<![CDATA[Original Public Meaning]]>

<![CDATA[Original Public Meaning]]>36486d64-fea0-5711-ae55-19c9b009e71dSun, 12 Apr 2026 18:00:12 +0000Captivate.fmCharles McNamarahttps://artwork.captivate.fm/ce1c0e10-e4e9-41c8-be7a-6d0aa46816af/IconNew.pngOriginal Public MeaningCharles McNamaraCharles McNamaraWhere do our modern English words come from? And what do their long histories tell us about our own ideas and the wider world? On Original Public Meaning, we unearth the ancient foundations of our language and consider how its vast, rich literature—fiction, essays, science, and more—can help us savor our words today.https://www.originalpublicmeaning.comfalseepisodicnopodcastSuggest a word to explore or support this podcastCC BY-SA 4.0Episode 26: indifferenceEpisode 26: indifferenceWhen we feel "indifference" about two options before us, we refuse to make a distinction between them. It's a word that's often confused with "ambivalence"—but when we grasp the roots of these words, the distinction between them becomes clearer. To help us appreciate the linguistic and even moral contrast between "indifference" and "ambivalence," we turn to the psychologist and philosopher William James and his comments on saintly virtues in The Varieties of Religious Experience.

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Music: Adapted from Sonatine by Maurice Ravel, performed by Irene Posviatovska (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

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]]>When we feel "indifference" about two options before us, we refuse to make a distinction between them. It's a word that's often confused with "ambivalence"—but when we grasp the roots of these words, the distinction between them becomes clearer. To help us appreciate the linguistic and even moral contrast between "indifference" and "ambivalence," we turn to the psychologist and philosopher William James and his comments on saintly virtues in The Varieties of Religious Experience.

Suggest a word for a future episode or support this podcast at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wordswordswords

Music: Adapted from Sonatine by Maurice Ravel, performed by Irene Posviatovska (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

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]]>27766ef5-5a44-4792-bf37-76c781250863Sun, 12 Apr 2026 13:00:00 -050008:38falsefull2626Episode 25: oblivionEpisode 25: oblivionEvery day we forget things. Thankfully, we don't need to remember every face from our commute, every song on the radio. Today's word "oblivion" draws from this universal experience of forgetting, and its Latin ancestor oblivisci gives us several modern English terms, both common (like "oblivious") and obscure (like "oubliette"). In our consideration of forgetfulness and the practice of leaving things in the past, we look at a poem by Wisława Szymborska, the Polish writer who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1996.

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Music: Adapted from Sonatine by Maurice Ravel, performed by Irene Posviatovska (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

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]]>Every day we forget things. Thankfully, we don't need to remember every face from our commute, every song on the radio. Today's word "oblivion" draws from this universal experience of forgetting, and its Latin ancestor oblivisci gives us several modern English terms, both common (like "oblivious") and obscure (like "oubliette"). In our consideration of forgetfulness and the practice of leaving things in the past, we look at a poem by Wisława Szymborska, the Polish writer who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1996.

Suggest a word for a future episode or support this podcast at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wordswordswords

Music: Adapted from Sonatine by Maurice Ravel, performed by Irene Posviatovska (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

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]]>b461cde4-7f59-49a8-9e3c-fcf468249a3aWed, 08 Apr 2026 22:50:00 -050007:55falsefull2525Episode 24: scrutinizeEpisode 24: scrutinizeWe're back after a brief hiatus with the word "scrutinize," whose roots draw from the universal experience of dealing with garbage. Well before our modern era of landfills and recycling, the Romans separated their trash—or scruta—from their treasure. From this Latin word scruta, we have inherited the notion of "scrutinizing": looking for something of value amid refuse. To close out, we ponder a surreal description of the American supermarket and its various species of junk from Don DeLillo's novel White Noise.

