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That's What They Say

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Anne Curzan, Rebecca Kruth

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.

#20

TWTS: Whether "or not" belongs in "whether or not" or not

We don’t all agree on whether or not we should correct the phrasing "whether or not." ... Read more

14 Apr 2024

05 MINS

05:07

14 Apr 2024

#19

TWTS: Going forth and back on "back and forth"

We can talk about sending emails back and forth. But why does it sound odd to talk about sending them forth and back? ... Read more

07 Apr 2024

04 MINS

04:10

07 Apr 2024

#18

TWTS: You can tuna fish, but you may not need the "fish"

Given that “tuna” is a fish, some may find it unnecessary to call out that fact out in the compound “tuna fish.” For others, “fish” may be an important distinction. ... Read more

01 Apr 2024

04 MINS

04:52

01 Apr 2024

#17

TWTS: Prone to be prone

You can be prone to do something, whether you're lying down or not. ... Read more

24 Mar 2024

05 MINS

05:14

24 Mar 2024

#16

TWTS: Attend as many "trainings" as you like

There’s evidence of a new peeve arising. This one is focused on “training” as a countable noun. ... Read more

18 Mar 2024

05 MINS

05:17

18 Mar 2024

#15

TWTS: An oft overlooked double possessive

Lots of people don't like the redundancy in "irregardless." However, no one's fussy about the redundancy in a phrase like "a friend of mine." ... Read more

10 Mar 2024

04 MINS

04:33

10 Mar 2024

#14

TWTS: An ouster for the ouster

An ouster can be an act of ousting, or it can be the one who does the ousting. But we seem to have opted for one of those meanings over the other. ... Read more

03 Mar 2024

05 MINS

05:13

03 Mar 2024

#13

TWTS: Need something? Manifest it

At this point, we can manifest our dream future, a good grade on a exam, or even a parking spot. ... Read more

25 Feb 2024

04 MINS

04:54

25 Feb 2024

#12

TWTS: "Curry favor" comes from a horse (of course, of course)

Currying favor has everything to do with flattery and horses, and nothing to do with food. ... Read more

18 Feb 2024

04 MINS

04:48

18 Feb 2024

#11

TWTS: Known liars better hope their pants never literally catch fire

There’s a children’s rhyme that involves liars and pants on fire and various types of wires. Now, we can say things are “pants on fire” false. ... Read more

11 Feb 2024

04 MINS

04:45

11 Feb 2024

#10

TWTS: If or whether you should use "if" or "whether"

If you worry about if or whether you should use "if" or "whether" in exactly this construction, you're not alone. ... Read more

04 Feb 2024

04 MINS

04:52

04 Feb 2024

#9

TWTS: Intensifiers are so intense

It's been really dreary and so icy outside lately. It's awfully tempting to wear super cozy clothes and use lots of intensifiers. ... Read more

28 Jan 2024

05 MINS

05:01

28 Jan 2024

#8

TWTS: Badgered badgers badger

Badgers live underground and are nocturnal, so we don't see them running around all that often. Somehow though, they're associated with a negative, annoying verb. ... Read more

21 Jan 2024

05 MINS

05:06

21 Jan 2024

#7

TWTS: The American Dialect Society's 2023 Word of the Year

The year 2023 is officially in the record books. As part of taking stock, the members of the American Dialect Society met to consider what we've all been up to linguistically. ... Read more

14 Jan 2024

05 MINS

05:07

14 Jan 2024

#6

TWTS: A rule about which we should be asking questions

Many of us were taught the rule that we shouldn’t end a sentence with a preposition, and honestly this is a rule we should be asking questions about. ... Read more

07 Jan 2024

05 MINS

05:21

07 Jan 2024

#5

TWTS: Tupperware containers are plastic, but are plastic containers Tupperware?

It's undeniable that "Tupperware" has become a generic catch-all for plastic containers, regardless of shape, size, or brand. Not everyone likes this. ... Read more

24 Dec 2023

04 MINS

04:35

24 Dec 2023

#4

TWTS: How many things can you batten?

When you stop to think about a verb like "batten," you may be struck by just how few objects it can take. ... Read more

17 Dec 2023

05 MINS

05:04

17 Dec 2023

#3

TWTS: Chances and 'stances are both happening

Sometimes something you think is a slip or a mistake, perhaps a product of happenstance, is not that. ... Read more

10 Dec 2023

05 MINS

05:05

10 Dec 2023

#2

TWTS: Thin as a something

Rails are thin, and so are rakes and pencils and many other things. ... Read more

03 Dec 2023

04 MINS

04:53

03 Dec 2023

#1

TWTS: When you witness a murder ... of crows

While talking about sheep as a flock may sound unremarkable, a murder of crows sounds much more playful. ... Read more

25 Nov 2023

05 MINS

05:14

25 Nov 2023

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#20

TWTS: Whether "or not" belongs in "whether or not" or not

#19

TWTS: Going forth and back on "back and forth"

#18

TWTS: You can tuna fish, but you may not need the "fish"

#17

TWTS: Prone to be prone

#16

TWTS: Attend as many "trainings" as you like

#15

TWTS: An oft overlooked double possessive

#14

TWTS: An ouster for the ouster

#13

TWTS: Need something? Manifest it

#12

TWTS: "Curry favor" comes from a horse (of course, of course)

#11

TWTS: Known liars better hope their pants never literally catch fire

#10

TWTS: If or whether you should use "if" or "whether"

#9

TWTS: Intensifiers are so intense

#8

TWTS: Badgered badgers badger

#7

TWTS: The American Dialect Society's 2023 Word of the Year

#6

TWTS: A rule about which we should be asking questions

#5

TWTS: Tupperware containers are plastic, but are plastic containers Tupperware?

#4

TWTS: How many things can you batten?

#3

TWTS: Chances and 'stances are both happening

#2

TWTS: Thin as a something

#1

TWTS: When you witness a murder ... of crows