Butter No Parsnips

Butter No Parsnips
  • 5.0 (15)
  • COMEDY
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Every week on Butter No Parsnips, your hosts Emily Moyers and Kyle Imperatore take you on an adventure through the weird, wacky, wonderful, and sometimes wicked history of one wayside word. Strange characters, delightful bits, and general joyousness abound, join them as they test each other's etymological expertise!

  1. 5D AGO

    194. Eavesdrip: The Rainy Day Origin of Snooping

    Better pack an umbrella, because this week Emily and Kyle are seeking shelter from the rain. A conversation beginning at thatched roofs trickles down to local snoops, as our hosts discuss the meaning and origin of the word eavesdrip. The pair discuss why your roof juts past your walls, how a singular word can accidentally become plural, and what haircut was all the rage in the Anglo Saxon era. Kyle learns that building ordinances have a surprisingly long history, although they look a little different in Rome than in England. Emily reveals that not everyone resting under eaves is trying to avoid the rain. Eavesdropping becomes a criminal offense, and not for the reason you might think. And our hosts chat about medieval offenses such as nightwalking, theft, and plain old gossip. Join us every week as we explore the fascinating origins and meanings of words, uncovering the hidden stories behind language and how it evolves over time, for language enthusiasts and etymology buffs alike. Like what you hear? Follow Butter No Parsnips elsewhere: • Instagram • Facebook • TikTok • Twitch • Support the show: • Patreon • Website • Ko-fi • Produced by Seth Gliksman, Kyle Imperatore, and Emily Moyers Main theme and accompanying themes by Kyle Imperatore

    31 min

  2. MAY 11

    193. Verb Your Enthusiasm: Master the Art of the Verb with Sarah L. Kaufman

    This week, Kyle and Emily talk, chat, banter, converse, and more with author and dance critic Sarah L. Kaufman about her new book Verb Your Enthusiasm. Drawing from her background in dance, Kaufman connects movement on stage to movement on the page, showing the surprising power of verbs to make writing more vivid and precise. From the practical to the poetic, Sarah expounds on verbs of manner, active vs. passive voice, and the nasty role adverbs can have in gumming up the works. They plunge deep into the concept of “show don’t tell” and how a few, well-chosen verbs can communicate big, encompassing ideas. Along the way, Kaufman preaches “clarity and grace”, good habits, and the ways in which verbs serve good writing. The episode–and the book–offers an approachable guide to making everyday writing sharper, more engaging, and more alive. Join us every week as we explore the fascinating origins and meanings of words, uncovering the hidden stories behind language and how it evolves over time, for language enthusiasts and etymology buffs alike. Like what you hear? Follow Butter No Parsnips elsewhere: • Instagram • Facebook • TikTok • Twitch • Support the show: • Patreon • Website • Ko-fi • Produced by Seth Gliksman, Kyle Imperatore, and Emily Moyers Main theme and accompanying themes by Kyle Imperatore

    56 min

  3. MAY 4

    192. Quisling: How WWII Set the Standard for Treason

    Kyle and Emily have a traitor in their midst, and his name is Quisling. They’ll talk about a decidedly terrible politician, a quagmire of Q words, and a word for all betrayers great and small. This eponym takes us back to World War II, and unfortunately straight to the man dubbed Norwegian Hitler. Our hosts discuss how this WW2 traitor became a household name, why the name itself feels so satisfying, and how the origin of this name might relate to a beloved theater candy. Kyle sheds some light about the words quiz and quizzical, surprisingly unrelated to each other and to quisling. The questionable Q words don’t stop there, as Emily learns about quisle, quisler, and quislingize. And the pair look at traitors in history, literature, and the modern day. Join us every week as we explore the fascinating origins and meanings of words, uncovering the hidden stories behind language and how it evolves over time, for language enthusiasts and etymology buffs alike. Like what you hear? Follow Butter No Parsnips elsewhere: • Instagram • Facebook • TikTok • Twitch • Support the show: • Patreon • Website • Ko-fi • Produced by Seth Gliksman, Kyle Imperatore, and Emily Moyers Main theme and accompanying themes by Kyle Imperatore

    38 min

  4. APR 27

    191. Why We Talk Funny: The Real Story Behind Our Accents with Valerie Fridland

    Get ready to think more than ever about the way you talk and the way people talk to you as Emily and Kyle sit down this week with sociolinguist Valerie Fridland to discuss her latest book Why We Talk Funny: The Real Story Behind Our Accents.  From baby talk to regional accents, the trio explores how our speech patterns develop as a combined effort of the brain and the world of speakers around us. History and culture shape the way people speak, and the way people speak shapes our judgments of them.   What does it mean to drop the ‘r’ at the end of a word? Posh British? Good ole Southern United States? Or perhaps native New Yorker? Dialects, accents, and the subtle ways they evolve  weigh heavily on how we interact with one another. Fridland makes a case study of this with African American English, revealing a deep history that challenges the idea of “incorrect” speech. As the conversation unfolds, Fridland highlights our perception, bias, and the shared responsibility between speakers and listeners to approach every conversation with consideration and compassion. Like what you hear? Follow Butter No Parsnips elsewhere: • Instagram • Facebook • TikTok • Twitch • Support the show: • Patreon • Website • Ko-fi • Produced by Seth Gliksman, Kyle Imperatore, and Emily Moyers Main theme and accompanying themes by Kyle Imperatore

