Russell Pirkle & Hannah Weyer

Shows

Getting Down & WordyBeyonce "Texas Hold 'Em" & Ain'tThis week we return to Beyonce to talk about her foray into country music and the most infamous word in "improper" grammar - ain't.We look at where ain't comes from, how it was originally used, who originally used it, and what was the opinion of it in the past? We explain its evolution and the history of the pushback against it.In Eurovision, we discuss Albania's 2025 entry "Zjerm" by Shkodra Elektronike. Find us on instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/gettingdownandwordy/And email us at gettingdownandwordy@gmail.com...2025-05-251h 46

Getting Down & WordyEd Sheeran "Shivers" & Animal Group NamesA murder of crows, a pride of lions. These names for groups of animals are called terms of venery! Who comes up with this stuff? We'll tell you!And what better song to pair with this than "Shivers" by Ed Sheeran? Is there a better song, period? Ok, so there are lots of better songs in the world, but Ed Sheeran seems like a pretty likeable guy it turns out!For Eurovision, we're talking about Montenegro's "Clickbait" by NeonoeN, a song which was selected but ultimately disqualified! Find us on instagram here: https...2025-05-111h 33

Getting Down & WordyAerosmith "Dream On" & The Vocal CordsIn 2023, Steven Tyler fractured his larynx and subsequently retired from singing. We discuss Aerosmith . . .And the larynx and vocal cords a.k.a. vocal folds! How do they work? What animals do and don't have vocal cords? What other ways do animals make sounds? What can go wrong with the voice?Find us on instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/gettingdownandwordy/And email us at gettingdownandwordy@gmail.comHuge thanks to Patsy Walker for the use of our theme song “Who’s Wordy Now”!This week’s promoted podcast is Freak...2025-04-271h 53

Getting Down & WordyMoon Bride InterviewIn preparation for next week's episode about the vocal cords, we talk to phenomenal Asheville alt-pop musician, vocalist, voice over actor, and audiobook narrator Moon Bride about the ins and outs of working with one's voice.You can find Moon Bride's music on all the major platforms like Spotify and Youtube by searching her name. And you can follow her on Instagram to keep up with her music releases and concerts. Here's some links to her stuff:Youtube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSAknB96lwkp-etOS3lxpZQInstagram:...2025-04-2044 min

Getting Down & WordyAJR "World's Smallest Violin" & Mental Health LingoIn this episode we talk about AJR, their invention of a synthesizing process for morphing instrument sounds into different instrument sounds (idk, I don't understand it to be honest), and synesthesia. Did you know there are a bunch of different types of synesthesia? You will know after you listen. And possibly see colors while you're listening? Synesthetes, write in and tell us what colors our voices are.We look at trends and misuses of mental health buzz words. Self care. Trigger. Gas light. Etc. Everyone's using these words, but do they mean what they think they mean?2025-04-131h 57

Getting Down & WordyPussycat Dolls "Don't Cha" & RawdoggingWe're looking at the etymology and evolution of "rawdog" so we decided to rawdog this episode! That's right, no planning, decision making, or research was done before we started recording. Listen if you dare as we go mask off and show you just how slow and dumb we really are. We chose Pussy Cat Dolls "Don't Cha" for the music segment, and looked at a song for Eurovision that was in the running but ultimately didn't get picked.If you like it raw, today's your lucky day.Find us on instagram here: https...2025-04-012h 08

Getting Down & WordyChildish Gambino "Redbone" & WokeWe talk about the history and evolution of "woke" from the simple opposite of slept to the catchall term for everything the fascists of the world dislike. Music-wise, we'll talk about a semi-recent song that implores us to stay woke, Childish Gambino's "Redbone".In Eurovision, we look at Cyprus's competitor, Theo Evan, and political and racial words with Greek and Turkish origins.Find us on instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/gettingdownandwordy/And email us at gettingdownandwordy@gmail.comHuge thanks to Patsy Walker for the use of our...2025-03-301h 52

Getting Down & WordyThe Proclaimers "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" & Imperial MeasurementsIn America we use red blooded blue collar measurements like feet and yards and miles. But what's up with that? And what's a furlong? And a perch?We talk about the Proclaimers' hit song and their evolution, and we talk about the evolution of the mile and other measurements that we just can't let go of even as the rest of the world has gone metric.In Eurovision, we talk about the debut of Celine Dion, with her 1988 song for Switzerland, "Ne partez pas sans moi".Find...2025-03-161h 34

Getting Down & WordyChappell Roan "Good Luck Babe" & BabyWe talk about everyone's favorite lesbian pop star, where she came from and her own impact on language and the pop music discourse.And we discuss the etymology of baby, its origins, its evolution of use over time. When and why did we start using it to mean romantic partners? In Eurovision, we discuss Latvia's 2024 entry "Hollow" by Dons, and we talk about Latvian words for baby and for romantic partners.Find us on instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/gettingdownandwordy/And email us at gettingdownandwordy@gmail.comHuge...2025-03-021h 32

Getting Down & WordyMiley Cyrus "Wrecking Ball" & The Silencing of Afghan WomenSince August of 2024, women in Afghanistan have been banned by the Taliban from speaking or being heard in public places. Some Afghan women have bravely released recordings of themselves singing in protest of this horrific loss of basic freedom. We discuss the ban, and we discuss Miley Cyrus's song "Wrecking Ball", a song which in many ways exemplifies the oppressive masculine forces at play in the American pop music industry.Find the Afghan woman's song we share in the episode here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFHTbPNPZ1o&ab_channel=VoiceofAmerica 2025-02-161h 36

Getting Down & WordyFeist "1234" & Fart VALENTINES DAY EPISODEValentine's Day is coming up, so we talk about the thing that no one does on Valentine's Day since we're all on dates. Fart! And who better to pair with farts than Canadian pop sensation Feist? We talk about the etymology of fart, other words for fart, words you didn't know mean fart, and the science and cultural history of farting. For Eurovision, we look at Sweden 2024's Marcus and Martinus and their song "Unforgettable". Find us on instagram...2025-02-021h 48

