Kyle and Emily are embroiled once more in Seth’s conjurations of the Lexiconicon when he introduces them to this week’s word: bizarro. Seth traces this word’s tangled roots from French to Italian to Spanish (and maybe Basque?) only as a courtesy to what lies ahead. Summoning linguists Parkvall and Androutsopoulos, Seth reveals the “O-word taxonomy”…

Kyle really gets Emily itching for a word this week, but don’t worry, it’s probably just formication. From medieval pustules to meth mites, this week's word scurries through centuries of medical language and insect-inspired metaphors. Kyle takes us through the Latin root formīca and the many creepy-crawly terms it spawned, while exploring the fine …

Safety, memory renewal, a quiz, Gangs of the EPL, a door, Ding Dong, and access aggravation. (Originally recorded for Club Parsnips on 5/10/24 https://www.patreon.com/c/athleticomince) Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/athleticomince. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…

Emily and Kyle plumb the depths this week—literally and linguistically—as they explore the word aphotic and the eerie world it describes beneath the ocean’s surface. From Greek roots to Victorian bacteria reports, our hosts trace the word’s journey into scientific language, uncovering how aphotic came to define a zone of the deep sea. Emily describ…

Emily and Kyle are joined this week by Ann B. Friedman, founder of Planet Word, a museum in Washington, D.C. dedicated to the language arts. Planet Word, located in the historic Franklin School building in Washington, D.C., transforms the fascinating world of language arts into something interactive, engaging, and universally enjoyable. From a kara…

Steve and Casper’s antics and adventures (and singing) from episode 85 to 116. (Previously issued via Club Parsnips on Patreon and Apple Subscriptions in Feb 2024) Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/athleticomince. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kyle and Emily crack open a cold soda and go fishing with Hagrid. And if that sounded like absolute nonsense, then boy are you in for a treat with this history of the word codswallop. This slang word takes our hosts down strange and disparate paths, though the strangest of all is just how recent this word’s origin might be. Kyle begins at a brewery…

Emily and Kyle dig into a word which is anything but lacking. Both their appetites and their minds will be well sated by this exploration of the word jejune. Examining this word’s earliest roots, our hosts chat about sacrifice in Ancient Rome, a fasting ritual inherited from Ancient Greece, and what is certainly the best synonym for breakfast. And,…

Parsnippers questions, quizzing, singing, that sort of thing. (Originally recorded for Club Parsnips on 17/9/24 https://www.patreon.com/c/athleticomince) Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/athleticomince. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kyle and Emily sit down this week with the founder of the Online Etymology Dictionary (https://www.etymonline.com) and hesitant word wizard himself Doug Harper. Harper takes our hosts through the intricacies and idiosyncrasies of compiling one of the most exhaustive etymology resources on the internet, one which got its sea legs during the genesis …

Kyle and Emily warm up their vocal chords and join the church choir, as they discuss the history of a vexingly vowel-laden word, euouae. Our hosts look at the history of everyone’s favorite tunes, Gregorian chants! They discover what a little bird told Pope Gregory I, learn what little phrase sneaks between psalms and hymns in a Catholic mass, and …

This week, linguistic buccaneers Emily and Kyle tackle that age-old question--why is the rum always gone?--and along the way explore the history of the word rover. Not only does this episode uncover a lost definition of rover, but it’s also chock full of other pirate words! Emily discusses the origin of some words we all know, like booty and buccan…

Lovers of dad jokes and witty insults, tune in! Kyle and Emily dig into some punny humor of the highest caliber, and explore the history of the word witham. This episode’s journey begins with a simple jab, “born at Little Witham”, a textbook example of British wit. Our hosts aren’t sure from which English village this phrase springs--but that may b…

From episodes 103-113, including Carol’s new beau, Peter listening to Talksport, and much more… (Originally released to Club Parsnips members on 31/10/23) Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/athleticomince. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Emily and Kyle are digging into all the ‘write’ stuff. They discuss flash language, begging letters, and the history of the word scrieve. Our hosts start in the wide world of writing, in contexts varying from beloved Scottish writer Robert Louis Stevenson to the tedious work of a scribe. However, the once-innocent scrieve soon becomes th…

A lanky song, catchphrases, Crime Files, Littlepodding, a quiz, Mick goes shopping and more format theft. (Originally recorded for Club Parsnips on 1/9/24 https://www.patreon.com/c/athleticomince) Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/athleticomince. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…

Kyle and Emily are talking about what is perhaps the most complicated part of worldbuilding for sci fi and fantasy, as they unpack the etymology and history of the word glossopoeia. This episode’s all about the nerdiest kind of wordplay, made-up languages. And not just the ones that appear in your favorite franchises like Lord of the Rings, Star Tr…

