PodcastsEducationThat's What They Say

That's What They Say

Anne Curzan, Rebecca Hector
That's What They Say
Latest episode

71 episodes

  • That's What They Say

    TWTS: The death of doornails

    15/05/2026 | 4 mins.
    Many of us don’t talk about doornails very often, but sometimes we will when things are really, well, dead.
  • That's What They Say

    TWTS: When "f" and "v" were sort of one

    08/05/2026 | 5 mins.
    If you know how the sound "f" worked in Old English, it suddenly isn’t mysterious why the "f" in "leaf" turns into a "v" in the plural form "leaves."
  • That's What They Say

    TWTS: "Peak" felt fine until it was "peaked"

    01/05/2026 | 5 mins.
  • That's What They Say

    TWTS: Why no one is "gonna Pittsburgh"

    24/04/2026 | 5 mins.
    If I say I’m gonna do it, I don’t necessarily mean I’m headed out the door right now to do it.
  • That's What They Say

    TWTS: From "6-7" to sixes and sevens

    20/04/2026 | 5 mins.
    2025 had lots of people talking about sixes and sevens, but not in the loose ends kind of way.
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About That's What They Say
Funner, snuck, and LOL are all things that we're hearing people say these days.That's What They Say is a weekly segment on Michigan Public that explores our changing language. University of Michigan English Professor Anne Curzan studies linguistics and the history of the English language. Each week she'll discuss why we say what we say with Michigan Public All Things Considered host Rebecca Hector.That's What They Say airs Fridays at 4:45 p.m. and Sundays at 9:35 a.m. on Michigan Public and you can podcast it here.Do you have an English or grammar question? Ask us here!
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