Episodes

  • How can you tell a bug from a beetle? | ENTOMOLOGY ETYMOLOGY

    How can you tell a bug from a beetle? | ENTOMOLOGY ETYMOLOGY
    Jun 4 2025
    Time for some entomology etymology! Rob and Jess will have you in bits as they explore the literal meaning of "insect" and all manner of other term for creepy crawly.

    🕷️ Why do spiders spin "cobwebs"?
    🦋 Was a butterfly ever a "flutterby"?
    🐞 Which is older, "ladybug" or "ladybird"?

    These questions answered, and many more, a critter-crammed episode of Words Unravelled.

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    WATCH THIS EPISODE: https://youtu.be/Iw3nl9Xyjik
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    42 mins
  • Why is the Pope "the daddy"? | HOLY WORDS

    Why is the Pope "the daddy"? | HOLY WORDS
    May 28 2025
    Holy heck! Rob and Jess are back with an episode of biblical proportions. Join them as they get to the gospel truth about the origins of religious words.
    ⛪️ What was kept in the very first chapel?
    🦛 Which animal was the original behemoth?
    🗝️ Where does the word "conclave" come from?
    These questions answered – and many more – in another Words Unravelled.

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    👀WATCH THIS EPISODE: https://youtu.be/Gvyn8XrBinU
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    40 mins
  • Why do Brits think 'pants' are underwear? | CLOTHING WORDS

    Why do Brits think 'pants' are underwear? | CLOTHING WORDS
    May 21 2025
    Jess and Rob are unravelling the origins of our words for fabric and clothing in this highly fashionable episode of Words Unravelled.

    🩲 Why do 'pants' mean different things in the UK and US?
    👖 Which city are your jeans named after?
    🪶 What's flappy about a 'flapper girl'?
    ✈️ Is 'nylon' really named after New York and London?

    These questions answered, and many more, in our most unravelly episode of Words Unravelled.

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    WATCH THIS EPISODE: https://youtu.be/s9B1o2ydCmg
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    39 mins
  • Why is there an N in "passenger"? | TRANSPORTATION

    Why is there an N in "passenger"? | TRANSPORTATION
    May 14 2025
    It's time to hit the road with Rob and Jess as they journey through the origins of words from road and rail.
    🚃 Why do Brits say "transport" and Americans "transportation"?
    🚊 What's the difference between a train and a locomotive?
    🚙 How do you actually pronounce Hyundai?
    These questions answered – and many more – in this transport[ation] special of Words Unravelled.

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    WATCH THIS EPISODE: https://youtu.be/kf81cdpXteA
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    43 mins
  • Why were hatters mad? | IDIOM ORIGINS

    Why were hatters mad? | IDIOM ORIGINS
    May 7 2025
    Rob and Jess "pull out all the stops" in this episode explaining idiom origins.
    ✈️ Why do we say "balls to the wall" and "push the envelope"?
    🐘 What's so useless about a "white elephant"?
    👕 Where were the original "whole nine yards"?
    These questions answered and many more in this common sayings special of Words Unravelled.

    Here's our other idioms episode: https://pod.fo/e/2a54ba
    And the video version of this one: https://youtu.be/ca3lz3dXgW8

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    50 mins
  • Is it a restroom or a loo? | UK v. US English

    Is it a restroom or a loo? | UK v. US English
    Apr 30 2025
    Let's explore British English and American English. In another transatlantic war of words, Rob (a Brit) and Jess (an American) debate the differing words for the same things either side of the pond.

    For our new Channel Memberships click "Join" just below the video.

    Our previous 🇺🇸 vs. 🇬🇧 episode
    📺 https://youtu.be/o6KlBd7TPFI?si=EHmBIMV3PatoSQi9
    🔊 https://pod.fo/e/240f60

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    🎥 Watch this episode: https://youtu.be/kf6zkx3Zg_4
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    48 mins
  • Did Shakespeare write all his plays? | THE BARD

    Did Shakespeare write all his plays? | THE BARD
    Apr 23 2025
    We're back for a new 🇬🇧series/🇺🇸season of Words Unravelled. In this episode, transatlantic word nerds Rob and Jess tackle the truth and lies surrounding Williams Shakespeare.
    ✍️ Did the Bard really invent 1,700 words?
    🤬 Which insults did Willy give us?
    🎭 Could he actually have written all of those plays?
    These questions answered and many more, just As You Like It.

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    🎥 WATCH THIS EPISODE: https://youtu.be/91ZxuC2jLo4
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    33 mins
  • How do you pronounce lieutenant? | MILITARY WORDS

    How do you pronounce lieutenant? | MILITARY WORDS
    Apr 2 2025
    There's fightin' talk in this episode of Words Unravelled, in which Jess and Rob discuss words of warcraft.
    🔫 Which woman are all guns named after?
    🪖 Where does the word "war" come from?
    👮 Is lieutenant pronounced loo-tenant or lef-tenant?
    These questions answered – and many more – in this military etymology special of Words Unravelled.

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    🎥 WATCH THIS EPISODE: https://youtu.be/4CJRYBxDdGg
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    41 mins