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Music: Adapted from Sonatine by Maurice Ravel, performed by Irene Posviatovska (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

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]]>We're back after a brief hiatus with the word "scrutinize," whose roots draw from the universal experience of dealing with garbage. Well before our modern era of landfills and recycling, the Romans separated their trash—or scruta—from their treasure. From this Latin word scruta, we have inherited the notion of "scrutinizing": looking for something of value amid refuse. To close out, we ponder a surreal description of the American supermarket and its various species of junk from Don DeLillo's novel White Noise.

Suggest a word for a future episode or support this podcast at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wordswordswords

Music: Adapted from Sonatine by Maurice Ravel, performed by Irene Posviatovska (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

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]]>f9f195c4-7bdc-4ea3-b30f-ed6a366a5998Sat, 04 Apr 2026 16:05:00 -050007:22falsefull2424Episode 23: aspirationEpisode 23: aspirationOur future goals—for our career, for our physical fitness, for anything—are our "aspirations." This word, which literally means "a breathing toward," has an murky connection with its dominant modern meaning of a "desire for our future." These tenuous links still can still help us appreciate the notion of aspiration as it appears in Ralph Waldo Emerson's The Method of Nature, his 1841 meditation on the paradoxical tension between individual ambition and grand historical narrative.

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Music: Adapted from Sonatine by Maurice Ravel, performed by Irene Posviatovska (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

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]]>Our future goals—for our career, for our physical fitness, for anything—are our "aspirations." This word, which literally means "a breathing toward," has an murky connection with its dominant modern meaning of a "desire for our future." These tenuous links still can still help us appreciate the notion of aspiration as it appears in Ralph Waldo Emerson's The Method of Nature, his 1841 meditation on the paradoxical tension between individual ambition and grand historical narrative.

Suggest a word for a future episode or support this podcast at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wordswordswords

Music: Adapted from Sonatine by Maurice Ravel, performed by Irene Posviatovska (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

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]]>47dae2fd-4426-47be-9a87-dda59c868185Sat, 21 Mar 2026 15:30:00 -050008:21falsefull2323Episode 22: utopiaEpisode 22: utopiaThe word "utopia" was invented in 1516 by Sir Thomas More for his book of the same name. But a utopia seems to draw from two separate Greek notions: a "non-existent place" and a "good place." In today's episode, we consider the confused origins of "utopia," and we consider the word's appearance in the novel Main Street by Sinclair Lewis, the first American to win the Nobel Prize in Literature.

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Music: Adapted from Sonatine by Maurice Ravel, performed by Irene Posviatovska (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

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]]>The word "utopia" was invented in 1516 by Sir Thomas More for his book of the same name. But a utopia seems to draw from two separate Greek notions: a "non-existent place" and a "good place." In today's episode, we consider the confused origins of "utopia," and we consider the word's appearance in the novel Main Street by Sinclair Lewis, the first American to win the Nobel Prize in Literature.

Suggest a word for a future episode or support this podcast at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wordswordswords

Music: Adapted from Sonatine by Maurice Ravel, performed by Irene Posviatovska (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

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]]>c43cc010-e208-460b-b79d-fb60b68fd15dWed, 18 Mar 2026 21:50:00 -050008:28falsefull2222Episode 21: patienceEpisode 21: patienceWhen someone is a "patient," that person is, in one sense, weakened by an affliction but also, in another, powerfully enduring it. There's a paradox behind the idea of "patience," and in this episode we consider how this English word confronts this very tension. Finally, we consider a brief poem by the reclusive author Emily Dickinson, whose bracing images remind us that strength can sometimes hide under a veneer of vulnerability.

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Music: Adapted from Sonatine by Maurice Ravel, performed by Irene Posviatovska (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

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]]>When someone is a "patient," that person is, in one sense, weakened by an affliction but also, in another, powerfully enduring it. There's a paradox behind the idea of "patience," and in this episode we consider how this English word confronts this very tension. Finally, we consider a brief poem by the reclusive author Emily Dickinson, whose bracing images remind us that strength can sometimes hide under a veneer of vulnerability.

