Revel in surprising word histories, regional dialects, ancient linguistic roots, and modern slang with Martha Barnette, co-host of public radio’s popular “A Way with Words.” Barnette, a writer in love with so-called dead languages, co-hosts the radio show which The New Yorker called “Car Talk for Lexiphiles” with Grant Barrett, a linguist and lexicographer.
This in-person event will also be live streamed. Please register so that we can send you the link for the live stream and so we can share with you other information about the event.
About the Presenter
Martha Barnette is co-host of the public-radio show A Way with Words, heard each week by listeners on National Public Radio affiliates across North America, and worldwide by podcast. The show’s about words and how we use them — word and phrase origins, slang, regional dialects, writing well, books and reading, and that weird thing Grandma used to say.
Martha holds an undergraduate degree in English from Vassar College, and did graduate work in classical languages at the University of Kentucky. She studied Spanish in Costa Rica at the ILISA Language Institute.
Before her work in radio, Martha was a reporter for the Washington Post and an editorial writer for the Louisville Courier-Journal. She’s the author of three books on word origins: A Garden of Words, Ladyfingers & Nun’s Tummies: A Lighthearted Look at How Foods Got Their Names, and Dog Days & Dandelions.
In 2004, Martha joined A Way with Words, now produced by Wayword, Inc., the 501(c)(3) educational nonprofit that produces and distributes the program with support from listeners and underwriters.
A Kentucky native, she lives in San Diego, where she can be found hiking mountain trails and performing musical improv comedy at Finest City Improv.
More about A Way with Words at waywordradio.org. And check out A Way with Words At Home: The Video Version.
Accessibility
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