Emily and Kyle get in the middle of the legal world and discover who will get a moiety of Kyle’s assets when he’s bought the farm. In this episode, Emily uncovers the connections between social media and the paranormal, Kyle splits up his assets for both Alice AND Agnes, and the pair learn how the word expanded from law to chemistry and cultural an…

Kyle and Emily flop down for a quick snooze, but before they drift off to sleep they discuss the meaning and history of the word flophouse. Our hosts are talking about the lives of (and distinctions between) tramps, vagabonds, and the homeless. Kyle discusses the effects that the Civil War and the Great Depression had on homelessness in America, an…

This weeks’ word is truly a work of art! Emily and Kyle discuss grand performances, the realities of artist life, and how to improve their next pitch; as they dig into the myriad meanings of the word magnoperate. Our hosts talk about great works, in all senses of those words. Magnoperate is a decidedly aspirational word--describing everything from …

Safety, snake vaping, a distance quiz, a door, and a hot tub dreamer. (Originally released to Club Parsnips members in July 2024) Join Club Parsnips at https://www.patreon.com/athleticomince Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/athleticomince. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…

We might be long past the season, but Kyle and Emily still have a few jingle bells hangin’ around, and they’re using them to make sweet music as they discuss the word tintinnabulation. Kyle and Emily put words to sounds, finding just the right way to express the ring of a bell. Better yet, noted authors Edgar Allen Poe and Charles Dickens do the sa…

This episode comes in like a whisper on the wind, and gets Emily and Kyle talking about the sonically pleasing and linguistically intriguing word susurrus. Our hosts murmur about the word’s origins in Latin, as well as its satisfying sound as an onomatopoeia. Looking through the lens of some Roman poetry and English literature, they see how this wo…

Kyle lets Emily in on the true theatre kid experience, as they discuss French maids, Italian sopranos, and the history of the word soubrette. Our hosts reveal how an Occitan word for a servant came to refer to an iconic stock character as common as the Harlequin. From Italian Commedia dell’Arte, to French opera, to Shakespeare, to 1950s farces… the…

Emily delights Kyle’s ears with a serenade of the very worst kind, as this episode parades through the history of the word charivari. Our hosts begin with this word’s origins in Greek, and a bothersome inconsistency of spelling and pronunciation. But that’s not the only headache of the day--because this wedding tradition hinges noise making. It’s a…

A safety rap battle, Lawro commentates, Martin visits Neil, Harry’s England gang, and a Slaughters trip. (Released via Club Parsnips in June 2024) Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/athleticomince. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Seth, Emily, and Kyle decide that, this holiday season, they want to keep it simple. Well, not in terms of episode length. But don’t let that scare you off! Our hosts are dashing through some fascinating language history, laughing all the way! Seth starts us off with a word of uncertain spelling. The competition between decalogue and decalog launch…

Med students, pull out your flashcards! Kyle and Emily are crafting a delicate weave of medical terms, biological networks, and the word retiform. Our hosts discuss how the usage of the word retiform is a bit extended from its etymological roots. Emily does her best to recall the anatomy of the eye, and Kyle takes us through all manner of nets and …

Emily and Kyle roll the dice and try out some good old fashioned games of chance. If they play their cards right, they just might learn the history of the word bunco. The word arrived at the intersection of a card game and a dice game, both of which involved betting against a bank like in Blackjack or Roulette. However, you might not want to take y…

Kyle and Emily have been caught red handed! This week they’re exploring crime and punishment of the most Medieval kind, as they discuss the meaning and origin of infangthief. They begin with the origins of this criminal word--which, if you’re wondering, IS related to fangs… a little. But the thief relation is a little more concrete, as this word pu…

Please enjoy the progress and growth of Dom Littlewood from his appearances up to and including episode 113. Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/athleticomince. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Get ready to shine your fender and groom your horses, because this week Emily and Kyle are talking all things brougham, a car and carriage for those looking to travel in style. Our hosts explore the history of a carriage so iconic in Victorian London that it can be seen in the works of Charles Dickens, the world of Sherlock Holmes, and more. They t…

This week, Kyle and Emily get lean and green, or perhaps lean and mean! They discuss the meaning and origin of the word macritude, and it leads them into a classic culinary rivalry. Kyle begins with the origins of this obscure word, in language and in medicine. But he soon pivots to macritude’s much juicier usage in the age-old rivalry between the …

Safety with Mickey Nixon, soccer secrecy, Steve and Mark drink liquids, countryside bother, and fighting with Peter. (Rec: 28/5/24 - full version available in Club Parsnips archive) Join Club Parsnips at https://www.patreon.com/c/athleticomince - extra episodes, studio footage, animation, all sorts of extra stuff Become a member at https://plus.aca…