    56 min

  5. APR 20

    190. Nous: Common Sense and So Much More

    Emily and Kyle think, therefore they are—and this week thinking is the name of the game! They’re digging into the philosophy of human intelligence, the mind that set the universe turning, and common sense in British slang, as they discuss the meaning and origin of nous. Our hosts parse through the Ancient Greeks’ understanding of the mind. They look at quotes from Homer as well as Parmenides—whose name is begging for a punchline that Kyle and Emily can’t quite reach. But the conversation soon turns from the individual to the cosmic, as the works of Aristotle reveal that philosophy and theology might be closer than you think. Emily then leads a jaunt from Ancient Greece to early modern Britain, where nous gained not only new meaning but new pronunciation. And Kyle employs his common sense to guess the meanings of some ancient turns of phrase. Join us every week as we explore the fascinating origins and meanings of words, uncovering the hidden stories behind language and how it evolves over time, for language enthusiasts and etymology buffs alike. Like what you hear? Follow Butter No Parsnips elsewhere: • Instagram • Facebook • TikTok • Twitch • Support the show: • Patreon • Website • Ko-fi • Produced by Seth Gliksman, Kyle Imperatore, and Emily Moyers Main theme and accompanying themes by Kyle Imperatore

    33 min

  6. APR 13

    189. Adiaphoron: Diogenes & Martin Luther Find the Gray Areas

    How closely does one need to stick to the letter of the law? Emily and Kyle explore just that, as they discuss Greek grouches, Christian controversy, diabolical discourse, and the word adiaphoron. Our hosts separate the roots of this word, and add them up to find a solution equal to indifference. Taking a walk through Ancient Greece, Kyle provides a crash-course on Cynicism and Emily is reminded what she loves about Stoicism. But, before long, this word whisks our hosts out of Classical philosophy and into medieval theology. As the meaning and usage of adiaphoron shifts, Kyle helps Emily brush up on the Reformation and Protestant history. Our hosts talk about dubious indulgences, the English major’s approach to doctrine, the most diabolical figure in a baseball game, and Santa Claus lore that needs no debate. Join us every week as we explore the fascinating origins and meanings of words, uncovering the hidden stories behind language and how it evolves over time, for language enthusiasts and etymology buffs alike. Like what you hear? Follow Butter No Parsnips elsewhere: • Instagram • Facebook • TikTok • Twitch • Support the show: • Patreon • Website • Ko-fi • Produced by Seth Gliksman, Kyle Imperatore, and Emily Moyers Main theme and accompanying themes by Kyle Imperatore

    40 min

  7. APR 6

    188. Obviate: Less Obvious Than You Think

    Kyle encounters what he thinks is an obvious word, in more ways than one, but Emily puts some complications in his path. Together they’ll parse through unexpected definitions, clunky phrases, and linguistic repetition, all in pursuit of the word obviate. This word leads our hosts through a smorgasbord of linguistic topics. Emily introduces a unique feature of Algonquian grammar. Kyle recalls a couple of Latin roots for winding paths and things in the way. And the pair of them discuss how a roadblock might, in fact, clear the way. However, obviate also presents some tricky questions of word usage for our hosts, such as: What does it mean to be redundant in language? How many of our words are in fact unnecessary? When is a phrase annoyingly clunky, and when is it delightfully playful? Join us every week as we explore the fascinating origins and meanings of words, uncovering the hidden stories behind language and how it evolves over time, for language enthusiasts and etymology buffs alike. Like what you hear? Follow Butter No Parsnips elsewhere: • Instagram • Facebook • TikTok • Twitch • Support the show: • Patreon • Website • Ko-fi • Produced by Seth Gliksman, Kyle Imperatore, and Emily Moyers Main theme and accompanying themes by Kyle Imperatore

    37 min

  8. MAR 30

    187. Puissant: Our Powerful Past in Prose

    Who’s got the power? Anyone from proper princesses to mighty militias, and devastating dandies to high-jumping horses, as Kyle and Emily reveal in discussing the word puissant. Our hosts dive into yet another journey of French words into the English lexicon, from translations of French morality tales, to Shakespearean lines about powerful liege lords. Puissant describes that which is mighty in every way—including physical strength, societal value, and even fashion expertise. But puissance also makes an unexpected appearance in the equestrian world, leading our hosts to a discussion about showjumping. Kyle tells the story of history’s highest jumping horse, and Emily pitches what we all can agree would’ve been a superior version of A Bug’s Life. Join us every week as we explore the fascinating origins and meanings of words, uncovering the hidden stories behind language and how it evolves over time, for language enthusiasts and etymology buffs alike. Like what you hear? Follow Butter No Parsnips elsewhere: • Instagram • Facebook • TikTok • Twitch • Support the show: • Patreon • Website • Ko-fi • Produced by Seth Gliksman, Kyle Imperatore, and Emily Moyers Main theme and accompanying themes by Kyle Imperatore

    37 min
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5
out of 5
15 Ratings

About

Every week on Butter No Parsnips, your hosts Emily Moyers and Kyle Imperatore take you on an adventure through the weird, wacky, wonderful, and sometimes wicked history of one wayside word. Strange characters, delightful bits, and general joyousness abound, join them as they test each other's etymological expertise!

Information

  • Creator
    Butter No Parsnips
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    198
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Butter No Parsnips
  • Show Website
    Butter No Parsnips

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