Getting Down & WordyMark Ambor "Second Best" & SecondWe look at the sneakily successful Mark Ambor. Give his music a listen, and you may be surprised to realize that you already know it. And we look at the second of time. How did we come to call it that? What relation does it have to second as in 2nd place? Learn about the people who standardize time and how that came about. And learn about why we use a base 60 system for time. In Eurovision we talk about Armenia 2024 - "Jako" by Ladaniva. Find us on instagram here: https://www.instagram...2025-01-191h 36

Getting Down & WordySabrina Carpenter "Espresso" & CoffeeToday we discuss one of the biggest hits of 2024, and we look into the etymology and history of the endless list of words for coffee, from coffee itself to descriptors of types of coffee like macchiato. For Eurovision, we discuss Norway's 2024 song "Gåte" by Ulveham, and we talk about Norway's coffee culture including weird coffee pairings. Find us on instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/gettingdownandwordy/ And email us at gettingdownandwordy@gmail.com Huge thanks to Patsy Walker for the use of our theme song “Who’s Wordy Now”! This...2025-01-051h 48

Getting Down & WordyJessica Catena Music Notes with Jess Podcast InterviewNext week we will be talking about "Espresso" by Sabrina Carpenter, so this week we brought on a Sabrina Carpenter fan, our friend Jess from the wonderful music news podcast Music Notes with Jess. We also talk about her podcast, music pet peeves, and the New York dialect. Find Jess's podcast anywhere you get podcasts, or at this link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/music-notes-with-jess/id1482464592 Also follow her podcast on instagram at this link: https://www.instagram.com/musicnoteswithjess/ Find us on instagram here: https...2024-12-2949 min

Getting Down & Wordy"Ain't Gonna Rain No More" & R-Dropping AccentsWe are once again looking at the most popular song from 100 years ago! It's 1924's "Ain't Gonna Rain No More", an old folk song performed by a variety of artists, but most famously by Wendell Woods Hall, considered by some to be the first modern pop star. We'll explore some of the popular lyrics of the song, a song which has countless verses since lots of singers like to add new ones. And we'll explore the dialectical variation of losing the "R" sounds, particularly after vowels, like how in the song of the episode, "more"...2024-12-221h 55

Getting Down & WordyMatt Latham Pick a Disc Podcast InterviewNext week we are talking about r-dropping accents - accents that say cah for car and so on, often found in British accents, and so we hunted down a real live British person to talk to about the British accent. That person is Matt from the podcast Pick a Disc. On Matt's podcast, each episode a guest tells Matt about an album they love, and they have a nice chat about it that is insightful, funny, and highly listenable. I love this podcast. I know you will too. Check it out where you listen to podcasts or...2024-12-1552 min

Getting Down & WordyDave Matthews Band "Last Stop" & Apartheid HANUKKAH EPISODEHappy Hanukkah listeners! We're discussing apartheid, the Israel Palestine conflict, and parallels to the history of Hanukkah. To do that, we chose Dave Matthews, a man from South Africa who has spoken out against Palestinian genocide, and his song "Last Stop" about the topic. For Eurovision, we talk about Israel's 2024 entry "Hurricane" by Eden Golan and the controversy surrounding it. Find us on instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/gettingdownandwordy/ And email us at gettingdownandwordy@gmail.com Huge thanks to Patsy Walker for the use of...2024-12-081h 54

Getting Down & WordyLatto "It's Givin" & It's Giving THANKSGIVING EPISODEThis Thanksgiving we are diving into the slang phrase "It's giving" which is used to describe something's vibes or je ne se quoix or . . . Just listen to the podcast, we explain it. We also talk about the etymology of the word give itself. We talk about Latto, a rapper named after a racial slur? And we'll tell you who she is and how she came to be famous. And it's Thanksgiving, so we're talking about some Thanksgiving stuff, including the origin of the phrase "Indian giver". For Eurovision, we discuss Germany's 2024 offering, "Always...2024-11-242h 00

Getting Down & WordyTyler the Creator "Yonkers" & Dutch in English with Heddwen Newton from English in ProgressToday we are joined by Heddwen Newton. Heddwen is half Dutch, half British, and writes two entertaining newsletters about language. English and the Dutch is about how Dutch people speak English (hint: sometimes badly), and also dives into interesting etymologies that link the two languages. Heddwen has been writing about difficult-to-translate Dutch words and idioms since 2017 on her blog HoezegjeinhetEngels.nl. English in Progress lists neologisms and Gen Z slang in a way that is funny but also lexicographically sound. And we are talking about the Dutch influence on English including loan...2024-11-102h 12

Getting Down & WordyHozier "Too Sweet" & Sweet HALLOWEEN EPISODEWith the diabetes and the tooth decay and so on, what's scarier than sugary sweetness? Waking up early, according to Hozier! We talk about how to say Hozier, and other things about this artist such as his penchant for activism. And we discuss the word sweet, its origins and etymology. In Eurovision, we discuss Portugal's 2024 entry "Grito" by Iolanda, because it's Halloween, and grito means scream, sort of. Find us on instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/gettingdownandwordy/ And email us at gettingdownandwordy@gmail.com Huge thanks...2024-10-271h 52

Getting Down & WordyNoah Kahan "Stick Season" & StickWe discuss the Bruce Springsteen of Vermont, Noah Kahan, and that one song he has that really sticks in your head. Also, what is stick season anyway? We talk about the word stick and related words. And, no spoilers, but there are a lot of related words. We also look at some stick-based idioms like "more than you can shake a stick at", "the short end of the stick", "stuck up", and "sticks and stones". For Eurovision, we discuss Georgia's 2024 song "Firefighter" by Nutsa Buzaladze. And we discuss the months of the Georgian calendar. 2024-10-132h 25

Getting Down & WordyBillie Eilish "L'Amour de Ma Vie" & The French LanguageSacre Bleu, it's the return of Billie Eilish, and she's singing in French! Oh wait she's not, just the song title is in French. Well anyway! C'est la vie. We talk about the rise of queerness in music. And then we talk about French, the language of love. Why is it thought of as the most romantic language? For Eurovision, we discuss Luxembourg's 2024 song "Fighter" by TALI, and the Luxembourgian language's word for love. Find us on instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/gettingdownandwordy/ And email us at gettingdownandwordy@gmail.com 2024-09-291h 38

