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PODCAST

Word Wise

Baylor University - College of Arts & Sciences

Word Wise explores the history, origin or tall tale behind popular words and phrases. Faculty from Baylor University"s College of Arts and Sciences offer their expertise in understanding how the words were formed or what their true meaning may be. The show offers a look at how language changes and how words evolve. A variety of disciplines are represented in the show, including science, arts, social sciences, film, literature, and politics.

All Episodes

03:07

Monster

Word Wise ·

2010/06/14

One of the first instances of the term "monster" is an association with Grendel in the epic Beowolf. Dr. Jim Kenrick, assistant professor of film, explains.

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03:10

Hallelujah

Word Wise ·

2010/06/07

We don't have a lot of words from the Hebrew language because it reads from right to left. But there's one word that prevailed through time- hallelujah! Dr. Bill Bellinger, professor of Religion, explains.

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02:44

Ask and Acs

Word Wise ·

2010/05/31

Dr. Clay Butler, a senior lecturer in the English department, talks about metathesis, a process by which two sounds in a word are reveresed. In this episode, we take a look at "ask" and its earlier form "acs."

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02:47

Comedy and Tragedy

Word Wise ·

2010/05/24

Talk about drama! Dr. John Thorburn, professor of Classics, takes us back to the roots of comedy and tragedy.

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03:25

Break A Leg!

Word Wise ·

2010/05/17

There have always been good intentions behind this phrase. Dr. Stan Denman, professor of Theatre, talks about how although the phrase has several stories of origin, they all meant good wishes for the actor.

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03:27

Violence

Word Wise ·

2010/05/10

One definition for violence comes from the Motion Picture Association of America. For their ratings, they once chose to define violence as it related to criminality. Dr. Jim Kendrick, assistant professor of Film and Digital Media, explains.

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02:54

Story Structure

Word Wise ·

2010/05/03

In Aristotle's Poetics, he establishes a structure in storytelling that applies to character and the plot. This still has applications today as Prof. Chris Hansen, associate professor of Film and Digital Media explains.

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02:24

Muckraker

Word Wise ·

2010/04/26

Muckraker was first used in a speech by Theodore Roosevelt in 1906. The term was popularized in the 1906 book The Jungle by Upton Sinclair. Kevin Tankersley, Journalism lecturer, shares more of the story.

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02:48

Interrogatives

Word Wise ·

2010/04/19

This episode is devoted to the syntax of how we ask questions. Dr. Lydia Grebenyova, assistant professor of Linguistics, shows us the structure of an interrogative clause across many languages.

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02:48

Avant -garde

Word Wise ·

2010/04/12

It was never meant to be an art term but it fits well. In the mid-1900s, avant-garde was used to describe those artists on the front line, the cutting edge work of the art world, and those who were ahead of the curve.

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02:31

Food Words

Word Wise ·

2010/04/05

Few people realize that many of the foods we eat originated with the native civilizations of North and South America. For example, Europeans originally acquired tomatoes and chili peppers from the Aztecs.

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02:30

Plagiarism

Word Wise ·

2010/03/29

Plagiarism originates from Greek and references copying someone else's work. Oddly, it was the Greeks and Romans themselves that seldom cited sources, and often borrowed freely from their predecessors. Their form of imitation was not only flattering, but also was not necessarily unethical. Dr. John Thorburn, associate Professor of Classics offers more.

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02:18

Gesundheit

Word Wise ·

2010/03/22

Sometimes, specific situations call for specific words- like when you sneeze! Dr. Ann McGlashan, professor of German, is here to visit with us about the word gesundheit.

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02:36

Ecology

Word Wise ·

2010/03/15

The word ecology comes from the Greek "oikos" for "household." Throughout the Old Testament, oikos began to mean a broader environment, often referencing the house of Israel or the house of God. Dr. Susan Bratton, professor of Environmental Science explains.

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02:28

Gatekeeper

Word Wise ·

2010/03/08

In the field of journalism and public relations, the role of the gatekeeper has changed a lot. Kevin Tankersley, lecturer in Journalism talks about gatekeepers and new media.

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02:42

Screenwriter

Word Wise ·

2010/03/01

We know a playwright writes plays, but what exactly does a screenwriter do? Dr. Chris Hansen, assistant professor of Film and Digital Media offers some insight.

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02:23

Robot

Word Wise ·

2010/02/22

The word robot didn't come from the lab but from the stage! Dr. Adrienne Harris, assistant professor of Russian explains.

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02:59

Oscillate

Word Wise ·

2010/02/01

"Oscillate" can be an important word on hot summer days when everyone wants their fair share of the fan. Dr. John Thorburn, professor of Classics, tells the story.

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02:37

Trompe L'oeil

Word Wise ·

2010/01/25

You've probably seen this technique before without knowing it. Dr. Katie Edwards, assistant professor of Art History describes "trompe l'oeil."

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02:34

Multiverse

Word Wise ·

2010/01/18

Sometimes "sci fi" actually has a lot more "sci" than we think. Dr. Gerald Cleaver, associate professor of Physics, takes on "multiverse," a word used in astronomy, cosmology and philosophy.

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53 results