Want to create an interactive transcript for this episode?
Podcast: A Way with Words - language, linguistics, and callers from all over
Episode: Cherry Bombs (#1551)
Description: An ornithologist says thereās a growing movement to change the name of a pink-footed bird currently called theĀ flesh-footed shearwater. The movement reflects a growing understanding that usingĀ flesh-coloredĀ for āpinkā fails to acknowledge the full range of human skin color. Plus, isĀ hooliganĀ an anti-Irish slur? Some people might perceive it that way, but originally the word itself simply referred to the name of a particular gang in London. Finally, book recommendations to keep our minds and hearts full: Joan Didion essays and a novel by Affrilachian poet Crystal Wilkinson. Plus,Ā cherry bumps,Ā al fresco,Ā en plein air,Ā frivol,Ā l...