What's in a Name?

Episode 12 - Yetimology (Cryptids)

Thu, 07 Apr 2022 20:45:31 GMT

Anna and James return to investigate the uncanny world of cryptozoology - at least, in linguistic terms, we're not doing anything that might actually put us in danger or need actual work. In this episode we learn what Yetis eat, find a better name for Stonehenge, and find out that the words beast, animal and deer all derive from the same idea - but which language do we struggle to pronounce more, Cornish or Amharic? And can we finally fix the Loch Ness Monster's branding problem?

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Episode 11 - That was an episode of Star Trek (Pastries)

Sat, 05 Mar 2022 16:28:11 GMT

In the post(ish) COVID world, there is one again room for word-based musings and meanderings. That's right, Anna and James are back with a new episode looking at your favourite baked goods. What does a croissant have to do with a crèche? What the hell is a Bedford Clanger? And what would YOU call a cookie if you had to come up with a new name for it? All this and more. Much more. Well not that much.

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Crabcast - Episode 389 (April 1st 2021)

Thu, 01 Apr 2021 04:00:00 GMT

Crabcast - Episode 389 April 1st 2021

Opening Music: Deep And Dirty by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5045-deep-and-dirty License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Cover Art Crab photo by Fiatlux Link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/fiatlux/12687848894/ License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/

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Episode 10 - The Original Nymphomaniac (Greek Names)

Thu, 28 Jan 2021 22:47:47 GMT

Back for a second season (ahem) of etymological excitement, James and Anna have been playing Hades and that's why this month's episode digs into Greek myths to discover everything there is to know about the universal antidote, tricking your way out of the underworld and being given a permanent but useless erection because someone else chose the wrong winner in a beauty contest.

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Episode 9 - After Judge Dredd, Before Star Trek (Architecture)

Sun, 14 Jun 2020 18:55:19 GMT

It's time to get technical as James and Anna look at the language of architecture. What has brutalism got to do with being smart? What distinguishes a gargoyle from a grotesque? Can James correctly answer ten questions about castles with no preparation? And will Anna let James coin a new Greek/Latin monstrosity without making a big deal of it?

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Episode 8 - The Gentleman's Game (Sports)

Fri, 08 May 2020 14:13:51 GMT

This week Anna and James use their mutual love of sport (and more specifically, the not playing of it) as a springboard for their etymological enquiries. What does boxing have to do with boxes? What has fencing got to do with fences? And what has snooker got to do with snooks? Discover the answers to these questions and more on this episode.

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Episode 7 - A Punk Version of Monopoly (Board Games)

Fri, 17 Apr 2020 15:39:09 GMT

Yahtzee! And indeed, chess. That's right, in this episode we investigate the origins of the oldest game. No, not that one, board games only. Anna digs into exactly why it is that Monopoly is so dull, James finds out what mahjong has to do with sparrows, and later on we propose a change the name of Scrabble that would, at least, make it easier to score higher with.

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Episode 6 - Beethoven Cinematic Universe (Dog Breeds)

Fri, 03 Apr 2020 16:35:53 GMT

What's up, dog? Anna, James and special guest Katie investigate the strange world of dog breeds. Who was St. Bernard? What have puppies got to do with butterflies? And can we possibly track down the person who named the Olde English Bull Dogge and give them a stern talking to?

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Episode 5 - Treesles (Diseases)

Fri, 20 Mar 2020 10:03:06 GMT

It's a social isolation special as, in the midst of a global coronavirus pandemic, we take a look at the etymology of disease names. That's right, we're redefining the concept of being a social media influenza, unpicking what COVID-19 really means, and talking too much about things... flowing.

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Episode 4 - Of from gold (Cities)

Fri, 13 Mar 2020 11:41:20 GMT

In which we take a tour of the great cities of the world. And Coventry. We learn how close New York came to NOT being the Big Apple, why Paris is literally a melting pot, and then visit the fictional cities of Tolkien, CS Lewis, Milton, and the Mysterious Cities of Gold. Well, it can't all be highbrow.

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Episode 3 - Milkshakes are a Vegetable (Herbs)

Fri, 28 Feb 2020 09:26:15 GMT

In which we pick some herbs (metaphorically speaking) and ask: Are YOU going to Scarborough Fair? And do you wanna score some aromatic weeds on the way? Plus, why vanilla is not at all vanilla, and why milkshakes are incontestably a vegetable.

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Episode 2 - A Secret Cabal of Farmers (Months)

Fri, 21 Feb 2020 00:59:14 GMT

In which we look at the calendar and ask: just what sort of racket is Big Diary perpetrating with this nonsense? James tries (and fails) to explain what April means, while Anna digs into etymology of 'a fortnite' with... can we say surprising results? Oh, apparently we cannot.

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Episode 1 - Sad Clam Erasure (Emotions)

Wed, 12 Feb 2020 18:28:30 GMT

In which we tackle the simple subject of emotions, asking: how are you feeling, and why do you say that? But not in a Sigmund Freud way. Meanwhile, James has learned exactly what it is that makes clams happy, while Anna tells us how it feels when things are going TOO well.

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