Suggest a word for a future episode or support this podcast at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wordswordswords

Music: Adapted from Sonatine by Maurice Ravel, performed by Irene Posviatovska (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

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]]>a7f6b534-7a1a-43b6-a9f4-92a7a668ed8cFri, 13 Mar 2026 13:40:00 -050007:38falsefull2121Episode 20: sentimentEpisode 20: sentimentIn our previous episode, we considered how the Greek vocabulary for "feeling" developed into our contemporary language of "aesthetics." Today, we look at the similar terminology of "sensing" in Latin, which eventually evolved into the English word "sentiment." Interestingly, these similar ancient terms become rather different ideas in English. As a reflection on the roots of our own sentiments, we look to Adam Smith, whose 1776 work The Wealth of Nations tells us not just about economic growth but the judgments we develop through and from our daily labors.

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Music: Adapted from Sonatine by Maurice Ravel, performed by Irene Posviatovska (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

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]]>In our previous episode, we considered how the Greek vocabulary for "feeling" developed into our contemporary language of "aesthetics." Today, we look at the similar terminology of "sensing" in Latin, which eventually evolved into the English word "sentiment." Interestingly, these similar ancient terms become rather different ideas in English. As a reflection on the roots of our own sentiments, we look to Adam Smith, whose 1776 work The Wealth of Nations tells us not just about economic growth but the judgments we develop through and from our daily labors.

Suggest a word for a future episode or support this podcast at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wordswordswords

Music: Adapted from Sonatine by Maurice Ravel, performed by Irene Posviatovska (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

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]]>78334e5f-1087-466d-bc30-8dcd68933c00Wed, 11 Mar 2026 09:35:00 -050008:54falsefull2020Episode 19: aestheticEpisode 19: aestheticAncient philosophical thought retains an enormous influence on our own contemporary worldview. Today's word—"aesthetic"—draws from that very tradition. We might think of "aesthetics" as a branch of philosophy concerned with the evaluation of art, and even more fundamentally, the word itself raises important questions about what we know anything and how we can know it. To help us think through these difficult philosophical problems, we consider a passage from Albert Murray's The Omni-Americans and its criticism of twentieth-century social scientists.

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Music: Adapted from Sonatine by Maurice Ravel, performed by Irene Posviatovska (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

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]]>Ancient philosophical thought retains an enormous influence on our own contemporary worldview. Today's word—"aesthetic"—draws from that very tradition. We might think of "aesthetics" as a branch of philosophy concerned with the evaluation of art, and even more fundamentally, the word itself raises important questions about what we know anything and how we can know it. To help us think through these difficult philosophical problems, we consider a passage from Albert Murray's The Omni-Americans and its criticism of twentieth-century social scientists.

Suggest a word for a future episode or support this podcast at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wordswordswords

Music: Adapted from Sonatine by Maurice Ravel, performed by Irene Posviatovska (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

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]]>cf1d209c-b038-4597-8d32-3bfd3d3547c7Fri, 06 Mar 2026 16:40:00 -050008:44falsefull1919Episode 18: opulentEpisode 18: opulentThe Greeks and Romans have left behind so much: not just literature, but roads, vases, statues, and buildings. In today's episode, we use this "material culture" of the ancient world as an entry point for thinking about the word "opulent," which itself draws on a multiple words from Latin. To think through the notion of opulence, both ancient and modern, we consider a passage from Joan Didion's seminal collection of essays, The White Album.

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Music: Adapted from Sonatine by Maurice Ravel, performed by Irene Posviatovska (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

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]]>The Greeks and Romans have left behind so much: not just literature, but roads, vases, statues, and buildings. In today's episode, we use this "material culture" of the ancient world as an entry point for thinking about the word "opulent," which itself draws on a multiple words from Latin. To think through the notion of opulence, both ancient and modern, we consider a passage from Joan Didion's seminal collection of essays, The White Album.

