The Brian Lehrer Show Fun With Words
Aug 11, 2025
Martha Barnette, co-host of A Way with Words and author of Friends with Words: Adventures in Languageland, dives into the fascinating histories behind words like 'spam' and 'cocktail.' She explains how cultural influences, like a Monty Python sketch, shape language use. Martha shares intriguing origins, such as how 'cocktail' relates to horses with docked tails. The conversation also explores regional phrases in America and highlights the fluidity of grammar, celebrating the ever-evolving nature of language.
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Why 'Spam' Became Junk Email
- A Monty Python sketch recited 'spam' obsessively and Vikings sang about it.
- Early computer adopters used that joke to name mass unsolicited emails spam.
How 'Cocktail' Came From Docked-Tail Horses
- 'Cocktail' likely named a docked-tailed horse with a rooster-like tail.
- Martha Barnette says the term later described mixed, non-thoroughbred drinks.
A Latin Word Sparked Her Curiosity
- Martha Barnette found Latin 'cras' (tomorrow) linked to 'procrastinate' in a dictionary.
- That small connection launched her enduring interest in etymology.
