Tag Archives: Language

Could tensions ‘escalate’ before the escalator was invented?

4 Feb 2026 Words Unravelled with RobWords and Jess Zafarris Is necessity the mother of invention? NO! Latin is, etymologically speaking. That’s just one of many revelations as Jess and Rob investigates words for innovations. 🛗 Could you ‘escalate’ something … Continue reading

Posted in English | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Why “Redhead” Isn’t “Orangehead”

Posted in English | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Why Is It Called Jaywalking? The Surprising Origin of the Word

Why do we call it jaywalking — and what does it have to do with birds, cities, and public shaming? In this episode, Gareth and Dex explore the surprising origin of the word jaywalking and how it emerged in early … Continue reading

Posted in Culture | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Why is it “sorrow” and not “sorge”?

Posted in English | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Why do we say “cold” and not “chald”?

Posted in English | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

How cities got their names

Enjoy exploring these city name origins 🌎 And learn languages for 7-days FREE at Lingopie! https://learn.lingopie.com/words-unra… Rob and Jess are touring the US and the UK in search of the most interesting city name origin stories. 💨 Does ‘Chicago’ have … Continue reading

Posted in English | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

BBC Radio 4 Extra – Words, Words, Words

Sue Perkins explores the house of Samuel Johnson – author of ‘A Dictionary of the English Language’. Published in 1755, this book was to set the standard for all future dictionaries. Comedian Sue also pays a visit to the British … Continue reading

Posted in English | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

16 letters is very impressive 👏 – BBC

Posted in Comedy | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

As an American I have no Freedom of Speech in the UK

Posted in Politics | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

The ancient origins of Sci-fi and tech words

[…] Rob and Jess are talking tech! In this episode, they explore the linguistic origins of terms from technology, Sci-fi and the internet. 🧌 Who was the first internet troll? 🤖 What does ‘robot’ literally mean? 🔫 Does Jedi actually … Continue reading

Posted in English | Tagged , , | Leave a comment