Suggest a word for a future episode or support this podcast at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wordswordswords

Music: Adapted from Sonatine by Maurice Ravel, performed by Irene Posviatovska (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

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]]>523c02a7-ab8c-4a99-9a35-3c4b330a88f2Tue, 03 Mar 2026 20:40:00 -050008:43falsefull1818Episode 17: pyramidEpisode 17: pyramidPyramids are part of global architectural culture. We find pyramid-like structures in Egypt, Mexico, and in many other places. But the word "pyramid" itself comes from Ancient Greek—or perhaps it does. The etymology of "pyramid" is a bit of an unsolved linguistic riddle, and in today's episode we consider some possible origins. We also look to a famous passage from Horace, the poet of Augustan Rome, who hopes that his own literary legacy will outlast such great architectural monuments.

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Music: Adapted from Sonatine by Maurice Ravel, performed by Irene Posviatovska (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

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]]>Pyramids are part of global architectural culture. We find pyramid-like structures in Egypt, Mexico, and in many other places. But the word "pyramid" itself comes from Ancient Greek—or perhaps it does. The etymology of "pyramid" is a bit of an unsolved linguistic riddle, and in today's episode we consider some possible origins. We also look to a famous passage from Horace, the poet of Augustan Rome, who hopes that his own literary legacy will outlast such great architectural monuments.

Suggest a word for a future episode or support this podcast at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wordswordswords

Music: Adapted from Sonatine by Maurice Ravel, performed by Irene Posviatovska (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

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]]>23edc514-9b4e-4f87-9747-997694fdbee3Fri, 27 Feb 2026 21:35:00 -050007:38falsefull1717Episode 16: providenceEpisode 16: providenceWe all plan for the future we want, even knowing that the best laid plans of mice and men can go awry. When we try to look ahead and make the best choices, we exercise a kind of "providence," at least according to the etymological roots of this word. In today's episode, we consider the notion of providence and its close relation to "prudence." We also look to John Milton's Paradise Lost, whose final lines draw out some rich moral paradoxes about human freedom.

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Music: Adapted from Sonatine by Maurice Ravel, performed by Irene Posviatovska (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

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]]>We all plan for the future we want, even knowing that the best laid plans of mice and men can go awry. When we try to look ahead and make the best choices, we exercise a kind of "providence," at least according to the etymological roots of this word. In today's episode, we consider the notion of providence and its close relation to "prudence." We also look to John Milton's Paradise Lost, whose final lines draw out some rich moral paradoxes about human freedom.

Suggest a word for a future episode or support this podcast at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wordswordswords

Music: Adapted from Sonatine by Maurice Ravel, performed by Irene Posviatovska (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

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]]>cf8cfba7-8720-42e6-a3d4-5d4b7fdffb49Tue, 24 Feb 2026 17:20:00 -050008:50falsefull1616Episode 15: larvaEpisode 15: larvaWe might think of grubs hidden under a rock when we hear the word "larva" today. The word comes from Latin, but at least originally, it doesn't mean "insect"—rather, it means "ghost." Today we consider the strange development of biological terms while also revisiting a famous ghost story in a comedic and somewhat bizarre novel from the Roman world, Petronius's Satyricon.

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Music: Adapted from Sonatine by Maurice Ravel, performed by Irene Posviatovska (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

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]]>We might think of grubs hidden under a rock when we hear the word "larva" today. The word comes from Latin, but at least originally, it doesn't mean "insect"—rather, it means "ghost." Today we consider the strange development of biological terms while also revisiting a famous ghost story in a comedic and somewhat bizarre novel from the Roman world, Petronius's Satyricon.

Suggest a word for a future episode or support this podcast at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wordswordswords

Music: Adapted from Sonatine by Maurice Ravel, performed by Irene Posviatovska (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

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]]>e3cf5766-5020-4fe5-9d76-fdeb96b0795bFri, 20 Feb 2026 10:10:00 -050007:47falsefull1515Episode 14: panoplyEpisode 14: panoplyThe word "panoply" today might denote a magnificent or pompous display, but its roots lie in the armor of ancient Greek soldiers. In today's episode, we consider some military terminology from the ancient world, tracing its early influence on the Greek New Testament. After consulting an episode from the Histories of Herodotus, too, we touch on one of the longstanding concerns of ancient political thought: that tyranny might arise not from a corrupt monarchy, but instead through a gullible public.