Getting Down & WordyAce of Base "I Saw the Sign" & Subtly Subversive LanguageToday we're talking about a super sunny song and the darkness that lies within. And we're pairing that with the topic of covert hate speech, basically. A lot of numbers. Bigots seem to really like numbers. Kind of good to know what the tainted numbers are so you don't accidentally use them, just saying. For Eurovision, we are finally talking about the winner of Eurovision, Switzerland's Nemo, and their song "The Code". Find us on instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/gettingdownandwordy/ ...2024-09-151h 43

Getting Down & WordyMetallica "Master of Puppets" & PuppetWe're talking about perhaps the greatest Metallica song, probably the most listened to now that it got the Stranger Things bump. And we're talking about "puppet". The word, the history, the creep factor, the surprising relevance and popularity of puppets today. If anything, they're more popular than ever before. For Eurovision, we talk about Estonia's 2024 entry 5MIINUST and Puuluup ‘(nendest) narkootikumidest ei tea me (küll) midagi.’ Definitely in my (Russell's) top 3 favorite songs of the competition. This is also the last episode we recorded pre-Eurovision so after this one we'll finally know what the rest...2024-09-011h 30

Getting Down & WordyMatt Sandbank Puppeteer InterviewNext week's episode will be about the word "puppet", the etymology, history, and cultural stuff surrounding the word. So this week, I am interviewing my favorite puppeteer, Matt Sandbank. Matt Sandbank does lightbox shadow puppetry. His shows are clever, poignant, and hilarious. He is based in North Carolina, but he does shows around the country. We talk about his puppet work, and his ideas and views of puppetry. You can find Matt Sandbank on instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/sandbank_shadow_factory/ Or at his website: http://www.sandbankshadowfactory.com/2024-08-2530 min

Getting Down & WordyNo Doubt "Ex-Girlfriend" & CringeWe selected the cringiest musical artist we could think of to feature in our discussion of cringe. What is this complex emotion and how has it evolved? And where did the word come from? Is it an ideophone? What's an ideophone? We discuss it. In Eurovision, we discuss Austria's 2024 song "We Will Rave" by a Kaleen. Find us on instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/gettingdownandwordy/ And email us at gettingdownandwordy@gmail.com Huge thanks to Patsy Walker for the use of our theme song “Who’s Wordy Now”! This w...2024-08-181h 43

Getting Down & WordyKhia "My Neck My Back" & -UssyRecently I got into the band Mannequin Pussy, and I thought it's interesting that they have trouble with censors in media and platforms such as Tiktok, for "pussy", a word that not that long ago was acceptable to use in any context because it had two meanings - cat and genitals. So we're exploring how it shifted over time from first meaning only cat, to then meaning cat and genitals, to now meaning only genitals. And now, it's even become grammaticized to a suffix in -ussy, as in bussy, pizussy, clussy, etc. And what better song to...2024-08-041h 17

Getting Down & WordyWonka & Funny Sounding WordsWelp, we watched the musical Wonka movie. And one of us loved it and one of us did not. Which of us is which may not surprise you. It's a "funny" movie with some funny words, so we thought we'd talk about what makes some words funny. We look at the discourse and research into what makes a word funny. And we list lots of examples of words that various people have pointed out as being funny words. We also talk about Roald Dahl, a man who made a career out of making up funny...2024-07-211h 45

Getting Down & WordySZA "Kill Bill" & RhymingWe're talking about the only artist whose name rhymes with RZA . . . SZA! And of course we're talking about the surprising history of rhyming plus different kinds of rhymes. Which words do and don't rhyme? It's more complicated than you think. Are slant rhymes bad writing? It's more complicated than you think! For Eurovision, we discuss Croatia's 2024 song "Rim Tim Tagi Dim" by Baby Lasanga. Meow cat, please meow back. Find us on instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/gettingdownandwordy/ And email us at gettingdownandwordy@gmail.com Huge thanks to...2024-07-071h 33

Getting Down & WordyAlanis Morisette "Hand in My Pocket" & HandOn this jagged little podcast we discuss Alanis Morisette's first hit and what she's done since. Amazing what a woman with pockets can do. Of course we're talking about hands, including the etymology of the word, and also the fingers, and also various hand signs such as the high five. In Eurovision talk, we discuss the UK's 2024 offering, "Dizzy" by Olly Alexander. And we chat a bit about the Tiktok hand dancing trend. Find us on instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/gettingdownandwordy/ And email us at gettingdownandwordy@gmail.com 2024-06-232h 14

Getting Down & WordyInterstellar Song Contest & Fictional LanguagesToday, building on our discussion last week with Michelle Troszak, creator of the Interstellar Song Contest, we talk about fictional languages. We have all your favorites except for the Game of Thrones ones! Klingon! Elvish! Simlish! Furbish! Wenja from Far Cry! And more! In Eurovision, we talk about space-themed songs throughout the years. Remember to check out the Interstellar Song Contest at any of the following links: The full show (like a radio show format): ⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/skysail-theatre⁠ ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/4G93JBa74dvXuCB...2024-06-092h 08

Getting Down & WordyMichelle Troszak Interstellar Song Contest InterviewToday we talk to Michelle Troszak, founder of Skysail Theatre, about her new musical, The Interstellar Song Contest. This episode is part 1 of our discussion on fictional languages, which will conclude in next week's episode. The Interstellar Song Contest currently exists as a cast recording and a radio show in podcast format. Find Michelle, Skysail Theatre, and the show at the following links! The full show (like a radio show format): https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/skysail-theatre https://open.spotify.com/show/4G93JBa74dvXuCBadnsyUk The...2024-06-0248 min

Getting Down & WordyThe Decemberists "Myla Goldberg" & Spelling BeeMaybe a lesser known Decemberists song, but probably one of the first ones I ever heard, we talk about "Myla Goldberg", and the person who it's about, author of the novel Bee Season. Lots of spoilers for people who have not read it and intend to, so watch out. We discuss the spelling bee. How'd it start and what are the rules? And why is it only an English thing? In Eurovision, we discuss a song in which they spell something, San Marino 2024's "11:11" by Megara. Find us on instagram here: https://www...2024-05-262h 11

