Episodes

  • How could one man write a dictionary? | SAMUEL JOHNSON

    How could one man write a dictionary? | SAMUEL JOHNSON
    Aug 13 2025
    Samuel Johnson's 1755 dictionary was one heck of an achievement. But it is also far from perfect. In this episode, Jess and Rob discuss some of the more amusing entries within its pages, and even the words that landed dear Samuel in hot water. Enjoy this cover-to-cover exploration of English's most important dictionary and the extraordinary man who wrote it.

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    WATCH THIS EPISODE: https://youtu.be/GW0em6wW15A
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    43 mins
  • Why do pilots sit in a 'cockpit'? | AVIATION WORDS

    Why do pilots sit in a 'cockpit'? | AVIATION WORDS
    Aug 6 2025
    Welcome aboard flight WU321 bound for Etymology Island. In this episode, Rob and Jess take to the skies and soar through the word origins of a multitude of aviation terms.

    ✈️ Is it an 'airplane' or an 'aeroplane'?
    🐓 Why do pilots sit in a 'cockpit'?
    🛩️ Why is English the language of aviation?
    🔠 How did the NATO alphabet come to be?

    These questions answered – and many more – in a high-flying episode of Words Unravelled charting the etymology of flight.

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    🎥 WATCH THIS EPISODE: https://youtu.be/v2pWWECvdvc
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    47 mins
  • How did currencies get their names? | MONEY WORDS

    How did currencies get their names? | MONEY WORDS
    Jul 30 2025
    In for a penny, in for a pound: Rob and Jess discuss money word origins in this episode of Words Unravelled.

    💰 Where did the dollar sign come from?
    💷 What is the British currency a pound of?
    🤑 Which goddess is all money named after?

    These questions answered – and many more – in another financially sound episode of Words Unravelled.

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    🎥 WATCH THIS EPISODE: https://youtu.be/iUnj_TSLqgw
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    51 mins
  • Does English use the wrong word for clouds? | WEATHER WORDS

    Does English use the wrong word for clouds? | WEATHER WORDS
    Jul 23 2025
    Jess and Rob have got their heads in the clouds, exploring the origins of our words for weather.

    ☄️ Why don't meteorologists deal with meteors?
    ☁️ How are we using the wrong word for 'cloud'?
    ☔️ What was the original 'raincheck'?
    🤬 Why does Jess hate the word 'petrichor'?

    These questions answered, and many more, in this etymological meteorological episode of Words Unravelled.

    🌐 LINKS 🌐
    Our games video (re: chess): https://youtu.be/vBa8CIltJ24?si=BxcDAYTk7yLYq5ja
    Our Christmas video (re: reindeer): https://youtu.be/9A0hAxeFyo4?si=ECL0SFZJUcKUo50L
    Rob's video about ugly and beautiful words: https://youtu.be/hh5yEKPNEtM?si=LMvCxuv7KvH4E23T

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    WATCH THIS EPISODE: https://youtu.be/JC79Go-MmaE
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    43 mins
  • Exposing grammar myths and mistakes with Grammar Girl

    Exposing grammar myths and mistakes with Grammar Girl
    Jul 16 2025
    Is it "on accident" or "by accident"? Should "red, white, and blue" have that second comma? Is "10 items or less" okay? Jess and Rob are joined by the internet's Grammar Girl, Mignon Fogarty, to examine some common grammatical myths and mistakes.

    🥳 Is it wrong to use "fun" as an adjective?
    🏎️ Is "drive SLOW" bad grammar? (or just a flat adverb?)
    🥃 Why does "tonic and gin" sound weird?

    These questions answered, as well as many more, on Words Unravelled.

    Mignon's podcast: https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/grammar-girl/

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    WATCH THIS EPISODE: https://youtu.be/9C9nvVUEuOI
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    45 mins
  • Why is English full of French words?

    Why is English full of French words?
    Jun 25 2025
    Bienvenue dans cet épisode de "Mot Décortiqué"! Rob and Jess are exploring the enormous influence French has had on the English language.
    📊What proportion of English words are French?
    🥩Why do our meats have French names?
    🇫🇷Which words have we borrowed from French twice?
    These questions answered and many, many more in another merveilleux, fabuleux Words Unravelled.

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    WATCH THIS EPISODE: https://youtu.be/PfK6C7NASqQ
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    49 mins
  • Precisely how long is a 'moment'? | TIME WORDS

    Precisely how long is a 'moment'? | TIME WORDS
    Jun 18 2025
    Jess and Rob present a brief history of time words in an episode filled with chronological etymology.

    ⌚️ How did "seconds" get their name?
    🕰️ What does "clock" literally mean?
    🇫🇷 How did France's decimal calendar work?

    These questions answered – and so many more – in this timely episode of Words Unravelled.

    Our mythology episode: https://youtu.be/b8s2uxWrMhQ?si=G--tQQwAj9mKHk-S

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    WATCH THIS EPISODE: https://youtu.be/-nhPlHrJDsQ
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    41 mins
  • What was the original "blockbuster"? | MOVIE WORDS

    What was the original "blockbuster"? | MOVIE WORDS
    Jun 11 2025
    Lights, camera, action! Rob and Jess are discussing movie and TV terms in this filmic episode of Words Unravelled.
    🎥 Why do Brits call movies "films"?
    🤷🏼‍♂️ Why has Allen Smithee directed so many terrible movies?
    🙀 Why is there a "dead cat" on every Hollywood set?
    These questions answered, and many more, in this episode crammed with film and television etymology.

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    WATCH THIS EPISODE: https://youtu.be/wtOpyi_xjKw
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    46 mins