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Music: Adapted from Sonatine by Maurice Ravel, performed by Irene Posviatovska (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

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]]>The word "panoply" today might denote a magnificent or pompous display, but its roots lie in the armor of ancient Greek soldiers. In today's episode, we consider some military terminology from the ancient world, tracing its early influence on the Greek New Testament. After consulting an episode from the Histories of Herodotus, too, we touch on one of the longstanding concerns of ancient political thought: that tyranny might arise not from a corrupt monarchy, but instead through a gullible public.

Suggest a word for a future episode or support this podcast at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wordswordswords

Music: Adapted from Sonatine by Maurice Ravel, performed by Irene Posviatovska (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

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]]>91c5ebcf-cbb2-41e0-8538-b3362c16970fTue, 17 Feb 2026 21:30:00 -050008:40falsefull1414Episode 13: romanceEpisode 13: romanceLatin and Greek have their own words for love and attraction—amor and eros, for instance—but these words don't serve as the root of our word "romance." Instead, "romance" comes from the very name of the Latin-speaking people, the Romans. How does the name for a population come to mean something about affection? We consider Jane Austen's Persuasion to help us track the meaning of "romance" from its ancient origins to our modern era.

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Music: Adapted from Sonatine by Maurice Ravel, performed by Irene Posviatovska (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

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]]>Latin and Greek have their own words for love and attraction—amor and eros, for instance—but these words don't serve as the root of our word "romance." Instead, "romance" comes from the very name of the Latin-speaking people, the Romans. How does the name for a population come to mean something about affection? We consider Jane Austen's Persuasion to help us track the meaning of "romance" from its ancient origins to our modern era.

Suggest a word for a future episode or support this podcast at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wordswordswords

Music: Adapted from Sonatine by Maurice Ravel, performed by Irene Posviatovska (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

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]]>118c831c-96e2-4276-b7ad-46bb22a9bec8Fri, 13 Feb 2026 18:25:00 -050008:04falsefull1313Episode 12: nostalgiaEpisode 12: nostalgiaThe most famous nostos—or "homeward journey"—in Greco-Roman literature is the arduous trip Odysseus makes after the Trojan War, as told in Homer's Odyssey. The longing for such a return forms the root of our word "nostalgia," first used in the seventeenth century. Today we look at how this original notion of nostalgia as "homesickness" morphed into our modern use of the word as a longing for the past. We also consider the idea of one's own consciousness as a kind of psychological home, captured in Haruki Murakami's What I Talk About When I Talk About Running.

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Music: Adapted from Sonatine by Maurice Ravel, performed by Irene Posviatovska (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

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]]>The most famous nostos—or "homeward journey"—in Greco-Roman literature is the arduous trip Odysseus makes after the Trojan War, as told in Homer's Odyssey. The longing for such a return forms the root of our word "nostalgia," first used in the seventeenth century. Today we look at how this original notion of nostalgia as "homesickness" morphed into our modern use of the word as a longing for the past. We also consider the idea of one's own consciousness as a kind of psychological home, captured in Haruki Murakami's What I Talk About When I Talk About Running.

Suggest a word for a future episode or support this podcast at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wordswordswords

Music: Adapted from Sonatine by Maurice Ravel, performed by Irene Posviatovska (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

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]]>c42655d2-e81f-42c4-885e-683cfebb49abTue, 10 Feb 2026 10:25:00 -050008:47falsefull1212Episode 11: neglectEpisode 11: neglectThe common Latin verb legere has an astonishing range of meaning: to pick up, to read, to overhear, to track someone's footsteps. When negated, this verb develops into the modern English "neglect" as well as related words like "negligent" and "negligence." In today's episode, we also consider the stylistic principle of "diligent negligence" (or perhaps "careful nonchalance") from the Roman statesman Cicero and its afterlife in Raymond Chandler, the master of hard-boiled crime fiction.