Getting Down & WordyVampire Weekend "Capricorn" & CapricornWe discuss the OG oxford comma enthusiasts, Vampire Weekend, the first hit song off their new album, and everyone's favorite goat-fish astrological sign, the capricorn. What are capricorns like? Where'd the goat and fish combo come from? What's the age of capricorn going to be like? Why are you asking us all these questions? In Eurovision, we'll talk about Italy's 2024 entry "La Noia" by Angelina Mango. Find us on instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/gettingdownandwordy/ And email us at gettingdownandwordy@gmail.com Huge thanks...2024-05-121h 33

Getting Down & WordyPaula Abdul "Straight Up" & Irregular VerbsThis one's for the grammar nerds! (But not such grammar nerds that you'll cringe at all the stuff we inevitably got wrong.) We're talking about Paula Abdul's greatest hit "Straight Up", and we're talking about irregular verbs, particularly about verbs that used to be irregular but are now regular, and about other words which are actually formerly irregular verb forms but we now use them for something else. Think of "wrought iron" or "what has God wrought?". Wrought was once the past tense form of work. For Eurovision, we're talking about Finland's Windows95man and...2024-04-281h 58

Getting Down & WordyShrek the Musical & GrossToday we discuss Shrek the Musical, the live action musical play version of the first Shrek movie. How did this get made? Should it have been? And we talk about the origin and many different meanings of gross. In Eurovision talk, we discuss Ireland's "Doomsday Blues" by Bambie Thug. Huge thanks to Patsy Walker for the use of our theme song “Who’s Wordy Now”! Find Patsy on youtube at https://www.youtube.com/@patsywalker1481 This week’s promoted podcast...2024-04-141h 44

Getting Down & WordyCeelo Green "Forget You" & DementiaWe discuss Ceelo Green's big hit (the radio edit) "Forget You", and we go deep into the evolution of the word dementia and society's ideas about it. For Eurovision, we do Slovenia's song "Viktoria" by Raiven. Check out another podcast in our network, Crime & Spirits, you can find them here https://linktr.ee/crimeandspiritspodcast Find them, us, and lots of other great podcasts on our network, podmoth.network Special thanks as always to Patsy Walker for our theme song...2024-03-312h 17

Getting Down & WordyJack Harlow "Lovin on Me" & WhipsWe talk about Kentucky rapper Jack Harlow and the history of the whip, as a word and as a thing! Different types, whippings through the ages, whips in fiction . . . For Eurovision, we talk about the Czech Republic's 2024 competitor, Aiko's "Pedestal", and we talk about trilled R's and the Czech Republic's unpronounceable variant on a trilled R. This week's featured podcast is My Second Self and I. Find them here: https://open.spotify.com/show/3pzH0fR9c5jqIV404VuAAM?si=a220945ba70b4f0d 2024-03-172h 16

Getting Down & Wordy4 Non Blondes "What's Up" & GreetingsThis week we talk about the 4 Non Blondes' one hit song from their one album. Why does it get so much hate? What’s under Linda Perry’s hat? Is it meth? And is Dolly Parton okay? We tell you about various greetings and their origins. Looking to spice up your saying hello to people game? We’ve got you covered. And in Eurovision we talk about Romania’s 2023 song, D.G.T. by Theodor Andrei. Enjoy it because there will be no Romania in 2024! Huge thanks to Patsy Walker for the use of our t...2024-03-031h 49

Getting Down & WordyWhite Stripes "Icky Thump" & The IckToday we discuss famous brother and sister duo Jack and Meg White. Explain cow punk. And talk about Lay Bankz' "Lady Boner Gone". Then we get into the ick. What is it? Who has it? How can you avoid giving it to girls? Is it problematic? For Eurovision, we'll tell you about Netherlands' Joost Klein and the Frysian people and their language. Spoiler, it's very close to English. On this episode, our featured ad is the podcast Saturdays are for the Ghouls. Find them anywhere you get...2024-02-182h 11

Getting Down & WordyAI Drake and the Weeknd "Heart on my Sleeve" & AIToday we discuss Ghostwriter's faux Drake and Weeknd song made using "AI". We talk the ethics of it. The news and controversy around it. The concept of digital blackface. And we talk about AI generally and some of the words and terms that have arisen such as hallucination. In Eurovision, we talk about Luxembourg, who is returning to the contest this year after thirty years of not participating. Small country, but they're a pretty big deal as they have five wins under their belt. ...2024-02-051h 54

Getting Down & WordyLittle Big Skibidi Toilet & Nonsense WordsWe try to make sense of the Skibidi Toilet youtube videos and trace the word skibidi which really gets around, from Little Big's song "Skibidi" to Biser King's "Dom Dom Yes Yes". We discuss the history of nonsense words with various examples including nonce words, sniglets, wugs, etc. And of course Lewis Carroll. In Eurovision, we discuss the troubled past of Russia and the Eurovision song contest. Today's featured podcast is Speak of the Devil. Find them anywhere you get podcasts or at this...2024-01-212h 14

Getting Down & WordyBobby Darin "Beyond the Sea" & Sea CreaturesToday we talk about the classic Bobby Darin song and the original song which it was based on. We also talk about his life and career generally. In etymology, we discuss the origin of various aquatic animals' names, including whales, dolphins, and cuttlefish . . . We also talk generally about the relationship between naming and observation. We talked about water animals, so for Eurovision we talked about Waterloo, the hit song by Abba that won Eurovision in 1974 and really changed the game. Today's featured podcast is...2024-01-072h 07

Getting Down & WordyThe Neighbourhood "Sweater Weather" & SweatersIt's the holiday season! Today we discuss The Neighbourhood's hit song "Sweater Weather" and the history of the sweater. Why did we settle on SWEAT as the thing to name an article of clothing after? We'll talk about that, the etymology of "sweat" and other words for sweater like jumper, and generally how this particular sort of knitted shirt came to be so uniquely iconic We also consider other non-religious winter seasonal songs, including "Brrr" by Kim Petras, which we forget to say the name of in the episode, so I'm mentioning it here, for...2023-12-221h 48

