That's What They Say

That's What They Say is a weekly segment on Michigan Public that explores our changing language. Each week University of Michigan English Professor Anne Curzan will discuss why we say what we say with Michigan Public Weekend Edition host Rebecca Kruth.

TWTS: "These ones" made the lightning round

Of all the topics we could cover this week on That's What They Say, we chose these ones over those ones.

11-11
05:17

TWTS: We've seen a change with "sea change"

A sea change can now be caused by many things other than the sea, and some of its dramatic effects have been lost in the process.

11-04
05:24

TWTS: The touchy third rail

We're going to try not to touch the third rail, but we are going to talk about it.

10-28
05:26

TWTS: In America, it's always hot dog season

Major League Baseball playoffs and football tailgate season both mean the smell of hot dogs is in the air.

10-14
05:19

TWTS: Petards are for hoisting, not stabbing

We don't encounter petards very often anymore. That’s unless we’re being, metaphorically speaking, “hoisted with our own petard.”

10-04
05:16

TWTS: Should we stop utilizing "utilize" and just use "use"?

There are plenty of people out there who see "utilize" as a pretentious substitute for "use." However, some people are completely comfortable utilizing the verb "utilize."

09-23
04:38

TWTS: Yeah, we need to talk about "yay"

There’s the “yea” in voting “yea” or “nay," and then there’s the celebratory “Yay!" Oh yeah, there's also "yeah."

09-16
04:59

TWTS: Whoa, is that how you spell "whoa"?

Whoa, whoa, whoa. There are a lot of ways to spell "whoa."

09-09
05:08

TWTS: Your caring about gerunds is noble, but you caring is nice too

You could say, "I don't like him singing," or you could say, "I don't like his singing." Believe it or not, some folks have very strong feelings about which of those is correct.

09-01
04:37

TWTS: The case of "pleaded" v. "pled"

It's all so grammatically straight forward in the present tense if you plead innocent. Later on though, should you tell people you "pleaded" innocent or "pled" innocent?

08-25
04:04

TWTS: Goods in the can may not always be "canned"

The sign at the grocery store said “can goods,” not “canned goods.”

08-18
05:20

TWTS: Keeping track of “track” and “tract"

We keep track of things, we lose track of things, we run track, and listen to tracks. Sometimes though, we confuse “track” with “tract.”

08-11
05:00

TWTS: The “all” in “alls” is just another tough one to call

Alls our listener wanted to know is what's going on with the “alls” in “alls I know.”

08-04
05:06

TWTS: Are you really a Realtor?

Technically, not everyone you buy real estate from is a realtor.

07-28
05:14

TWTS: The day sped by when time speeded up

The summer sped by and the car sped off, but perhaps we speeded up the process.

07-21
05:19

TWTS: Bare, bald, and boldfaced lies

A bare-faced lie may also be bald. Sometimes, it may even be bold.

07-16
04:42

TWTS: When "thank you" is your only option

It doesn't seem like coming up with a response to "thank you" should be that complicated. When you think about it though, there are a lot of options.

07-07
04:06

TWTS: When it comes to "lie" and "lay," even English professors get confused

Even for speakers who feel solid about the distinction between "lie" and "lay," they may lose that distinction when "low" is added to the mix.

06-16
05:17

TWTS: We're not done talking about "alright," all right?

All right, last week, we got distracted by the versatility of "all right." This week, we look at why spelling it as one word, "alright," makes some people really mad.

06-11
05:20

TWTS: "Alright" is not just all right with everyone

All right, all right. It's time for us to start talking about whether "alright" is all right.

06-03
04:43

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