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Music: Adapted from Sonatine by Maurice Ravel, performed by Irene Posviatovska (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

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]]>The common Latin verb legere has an astonishing range of meaning: to pick up, to read, to overhear, to track someone's footsteps. When negated, this verb develops into the modern English "neglect" as well as related words like "negligent" and "negligence." In today's episode, we also consider the stylistic principle of "diligent negligence" (or perhaps "careful nonchalance") from the Roman statesman Cicero and its afterlife in Raymond Chandler, the master of hard-boiled crime fiction.

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Music: Adapted from Sonatine by Maurice Ravel, performed by Irene Posviatovska (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

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]]>da3e9fdb-d557-4080-9bc7-eb885ecc69b2Fri, 06 Feb 2026 17:10:00 -050007:51falsefull1111Episode 10: insularEpisode 10: insularThe word "island" itself has Germanic, rather than Greco-Roman, roots. But the Latin word insula—which also means "island"—generates several English words, including "insulate" and "insular." After considering some of these English derivatives, we turn to Herman Melville's Moby Dick, a novel that uses the image of an insular landmass to illustrate the very mystery of human existence.

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Music: Adapted from Sonatine by Maurice Ravel, performed by Irene Posviatovska (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

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]]>The word "island" itself has Germanic, rather than Greco-Roman, roots. But the Latin word insula—which also means "island"—generates several English words, including "insulate" and "insular." After considering some of these English derivatives, we turn to Herman Melville's Moby Dick, a novel that uses the image of an insular landmass to illustrate the very mystery of human existence.

Suggest a word for a future episode or support this podcast at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wordswordswords

Music: Adapted from Sonatine by Maurice Ravel, performed by Irene Posviatovska (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

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]]>df3952f7-2a3a-49ea-a524-f0d50e300250Tue, 03 Feb 2026 10:00:00 -050008:10falsefull1010Episode 9: incandescentEpisode 9: incandescentWords for modern technology—computer, electricity, and so on—often draw from ancient vocabulary to describe novel objects and phenomena. Such is the case for "incandescent," which first appeared in the eighteenth century in a report about combustible fuels. As we see in the contemporary novel Gilead by Marilynne Robinson, this word's application ultimately extends well beyond the filament of a light bulb and into moral matters.

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Music: Adapted from Sonatine by Maurice Ravel, performed by Irene Posviatovska (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

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]]>Words for modern technology—computer, electricity, and so on—often draw from ancient vocabulary to describe novel objects and phenomena. Such is the case for "incandescent," which first appeared in the eighteenth century in a report about combustible fuels. As we see in the contemporary novel Gilead by Marilynne Robinson, this word's application ultimately extends well beyond the filament of a light bulb and into moral matters.

Suggest a word for a future episode or support this podcast at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wordswordswords

Music: Adapted from Sonatine by Maurice Ravel, performed by Irene Posviatovska (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

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]]>cc2d684f-6c39-4160-9c6d-2a66101fdcd3Fri, 30 Jan 2026 10:00:00 -050008:07falsefull99Episode 8: ramifyEpisode 8: ramifyLike many of our words, "ramify" borrows its meaning from the natural world—in this case, from the complex branches of a tree. Today, we use "ramify" and "ramifications" to discuss all kinds of matters, not just trees, such as the future consequences of important historical events. In this episode, we explore the broadest ramifications taking place over millions of years in Charles Darwin's 1859 text on natural selection, The Origin of Species.

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Music: Adapted from Sonatine by Maurice Ravel, performed by Irene Posviatovska (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

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]]>Like many of our words, "ramify" borrows its meaning from the natural world—in this case, from the complex branches of a tree. Today, we use "ramify" and "ramifications" to discuss all kinds of matters, not just trees, such as the future consequences of important historical events. In this episode, we explore the broadest ramifications taking place over millions of years in Charles Darwin's 1859 text on natural selection, The Origin of Species.