Getting Down & WordyMetallica "Welcome Home" & SanitariumToday we talk about Metallica. Are they objectively bad? We talk about the song "Welcome Home" (that's the song where they say "sanitarium"). What's it about, what's it based on, that kind of stuff. We talk about sanitariums. What were they? How did they work? We also talk about backronyms. In Eurovision talk, we discuss Germany's "Blood and Glitter" by Lord of the Lost. This weeks featured podcast is Haunted Apartment Complex. Check them out anywhere you get podcasts or at this link: https://podcasts.apple...2023-12-101h 17

Getting Down & WordyHarvey Danger "Flagpole Sitta" & Beige FlagsIt's cuffing season, and we're talking about beige flags, things about a romantic partner that are not bad enough to be red flags, more like quirky or mildly annoying. Where did this phrase come from? What are some examples of beige flags? By the way, where does this word flag come from, etymologically? We also talk about the flagpole sitting craze of the 1920s. Yes, people literally sat on flagpoles. And for Eurovision, we discuss Armenia's 2023 offering, "Future Lover" by Brunette. And! Armenian terms of endearment. 2023-11-262h 10

Getting Down & Wordy"Yes We Have No Bananas" & BananasToday we see what was the most popular song from exactly 100 years ago in 1923. And wow, it's weird. But it's nicely rooted in the history and culture of the time and tells us a lot about ethnicity, comedy, and the precarious fate of the banana at the time. So we dive into all that. Additionally we give you the history and etymology of banana of course. And we talk about its relation to comedy and why 'bananas' means crazy, and so on. In Eurovision, we discuss the top 6 funniest Eurovision songs of all time. I...2023-11-121h 48

Getting Down & WordyBoris Pickett "Monster Mash" & MonsterToday we discuss Hannah's favorite song so she'll stop suggesting we do an episode about it every week. We talk about the pop culture of movie monsters that it arose from, and the pop culture of songs about dance crazes. We explain the origin of the word monster and what words it's related to. And we explore the history of the idea of a monster. Where did it begin, and how has it evolved over time. Additionally we discuss some of the class Universal monsters. In Eurovision, we talk about Austria's 2023 song "...2023-10-291h 43

Getting Down & WordyLil Wayne "6 Foot 7 Foot" & RizzToday we discuss charisma and its little Scrappy Doo-esque sidekick rizz! What does it mean, where'd it come from? What's the story of charisma? Why do we say charisma in Dungeons & Dragons and not like "persuasiveness" or something? And while we're talking about Dungeons & Dragons, what slang terms could we come up with for the other D&D stats? We also discuss what is the deal with "ch". Why do we pronounce it three different ways (like k, ch, and sh)? We're talking about CHArisma, so of course for Eurovision we have to talk...2023-10-151h 38

Getting Down & WordyMatchbox Twenty "Push" & Masculine LanguageWe talk about how men talk! And we talk about how Matchbox Twenty talk with "Push" the surprisingly controversial song about pushing women around. Will I have some research about it? Well, I will. Well, I will. As we did with the feminine genderlect episode, we have a couple interesting lists of words that men are more likely to know than women. Additionally, we talk about various researchers' takes on the notion, including Otto Jesperson who claims that English is a very manly language. Find out why he says so. In Eurovision we discuss Italy's 2023...2023-10-011h 57

Getting Down & WordyAqua "Barbie Girl" & Feminine LanguageThis week we talk about barbie - the movie and the doll and the song "Barbie Girl" by Aqua. And as you'd expect we're pairing that with a girly language topic. We're talking about how women talk. Is it different from how men talk? Or is that a myth? How do you perform femininity in language? What are the conceptions and misconceptions, and what is the reality? In Eurovision world, we discuss Czechia's 2023 offering "My Sister's Crown" by Vesna. Hannah tells us about this really wild Czechian myth featuring a famous detective of all things. 2023-09-172h 03

Getting Down & WordyPete & Bas & UK vs. US English with Rob Watts of RobwordsToday we welcome special guest, Youtube star Rob Watts of the Robwords English language show. He joins us to talk about the definitely real UK rappers Pete & Bas. And we reveal the true story behind their whole deal (hoax? how dare you!). Then we talk about some of the differences between UK and US English that you definitely don't already know about. I'm telling you. There are some really surprising differences in pronunciation and word choice beyond the stuff everyone already knows like "aluminum/aluminium". For Eurovision, of course we...2023-09-032h 08

Getting Down & WordyIce Spice "In Ha Mood" & MoodToday we talk about Ice Spice, whose appearance on the scene has been so meteoric she hasn't even had time to make enough songs to fill an album yet. Is she an industry plant? Is that really a thing? Do Hannah and Russell know enough famous zoomers to stuntcast a new Spice Girls? And we discuss the word mood itself, its etymology and how it's used now in contemporary culture. Additionally, to the dismay of everyone probably, we discuss grammatical mood for a hefty portion of the podcast. But then we talk about mood rings! ...2023-08-201h 36

Getting Down & WordyTongues of Fire & Spicy with Lowell Hobbs of Tongues of FireToday we're joined by Lowell Hobbs the lead singer of post-punk band Tongues of Fire to discuss the language of spiciness. We talk about the history of spicy food, the different kinds of spiciness, and how different languages have adapted words to describe the relatively recent introduction of capsaicin to their cultures. For Eurovision, we talk about Australia's 2023 song "Promise" by Voyager. Find Tongues of Fire on instagram @tongues.of.fire or their website https://tonguesofire.com/ You can of course generally find their music on most...2023-08-061h 43

Getting Down & WordyYeah Yeah Yeahs "Spitting Off the Edge of the World" & Flat Earth with Michael Colby of Haunted Apartment ComplexMichael Colby, from the podcast Jack Billings Presents: Haunted Apartment Complex, stops by to fanboy out with Russell over Yeah Yeah Yeahs . . while Hannah sits there awkwardly and probably thinks about Dungeons & Dragons or something. And we discuss the dialect-y origins of their band name. Then we talk about all the things that we say that hark back to a simpler, flatter earth (like 'edge of the world'). Surprisingly, a flat earth is in a lot of ways a very new idea, and not something people believed for most of recorded history. For Eurovision, we...2023-07-231h 41

