Rebecca Kruth

2 weeks ago | michiganpublic.org | Anne Curzan |Rebecca Kruth

Note: This episode of That's What They Say originally aired on February 26, 2023. When we’re talking about a small book for teaching children to read, or really any short book that introduces a topic, there are two competing pronunciations of the word for that book.

2 weeks ago | michiganpublic.org | Rebecca Kruth |Anne Curzan

Last fall in Chicago, Professor Anne Curzan gave a talk that sparked an unexpected question during the Q&A: “What’s going on with 'kiddo'? I now hear it all the time as a description of kids.”“Kiddo” does seem to be popping up more often as both an affectionate term and a general label for childrenTo understand “kiddo,” it helps to start with “kid.” This word goes back to the 12th century, when it originally referred to a young goat.

3 weeks ago | michiganpublic.org | Anne Curzan |Rebecca Kruth

Language, and our treatment of it, evolves as culture and technology change. One place where culture and technology have changed massively over the years is the media. It's no wonder why our listener Laurel Federbush had this question: "Has 'media' become a singular word by now? Because technically it’s plural."That's a great question. Yes, while “media” is technically plural, its singular usage has become increasingly common and widely accepted.

1 month ago | michiganpublic.org | Anne Curzan |Rebecca Kruth

If you’re trying to make a positive impact in this world, you might want to reevaluate your intentions if others are referring to you as a “do gooder.” On the other hand, if they’re calling you a “good doer,” you probably are, in fact, doing some good. Of course, since this is a language program, we’re also interested in the fact that “do gooder” doesn’t follow the patterns that other compounds follow. We’re used to a noun followed by a verb with “er” at the end.

1 month ago | michiganpublic.org | Rebecca Kruth |Anne Curzan

Sometimes, it feels as though the English language is practically begging to be made into a dad joke. Think: “The average person is really mean," or “I’m reading a book about gravity—it’s impossible to put down.”Cue the groans. Still, dad jokes aren't without their merit when it comes to sparking genuine curiosity about our language. Our listener Tim Broach writes, "My wife will sometimes say she needs to shower badly. I’ll usually make the dad joke that I’d prefer she shower well.