline until a slight uptick since 2019—possibly linked to its appearance in modern Bible translations (e.g., NLT). Example usage: “She believes everyone can overcome their timidity.”Etymology: From Latin timidus (“fearful”) ← timere (“to fear”). Related to timid, intimidate, etc.Comparison: Timidness exists, but AI claims timidity is more est...
Send us a text Word of the Episode: Polemical Definition (Oxford): Expressing or constituting a strong critical attack or controversial opinion.Etymology: From Greek polemos (“war”) → polemikós (“warlike/hostile”).Discussion:Related to debate and controversy, not to Ptolemaic (Claudius Ptolemy’s geocentric astronomy).Hosts joked about confusing the two since they sound similar, imagining a “Ptolemaic polemic.”Takeaway: polemical ≠ Ptolemaic, but both useful as play on words.Connection ...
Send us a text Words of the Episode: Morals vs. Morale MoralsDefinition: Standards of behavior or principles of right/wrong by which a person lives; also lessons drawn from stories.Etymology: From Latin mos/moris → morales → moralia (used by St. Gregory in his exposition on Job) → Middle English.Can be good or bad, but always refers to a guiding code.MoraleDefinition: Confidence, discipline, and outlook of a person or group at a given time (e.g., workplace morale).Etymology: From Frenc...
Send us a text Links to materials mentioned in the episode: Link to book by Avi Loeb: Extraterrestrial: The First Sign of Intelligent Life Beyond Earth.Link to the paper co-authored by Avi Loeb: Is the Interstellar Object 3I/ATLAS Alien Technology? (PDF) Word(s) of the Episode ʻOumuamuaHawaiian name for the first observed interstellar object (2017).Meaning: “A messenger from afar arriving first” or “advance scout.”Had unusual properties—possibly pancake-shaped, non-natural trajectory, a...
Send us a text Episode Milestone Hosts note that Episode 75 feels like a meaningful number (cool, but not as significant as 60 was for them). Next true milestone will be Episode 100, expected in ~25 weeks.Word of the Episode: Pareto (Pareto Principle) Definition: The Pareto Principle or 80/20 rule: roughly 80% of consequences come from 20% of causes.History:Coined by Italian economist Wilfredo Pareto (1848–1923), originally observing that 20% of Italians owned 80% of land.Later applied...
Send us a text Word of the Episode: Pontificate Hosts’ Initial Guess:They believed it meant to think deeply to arrive at a decision.They even associated it with careful contemplation and resolution.Actual Definition (Oxford Languages):To express one’s opinions in an annoyingly pompous or dogmatic way.Far from quiet reflection—it's about pompous expression.Negative connotation, closer to “know‑it‑all” behavior.Additional Meaning: In Roman Catholic Church context, pontificate = officiate ...
Send us a text Word of the Episode: Libfix Definition: A “libfix” is a liberated suffix—when part of a word (often mistaken as a suffix) gets reanalyzed and reused as a suffix for other words. Examples:-gate (from Watergate): now used to mean “scandal” (e.g., Pizzagate, Elsagate).-core (from hardcore): extended to music genres or aesthetics (metalcore, cottagecore, tropicore in Animal Crossing).-holic (from alcoholic): becomes workaholic, shopaholic.-cation (from vacation): staycation, ...
Send us a text Word of the Episode: Penitent Usage: Came up while studying Psalm 6 (one of the “penitential psalms”).Common Associations:Hosts thought it related to humility, kneeling, or seeking forgiveness.One recalled Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, where the “penitent man kneels before God.”Also connected to penance.Dictionary Definition: Feeling or showing sorrow/regret for wrongdoings; repentant. As a noun, someone who repents.Etymology: From Latin paenitent- (“repenting”) → O...
Send us a text This episode is Part 1 of the Chicago recap. Find Part 1 in episode 70 last week. Word of the Episode: Porta Potty Definition: A portable, temporary toilet facility.Etymology:“Porta Potty” comes from portable potty, but its popularization is linked to a brand name, much like Kleenex.“Potty” derives from “pot” (as in chamber pot) with the diminutive suffix “-y/-ie.”In other cultures, “toilet” is the more common term; in ASL, “toilet” is used rather than “potty.”Chicago Tri...
Send us a text This episode is part 1 of the Chicago recap; it will continue in the next episode, including the promised description of the "Taj Mahal of porta potties" and covering the remaining tourist adventures. Word of the Episode: Flabbergast The hosts dive into the word "flabbergast," inspired by previous use when describing the "Coldplay incident." They share their own definitions (astonished, shocked to the point of near speechlessness) before consulting official sources.Defini...
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