Getting Down & WordyVanilla Ice "Ice Ice Baby" & GangwayWe discuss the culture's complex and changing perceptions of Vanilla Ice, a rapper who there are lots of reasons to dislike, but maybe everyone's being a little too mean? His real story will suprise you. Will it make you like him more? Well.... No.... Then we talk about "gangway", a word which somehow we all intuitively know is kind of nautical and piratey, but where are we even encountering this word? In cartoons? In one extraordinarily popular rap song? And's what's with "gang"? Where did this word come from? Also other nautical idioms...2023-07-091h 33

Getting Down & WordyMatt Hobbs "Puppy Songs" & Pet Directed Speech with special guest Matt HobbsToday we excitedly interview Puppy Songs creator and musical genius Matt Hobbs, and together we all talk about how humans talk to pets, whether pets understand or not, and how pets communicate with us. We discuss pet voices. Child-parent relationships as models for interspecies relations - do they go in both directions? I mean like, does my cat think of me as her son? Should I give her a mother's day gift? How many words does the average dog know? Who is a good boy? Et cetera! In Eurovision talk, we discuss Lithuania's "Stay"...2023-06-251h 26

Getting Down & WordyThe Little Mermaid "Poor Unfortunate Souls" & DragIn light of the release of the live action The Little Mermaid and in support of Pride Month, in this episode we're talking about Doctor Octopus's drag persona, Ursula. Just kidding, but she IS purported to be based on a drag queen. Is it a fun cool drag queen that we should all celebrate? Well... At least Divine had lots of pride about being a drag queen. Oh? He didn't at all? Well . . . huh. Anyways, we discuss the mysterious origins of this word "drag". We discuss Polari, the secret language of carnies, thieves, and homosexuals. We discuss the first...2023-06-111h 33

Getting Down & WordyClip Show! Podmoth network showsCheck out these clips from some of the podcasts on our network! You can find them by simply searching the name of the podcast on your podcast listening platform, or by going to podmoth.network 2023-06-0422 min

Getting Down & WordyCarrie Underwood "Before He Cheats" & Souped UpToday we talk about the number 1 most played karaoke song of all time (?) "Before He Cheats", and struggle to say something thoughtful about country music, a genre we know even less about than usual. We talk about the wild history of the expression "Souped Up", from safe crackers boiling dynamite to race horses taking the most cruel and disturbing drugs imaginable. Hannah tries and fails to teach Russell about consommes. And we talk about the history of soup in general. Also, supper vs. dinner! In Eurovision we finally discuss Ukraine's 2023 offering, "Heart of Steel" by Tvorchi, a...2023-05-281h 47

Getting Down & WordyKarol G "Mientras Me Curo Del Cora" & Affirmative LanguageWe talk about Karol G, who made a song that Hannah actually liked (a rare phenomenon) even while saying repeatedly that she doesn't have an ear for spanish, whatever that means! We discuss "affirmative language", words like "yes", and in Spanish "si". Some alternatives like aye, roger, yeppers, uh-huh, nodding.... Is nodding an instinctive action? Darwin thought so. We'll tell you all about it. And did you know that many languages do not have a word for yes? In Eurovision we discuss our favorites and other thoughts on all the contestants ahead of the contest which will...2023-05-141h 31

Getting Down & WordyYoung Thug "Digits" & SlimeWe talk the origins and evolution of "slime" from unassuming mucus to cool guy best friend. DnD oozes. Young Thug's singing voice. RICO. And in Eurovision, we talk about the big 5's songs - Germany, Spain, France, Italy, and UK. This week's ad is Memento Mori. Find this podcast at https://mementomoripod.buzzsprout.com/ You can find tons of other great podcasts on our network at podmoth.network 2023-04-301h 38

Getting Down & WordyMeghan Trainor "Made You Look" & Delexical VerbsToday we discuss Meghan Trainor's new song "Made You Look". That's right, Mrs. Spy Kid herself (she married a Spy Kid). Is the song kind of good or really bad? We also talk about "make" and other delexical verbs like take get do have go . . . Those verbs that get used to mean anything such that you can make a product, but you can also make a bed, make up with someone, make do, make a mistake, and on and on. For Eurovision we talk about all the Scandinavian countries' entries this year. Our featured ad...2023-04-161h 31

Getting Down & WordyEpisode 1 of Getting Down & FruityThis is the first episode of our new format. We've decided to stop talking about music, and from now on we will talk about fruits and their etymology and history instead. Today we'll taste some varieties of apples, kumquats, goldberries, pineberries, horned melons, and starfruit. As for Eurovision, we're going to talk about the documentary released about the 2020 Eurovision competition, which is called Eurovision: Story of Fire Saga. This week's ad is for the podcast Jack Billings Presents: Haunted Apartment Complex. You can find them here: https://podcasts.apple.com...2023-04-011h 36

Getting Down & WordyTaylor Swift "Anti-Hero" & Hero** AUDIO QUALITY ADVISORY ** There's some trouble with Russell's recording in this episode. He may be a little tough to hear. Today we talk Taylor Swift's song Anti-Hero. We talk about anti-heros and the etymology of the word hero, and we discuss linguistic bleaching, the way that words fade in strength over time. In Eurovision, we talk about the Baltic countries' entries. This episode's featured ad is the podcast Freaky Fridays. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/freaky-fridays/id1553779633 You can find them and tons of other great podcasts a...2023-03-191h 49

Getting Down & WordyWaka Flocka Flame "Hard in da Paint" & Basketball LingoToday we talk about Waka Flocka Flame's hit song "Hard in da Paint". What does hard in the paint mean and where did it originate? For that matter where did the word paint come from? We discuss some other basketball idioms in every speech. Then we do a March Madness style tournment bracket of the last 16 Eurovision winners. We choose our winner. If you want to choose your winner, you can find our list here, but I really recommend watching them as videos so you can see the performances. The Eurovision winners: https://open.spotify...2023-03-052h 06