Emily and Kyle take a trip up north and discuss a surprisingly versatile and incredibly useful word, dree. As per usual, it’s the little words that pack a punch! Our hosts discuss the Germanic origins of the Scots language, and the connection between Norse history and a word often only heard in Scotland, Yorkshire, and Northern Ireland. But Emily a…

It’s teatime for Kyle and Emily! But today they’ve decided to ditch the modern day kettle and instead do things the old fashioned way, as they explore the history of the samovar. Kyle teaches Emily about an ingenious device for boiling water--one which has been well used by Russian tea lovers for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. Our hosts disc…

Get ready for some spooky scary skeleton action, because this week Emily and Kyle have a bone to pick with the word charnel. Our hosts discuss why the average grave in a Medieval graveyard might not be as old as you’d assume, and explore what happens when a church has more skulls and bones than they know what to do with. Kyle might be shocked and a…

Kyle and Emily get grave this week, discussing what might become of them after they have shuffled off this mortal coil, and digging into the history of the word mortsafe. This Victorian invention has our hosts asking a delightfully macabre question: Do we need to keep the living safe from the dead… or the dead safe from the living? Turns out Mary S…

This week, Emily and Kyle are joined by Amy Vorpahl, a Dungeons and Dragons pro you might recognize from Critical Role, D20, and the recently released Goblin Mode! Amy and Kyle are guided by their DM Emily on an adventure into the magical world of thaumaturgy. Thaumaturgy might be familiar to the DnD players out there, but the history of the thauma…

There’s something in the air this week on Butter No Parsnips… and it just might be toxic. Kyle and Emily strap on their beaked masks and dive into the history of the word miasma. The roots of the word lie not just in a literal cloud of vapor, but also in the noxious atmosphere of shame and moral pollution. It turns out that even the most famous phy…

Emily and Kyle discuss the quality of what, this, that, and the other thing as they explore the confusing but useful word, quiddity. Our hosts dive into the nitty gritties of metaphysics philosophy from both Ancient Greece and Medieval Europe. Reality starts to unravel as Kyle and Emily talk about the works of Aristotle, the essence of an individua…

(Updated version with bits that were originally missing) Here’s the best of Barry Homeowner from episodes 68 to 88… ciao bella! Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/athleticomince. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

(Updated version with bits that were originally missing) He’s not Train Guy… or is he? Judge for yourself – here’s the best of Barry Homeowner from episodes 41 to 66… Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/athleticomince. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kyle and Emily take a ride to the Aegean Sea and Ancient Greece, exploring the divine and danger-filled history of the word aegis. Our hosts run through a number of uses for this word, encompassing not just a literal shield but figurative protection, guidance, support, and endorsement. Aegis may have come from some strange cross-section of goats an…

Another round-up of recorded content from M-M-M-M-M-Martin from Homes Under The Hammer from the time period of February 2020 to April 2022. It’s a little bit unusual but you’ll like it (Previously released to Club Parsnips members in July 2023) Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/athleticomince. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for mo…

This episode goes out to anyone who’s calling out from work when they weren’t quite as sick as they implied, as this week Emily and Kyle chat all about the word malinger. Emily starts by diving into this word’s French roots, which once described actual sickly people–and even, perhaps, the MOST sickly person. But this word came to be more associated…

Ever wondered if your name could influence your destiny? Kyle and Emily have, and this deep question brings them to the hilarious world of aptronyms. In this episode, our hosts explore the inception of the aptronym and delve into the theory's deeper implications, touching on ideas from Carl Jung's Synchronicity, to concepts like nominative determin…

This week, Emily and Kyle thoroughly roast each other. But don’t worry; it’s all in good fun. And it’s the perfect segue to chatting about the Aussie and Kiwi slang word, borak! Our hosts look at some of the many Aboriginal languages of Australia, most notably one from the Melbourne area called Wadawurrung. They talk about the impact that coloniali…

Our apologies on the lack of video this week, we made a mistake during recording and forgot to record video! Kyle and Emily address a question that has haunted romantic partners for years--but this divisive worm conversation leads them to a much more fruitful discussion on the word fissiparous. Lovers of zoology, biology, and even microbiology, thi…

Our apologies on the lack of video this week, we made a mistake during recording and forgot to record video! Emily and Kyle square up for an Alexander Hamilton style duel, but trade their pistols for fencing swords as they discuss the meaning and origin of the word spadassinicide. Our hosts begin by diving into the word spadassin, its history in Fr…