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Music: Adapted from Sonatine by Maurice Ravel, performed by Irene Posviatovska (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

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]]>9e04d897-da3e-4125-b550-a3b29ca1a743Tue, 27 Jan 2026 10:00:00 -050007:38falsefull88Episode 7: conventionEpisode 7: conventionThe etymology of "convention" is simple enough—it means a "coming together," combining the Latin roots for "together" and "to come." But how does this idea of a physical meeting develop into our idea of customary practices and social norms? We look at a brilliant passage from Alexis de Tocqueville's Democracy in America for clarification.

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Music: Adapted from Sonatine by Maurice Ravel, performed by Irene Posviatovska (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

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]]>The etymology of "convention" is simple enough—it means a "coming together," combining the Latin roots for "together" and "to come." But how does this idea of a physical meeting develop into our idea of customary practices and social norms? We look at a brilliant passage from Alexis de Tocqueville's Democracy in America for clarification.

Suggest a word for a future episode or support this podcast at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wordswordswords

Music: Adapted from Sonatine by Maurice Ravel, performed by Irene Posviatovska (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

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]]>4887a447-4942-4ee8-b2b4-218a989220d8Fri, 23 Jan 2026 11:00:00 -050007:33falsefull77Episode 6: ectoplasmEpisode 6: ectoplasmThe word ectoplasm, for people of a particular age, will undoubtedly bring the Ghostbusters franchise to mind. But the word has a longer history, stretching from its ancient Greek roots to modern spiritual quackery. Here, we look to Arthur Conan Doyle and Ralph Ellison for understanding what it means to be invisible or real, fabricated or true.

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Music: Adapted from Sonatine by Maurice Ravel, performed by Irene Posviatovska (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

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]]>The word ectoplasm, for people of a particular age, will undoubtedly bring the Ghostbusters franchise to mind. But the word has a longer history, stretching from its ancient Greek roots to modern spiritual quackery. Here, we look to Arthur Conan Doyle and Ralph Ellison for understanding what it means to be invisible or real, fabricated or true.

Suggest a word for a future episode or support this podcast at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wordswordswords

Music: Adapted from Sonatine by Maurice Ravel, performed by Irene Posviatovska (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

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]]>d7c439f2-b2a0-4a98-a3b5-86c5e9ccbfe9Tue, 20 Jan 2026 11:00:00 -050006:56falsefull66Episode 5: quipEpisode 5: quipA quip is a little, witty remark, but it's also a bit of Latin that has sneaked into English. In today's episode, we consider all those qu- words in Latin like quis and quae to help understand the underlying meaning of "quip." We look, too, at the opening of Vergil's Aeneid for an example of a quip hiding in plain sight.

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Music: Adapted from Sonatine by Maurice Ravel, performed by Irene Posviatovska (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

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]]>A quip is a little, witty remark, but it's also a bit of Latin that has sneaked into English. In today's episode, we consider all those qu- words in Latin like quis and quae to help understand the underlying meaning of "quip." We look, too, at the opening of Vergil's Aeneid for an example of a quip hiding in plain sight.

Suggest a word for a future episode or support this podcast at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wordswordswords

Music: Adapted from Sonatine by Maurice Ravel, performed by Irene Posviatovska (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

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]]>7d05f06e-6dfa-45e4-87e0-c81456d459b3Fri, 16 Jan 2026 13:49:00 -050007:02falsefull55Episode 4: untrammeledEpisode 4: untrammeledIf someone can be "untrammeled," can they also just be "trammeled"? And what does it mean to "trammel" something in the first place? Today we look at a word whose negative form dominates its usage. After uncovering the roots of "untrammeled" in fishing traps, we turn to human biology and the biography of the Roman Emperor Claudius to consider how people have found themselves caught up in nets.