Getting Down & WordySam Smith Kim Petras "Unholy" & Body ShopWe talk about Sam Smith (who Russell stupidly misgenders like a hundred times, sorry listeners!), Kim Petras, LGBT and transgender stuff of course, and the etymology of body shop and specificly the word body. We look at some songs about other kinds of shops and Hannah tries to guess if they're sexual or not. And for Eurovision we talk about some of the songs that have been chosen for 2023 thus far, including Albania and Israel. Our featured ad this week is Doe Identify Podcast. You can find them here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-doe-identify-podcast/id1544009777 2023-02-191h 32

Getting Down & WordyFifth Dimension "Age of Aquarius" & AstrologyWe talk "Age of Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In" by The Fifth Dimension, and of course we talk about Aquarius the astrological sign, astrological ages, and the endless list of different astrological bodies which a sign can be 'in', i.e. moon sign, saturn sign, etc., and what each means. TRIGGER WARNING: we are a little derisive toward the whole idea of astrology at times, even though Hannah is an astrology enthusiast! In Eurovision news, we talk about Slovenia's entry for 2023, Joker Out. Our featured ad this week is from podcast Dead On, a true cr...2023-02-051h 36

Getting Down & Wordy2022 Year End ReviewWe review our favorites and least favorites of the podcast episodes of 2022. We talk 5 favorite songs from the podcast. 1 worst song covered. 3 favorite language facts learned. Favorite and least favorite Eurovision song. And predictions for the future of the English language in 2023. Today's featured podcast is Anything Bones! Find them here or anywhere you get podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/anything-bones/id1536352309 Find many other great podcasts at podmoth.network 2023-01-221h 31

Getting Down & WordyBad Bunny & Spanish in America with Andres from Latin Jukebox Podcast**POOR AUDIO QUALITY ADVISORY** There are some problems with the audio in this episode, namely some voice quality loss and a background puppy. Listener beware. Today we are joined by Andres from the Latin Jukebox podcast to talk about Bad Bunny and the history and impact of Spanish on American culture and the English language. We discuss Bad Bunny's activitism in LGBTQ rights and Puerto Rico advocacy. And in Eurovision we talk about the Spanish contenders for Eurovision 2023. 18 songs which you can listen to here: https://eurovisionworld.com/national/spain/benidorm-fest-2023 We make o...2023-01-081h 49

Getting Down & WordyNSYNC "Merry Christmas Happy Holidays" & MerryWe talk about NSYNC, why pretzels are the ultimate Christmas snack, etymologically speaking, the merry marry mary merger, and of course why we say "Merry Christmas", spoiler - it's like saying have a drunken socialist christmas . . . We also talk about Lithuania's Eurovision offering Sentementai by Monika Liu.2022-12-191h 40

Getting Down & WordyMigos "Bad and Boujee" & the History of BougieWe talk Migos, Takeoff's death, car words, the history of the bourgeoisie in France and communist theory, and the origin and rise of 'bougie' in African American culture through class struggles and civil rights. And we discuss Portugal's 2022 Eurovision offering "Saudade Saudade" by MARO.2022-12-111h 47

Getting Down & WordyBlackpink "Pink Venom" & the Color PinkWe talk about the KPOP band Blackpink and the history and etymology of the color pink. And for Eurovision, we discuss Finland's The Rasmus.2022-11-271h 53

Getting Down & WordyCoolio "Gangsta's Paradise" & ParadiseToday we talk about Coolio and his hit song "Gangsta's Paradise", and the etymology and history of paradise as a word and concept. For Eurovision, we discuss Ukraine's 2022 winning song Stefania by Kalush Orchestra.2022-11-131h 42

Getting Down & WordyGhost & MetalIn honor of Halloween we decided to talk about the Swedish metal band Ghost and the etymology of metal, both as a word for the substance and as a word for the music. In Eurovision, we talk about Azerbaijan's 2022 song Fade to Black by Nadir Rustamli.2022-10-301h 33

Getting Down & WordyEiffel 65 "Blue" & the Color BlueWe talk about the Eiffel 65 song "Blue", the etymology of the word blue and some common idioms and expressions using the word blue. And for Eurovision, this week we discuss Switzerland's 2022 song "Boys Do Cry" by Marius Bear. 2022-10-161h 35

Getting Down & WordyLil Uzi Vert "Glock in my Purse" & the Gender-fication of the PurseWe talk about Lil Uzi Vert. Are they a Dr. Seuss character? Also the history of the purse and how it became pointlessly gendered. And from Eurovision, we discuss Tiktok phenomenon song "Snap" by Rosa Linn, and a little about the Armenian language.2022-10-021h 31

Getting Down & WordyDie Toten Hosen "Kein Alkohol" & Beer with Paisley from Learn German Through MusicSpecial guest Paisely from the podcast Learn German Through Music joins us to talk about Die Toten Hosen, the etymology of beer and alcohol, and Oktoberfest. And we discuss 2022 Eurovision German entry, "Rockstar" by Malik Harris. Listen to Learn German Through Music on Spotify here: https://open.spotify.com/show/3JpaBUaBBb9JWk2djk533g?si=55b0eba0fa6b4a30 2022-09-181h 28

Getting Down & WordyRebecca Black "Friday" & The WeekendWe talk about Rebecca Black's meteoric super hit song "Friday" and the history and etymology of the weekend. As for Eurovision, we discuss Sam Ryder's "Spaceman".2022-09-041h 58

Getting Down & WordyBeyonce "Break My Soul" & ContractionsWe talk about Beyonce's "Break My Soul", contractions, particularly "won't" and why it isn't "willn't". In Eurovision we talk about Moldova's "Trenuleţul" by Zdob şi Zdub & Advahov Brothers and the cedilla and the comma below in Romanian.2022-08-211h 36

Getting Down & WordyThat's Not My Name by The Ting Tings & Nicknames and Pet NamesWe talk about the etymology of the words nickname and pet name, why some nicknames don't look much like the name they're shortened from (like Robert -> Bob). Honorifics. Pet names through history. And for Eurovision we talk about Give That Wolf a Banana by Subwoolfer.2022-08-071h 43

