Podcast
You're Saying It Wrong
Hosted by KMUW · EN
From KMUW Studios and part of the NPR Podcast Network, You're Saying It Wrong is a podcast that looks at what we get wrong—and what we sometimes get right—when it comes to this English language. Hosted by KMUW's Fletcher Powell, each episode features a conversation with the sister and brother who wrote the book on it. Literally. You're Saying It Wrong: A Pronunciation Guide to the 150 Most Commonly Mispronounced Words and Their Tangled Histories of Misuse is by Kathryn Petras and Ross Petras.On June 24, 2022, You’re Saying It Wrong received first place in Division B for Interview Podcasts from the Public Media Journalists Association. The awards recognize the best work in public media journalism from across the country.You're Saying It Wrong is available to public radio stations through PRX.
43episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
The 2025 Words of the Year
Jan 300:33:05Tap to summarizeWe continue our annual tradition of looking back at the words that defined the year, as chosen by dictionaries, listeners... and us!
Transcribe →Petty Pet Peeves for Persnickety Pedants
Aug 9, 202500:31:33Tap to summarizeWe'll dive into some common mistakes and pet peeves we have regarding the literary world, and then Kathy and Ross challenge Fletcher to another round of "Related... Or NOT??"
Transcribe →The Graham Cracker Rule of 'Those Ones'
Aug 2, 202500:29:25Tap to summarizePet peeves, grammar groaners, and other language catastrophes are on the agenda this week, as we come up with a rock-solid rule grammatical rule that no one will ever question or disagree with.
Transcribe →The Secret of -nym
Jul 26, 202500:35:16Tap to summarizeHomonyms, synonyms, antonyms... we'll look at some "wordly" similarities and differences, and explore the vague space in between.
Transcribe →It's Summertime, and the Etymology is... Questionable
Jul 19, 202500:29:26Tap to summarizeWe'll look at the surprising origins of some common summer-related words, phrases, and idioms.
Transcribe →American History Needs a Little Copy Editing
Jul 12, 202500:29:25Tap to summarizeWe'll look at some questionable language decisions the American Founding Fathers made when writing some of the country's most important documents.
Transcribe →Suffix Fight!
Jul 5, 202500:34:56Tap to summarizeCollectable or collectible? Why is it a computer and not a computor? Or is it? We look at the confusing and sometimes (seemingly) chaotic world of suffixes.
Transcribe →The Debatables
Jun 28, 202500:29:23Tap to summarizeWhen we disagree about what a word means or how to pronounce it, how do we know who's right and who's wrong? And what if we're both right?
Transcribe →Dislocate Your Syntax, Not Your Shoulder
Jun 21, 202500:28:44Tap to summarizeAfter entertaining a few more listener pet peeves, we jump into a discussion on right and left dislocation in syntax, and then touch on the always entertaining world of nominative determinism (wait till you hear about the guy who invented the toilet!).
Transcribe →Let's Take a Look in the Ol' Grab Bag...
Jun 14, 202500:33:06Tap to summarizeWe tackle a range of topics this week, including a brief quiz on winning spelling bee words, a common pet peeve, and some origins of fancy words.
Transcribe →