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Music: Adapted from Sonatine by Maurice Ravel, performed by Irene Posviatovska (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

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]]>If someone can be "untrammeled," can they also just be "trammeled"? And what does it mean to "trammel" something in the first place? Today we look at a word whose negative form dominates its usage. After uncovering the roots of "untrammeled" in fishing traps, we turn to human biology and the biography of the Roman Emperor Claudius to consider how people have found themselves caught up in nets.

Suggest a word for a future episode or support this podcast at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wordswordswords

Music: Adapted from Sonatine by Maurice Ravel, performed by Irene Posviatovska (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

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]]>fbb36a5c-38e3-4e72-9b5f-a58edfa50040Tue, 13 Jan 2026 11:15:00 -050007:40falsefull44Episode 3: hypocrisyEpisode 3: hypocrisyHypocrisy is a moral failing we find in deceitful, duplicitous people. But this word—which originally comes from a Greek verb that simply means "to reply"—wasn't always associated with deception or compromised principles. The Stoic philosopher Epictetus and the novelist George Eliot give us literary examples to consider how our notion of hypocrisy came to us today.

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Music: Adapted from Sonatine by Maurice Ravel, performed by Irene Posviatovska (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

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]]>Hypocrisy is a moral failing we find in deceitful, duplicitous people. But this word—which originally comes from a Greek verb that simply means "to reply"—wasn't always associated with deception or compromised principles. The Stoic philosopher Epictetus and the novelist George Eliot give us literary examples to consider how our notion of hypocrisy came to us today.

Suggest a word for a future episode or support this podcast at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wordswordswords

Music: Adapted from Sonatine by Maurice Ravel, performed by Irene Posviatovska (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

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]]>3d947d6b-ed6d-48a8-986d-de5583bb76c9Fri, 09 Jan 2026 10:00:00 -050007:00falsefull33Episode 2: negotiateEpisode 2: negotiateWe negotiate with friends and rivals alike in the modern world: at the dinner table, in the workplace, and among relatives. The notion of "negotiating," however, has its roots in ancient Latin vocabulary—chiefly, in the noun negotium. In this episode, we consider how Romans understood work and leisure, and we look to Shakespeare to see how this ancient idea evolved in later English literature.

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Music: Adapted from Sonatine by Maurice Ravel, performed by Irene Posviatovska (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

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]]>We negotiate with friends and rivals alike in the modern world: at the dinner table, in the workplace, and among relatives. The notion of "negotiating," however, has its roots in ancient Latin vocabulary—chiefly, in the noun negotium. In this episode, we consider how Romans understood work and leisure, and we look to Shakespeare to see how this ancient idea evolved in later English literature.

Suggest a word for a future episode or support this podcast at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wordswordswords

Music: Adapted from Sonatine by Maurice Ravel, performed by Irene Posviatovska (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

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]]>6d963f9f-b054-4512-aa26-5794a8524001Tue, 06 Jan 2026 10:00:00 -050006:31falsefull22Episode 1: principal (and principle)Episode 1: principal (and principle)To kick off this podcast, we're starting with the word "principal," whose close relative "principle" can trip up even native English speakers. These two words—even if they have some shared history—aren't interchangeable. In this first episode, we turn to Isaac Newton and the King James Bible for help.

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Music: Adapted from Sonatine by Maurice Ravel, performed by Irene Posviatovska (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

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]]>To kick off this podcast, we're starting with the word "principal," whose close relative "principle" can trip up even native English speakers. These two words—even if they have some shared history—aren't interchangeable. In this first episode, we turn to Isaac Newton and the King James Bible for help.

Suggest a word for a future episode or support this podcast at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wordswordswords

Music: Adapted from Sonatine by Maurice Ravel, performed by Irene Posviatovska (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

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]]>2a247603-eeb6-486d-89b4-af73de39fe3aFri, 02 Jan 2026 10:00:00 -050007:01falsefull11