Getting Down & WordyLizzo & OverstandWe talk about Lizzo and her use of the word "overstand" in a statement she made apologizing for using ableist language. We look at the history and meanings of overstand and also ableist language and words you may not have realized are ableist. For Eurovision, we do Slo Mo by Chanel and discuss a few of the differences between the Spanish of Spain and the Spanish of Latin America.2022-07-241h 34

Getting Down & WordySuper Gremlin by Kodak Black & GremlinsWe discuss the etymology of the word gremlin from its origins in fighter pilot culture to the Chris Columbus movie, which . . is it racist? I mean, besides the Asian culture racism. Are gremlins a racist caricature of African Americans? Then we talk about some other country's weirdly specific monsters. And we discuss our first Eurovision song of the 2022 contest - Romania's Llamame by Wrs, plus Romanian idioms! . . Which are quite possibly the best idioms, it turns out. Other stuff . . . for some reason we talk about how gold is calcified Jesus pee. We explain the slang 'no cap...2022-07-101h 24

Getting Down & WordyHave an abortion . . songs episodeWe talk about pop songs about abortion and the etymology and history surrounding the word abortion. Also we play a game we're calling Kinkshame Abort Cancel. And we talk about other healthcare procedures which would make good pop songs. This episode is bound to be offensive to many. Don't @ us. Sum 41's doctor said your mom should've had an abortion, and we support that.2022-06-261h 33

Getting Down & WordyAs It Was by Harry Styles & Verb TenseWe discuss "As It Was" by Harry Styles, verb tenses, and whether a language's treatment of time, among other things, has any influence on our perception of time, which is to say, linguistic relativity. Also, instead of Eurovision, we continue to talk about the American Song Contest.2022-06-131h 28

Getting Down & WordyABCDEFU by Gayle & the AlphabetWe talk about "ABCDEFU" by Gayle and the alphabet - where it came from and why it's in the order it's in among other things. Instead of Eurovision, we discuss Amerovision - The American Song Contest.2022-05-301h 45

Getting Down & WordyEncanto Surface Pressure & OnomatopoeiaWe talked about "Surface Pressure" from Encanto, onomatopoeias, and Ukraine's 2021 Eurovision song "Shum" by Go_A.2022-05-161h 13

Getting Down & WordyKidz Bop & Minced OathsWe talk about Minced Oaths - dang, gosh, forked up, shitake mushrooms, etc., and also Kidz Bop, and also in Eurovision we discuss Finland's 2021 offering "Dark Side" by Blind Channel.2022-05-0258 min

Getting Down & Wordy11. Tryna See Right Through - Bruno Mars Willow Contractions and Eye IdiomsWe did two songs today, Skate by Bruno Mars and Tranparent Soul by Willow. And we talk about tryna and other new contractions, see right through you and other eye based idioms, and The French Eurovision song Voila.2021-11-031h 09

Getting Down & Wordy10. The Pursuit of "Happier Than Ever" by Billie EilishThe etymology of happiness including Jesus orgasms and hedonism. The Bulgarian language's inferrential verb tense. 2021-10-181h 32

No Highway OptionBOO! A MADEA HALLOWEEN: A Spooky Surprise (with Russell Pirkle & Hannah Weyer)No Highway To Hell Option/Spooky Highway Option/Confusingly Something About Boob According to Luke/whatever we're calling it finally begins with a real big scary movie...maybe. There's something in the attic. Is it the horrifying ghost of Mr. Wilson, or could it just be YouTubers trying out acting for the first time? The only way for the boys to truly find out is to team up with RUSSELL PIRKLE and HANNAH WEYER from POP ETYMOLOGY to talk about 2016's BOO! A MADEA HALLOWEEN. Put on your best wig and wacky floral dress, it's time to...2021-10-121h 38

Getting Down & Wordy9. Feeling "Way 2 Sexy" by Drake Future and Young ThugWe have fun with numbers, talking about to too and two, number puns in Chinese and Spanish, and British Bingo. Also Mata Hari by Efendi and the Azerbaijani language.2021-10-091h 44

Getting Down & Wordy8. What's "good 4 u" by Olivia RodrigoToday’s song is SoOoO oRiGiNaL. We discuss sarcasm, good 4 u by Olivia Rodrigo, the return of rock pop punk whatever same as the old rock pop punk whatever, positive and negative face, the big five of Eurovision, and Anglo-Saxon and French pairs of English words.2021-09-291h 15

Getting Down & Wordy7. Minding the "WAP" by Cardi B and Megan Thee StallionTwo asexuals talk about WAP. We see wtf is up with acronyms, initialisms, backronyms, macronyms, orphaned acronyms, the USA PATRIOT act and jump on the making fun of Ben Shapiro bandwagon, with a true song of ribaldry and then say some stuff about Maneskin and pasta words.2021-09-221h 16

Getting Down & Wordy6. Quibbling that "I am not a Woman I'm a God" by HalseyWe talk about gender in language, epicenes, and argots plus "Loco Loco" by Hurricane.2021-09-151h 33

Getting Down & Wordy5. Da "Levitating" by Dua Lipa and DababyWe talk about astronomy words, speech tempo, anime boyfriends, and useful Norwegian words with "Fallen Angel" by Tix.2021-09-021h 25

Getting Down & Wordy4. Getting "Dad Vibes" by Limp BizkitWe talk about the comeback story of 'vibe', reduplication and 'la di da', the importance of Lithuanian and The Roop.2021-08-241h 20

Getting Down & Wordy3. Spreading "Butter" by BTSWe speculate about Korean's influence on English, the evolution of the concept of "summer", and English's Germanic roots with "I Don't Feel Hate" by Jendrik.2021-08-161h 26

Getting Down & Wordy2. Rooting for "Industry Baby" by Lil Nas X and Jack HarlowWe talk about the root of "root", accents, linguistic accomodation, "Je Me Casse", and "Industry Baby" on this our second-ish episode of Pop Etymology.2021-08-111h 02

Getting Down & Wordy1. Unrequiting "Love Like Woe" by The Ready SetToday in our second first episode, we discuss words of the 2010s, eggcorns and solecisms, Dadi Freyr, and "Love Like Woe" by The Ready Set.2021-08-051h 07