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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: Where did that pit in your stomach come from?

It appears that some of those bad or uneasy feelings we may feel in the pit of our stomach have become a pit in our stomach. ... Read more

18 Jan 2025

05 MINS

05:13

18 Jan 2025

#19

TWTS: The American Dialect Society's 2024 Word of the Year

It's that time again. With 2024 behind us, we can vote on the word of the year. ... Read more

13 Jan 2025

05 MINS

05:18

13 Jan 2025

#18

TWTS: When language gets spicy

We can pepper our food or pepper our speech. If the mood strikes us, we can be peppy in a pep rally sort of way. ... Read more

06 Jan 2025

05 MINS

05:14

06 Jan 2025

#17

TWTS: There are reasons to use "there are" before a plural, and there's reasons to use "there's"

There's examples all over the the place of people using "there's" before a plural noun. In fact, we just gave you one. ... Read more

29 Dec 2024

04 MINS

04:24

29 Dec 2024

#16

TWTS: The "doink" heard 'round the stadium

As 2024 comes to a close, the kicker for the Kansas City Chiefs football team gave us a reason to use the verb "doink." ... Read more

23 Dec 2024

04 MINS

04:47

23 Dec 2024

#15

TWTS: Reach out and ping someone

We can still reach out the car window to grab a parking ticket, but today, "reaching out" can also mean "pinging" someone to make a connection. ... Read more

16 Dec 2024

05 MINS

05:15

16 Dec 2024

#14

TWTS: A quintessential enough guide to "quintessential"

The words "decimate" and "unique" are quintessential examples of how a word’s meaning can shift from its etymological roots. ... Read more

08 Dec 2024

05 MINS

05:09

08 Dec 2024

#13

TWTS: The not-so-ordinary world of "ordinary" and "ornery"

"Ornery" seems like an ordinary enough word, but its link to "ordinary" might surprise people. ... Read more

01 Dec 2024

05 MINS

05:20

01 Dec 2024

#12

TWTS: Dilly dallying in the lightning round

As listeners wait with bated breath, we will not dilly dally or shilly shally to get to this lightning round. ... Read more

24 Nov 2024

04 MINS

04:54

24 Nov 2024

#11

TWTS: Language pet peeves don't always stand the test of time

Looking at late 19th century language peeves can often point to a change in progress, but not always. ... Read more

17 Nov 2024

05 MINS

05:09

17 Nov 2024

#10

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. ... Read more

11 Nov 2024

05 MINS

05:17

11 Nov 2024

#9

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. ... Read more

04 Nov 2024

05 MINS

05:24

04 Nov 2024

#8

TWTS: The touchy third rail

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

28 Oct 2024

05 MINS

05:26

28 Oct 2024

#7

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. ... Read more

14 Oct 2024

05 MINS

05:19

14 Oct 2024

#6

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.” ... Read more

04 Oct 2024

05 MINS

05:16

04 Oct 2024

#5

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." ... Read more

23 Sep 2024

04 MINS

04:38

23 Sep 2024

#4

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." ... Read more

16 Sep 2024

04 MINS

04:59

16 Sep 2024

#3

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

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

09 Sep 2024

05 MINS

05:08

09 Sep 2024

#2

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. ... Read more

01 Sep 2024

04 MINS

04:37

01 Sep 2024

#1

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? ... Read more

25 Aug 2024

04 MINS

04:04

25 Aug 2024

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#20

TWTS: Where did that pit in your stomach come from?

#19

TWTS: The American Dialect Society's 2024 Word of the Year

#18

TWTS: When language gets spicy

#17

TWTS: There are reasons to use "there are" before a plural, and there's reasons to use "there's"

#16

TWTS: The "doink" heard 'round the stadium

#15

TWTS: Reach out and ping someone

#14

TWTS: A quintessential enough guide to "quintessential"

#13

TWTS: The not-so-ordinary world of "ordinary" and "ornery"

#12

TWTS: Dilly dallying in the lightning round

#11

TWTS: Language pet peeves don't always stand the test of time

#10

TWTS: "These ones" made the lightning round

#9

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

#8

TWTS: The touchy third rail

#7

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

#6

TWTS: Petards are for hoisting, not stabbing

#5

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

#4

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

#3

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

#2

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

#1

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