Best Butter No Parsnips Podcasts (2025)

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158. Stevedore 36:41

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2d ago36:41

36:41

Emily and Kyle learn what the average Steve does for a living, what makes shipping so expensive, and who swears like a sailor (aside from a sailor), as they explore the history of the word stevedore. Our hosts dig into the origins of this word—which, shockingly, perhaps disappointingly, have nothing to do with the name Steve. In fact, it has more t…

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157. Churlish 42:53

10d ago42:53

42:53

Kyle and Emily get a little impolite, discussing the meaning and origin of churlish—a word you might’ve heard before but has plenty to surprise you! Our hosts travel all the way back to medieval times and beyond, looking at the earliest forms of not only churlish but also husband and wife, geriatrics and grain. They also sift through some archaic t…

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156. Panjandrum 43:33

17d ago43:33

43:33

This week, Emily and Kyle are tackling the great panjandrum himself, exploring the humorous origins and unexpected usage of this decidedly impressive word. Our hosts begin with a passage of 18th century nonsense, and a memory exercise that acting pros like Kyle can handle with ease. Emily then gives us a look at panjandrums through Victorian era ch…

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PATREON UNLOCKED - Butter'd Parsnips, Ep. 32: EPICnyms Pt. 5: "A Guy That Got Wounded and Captured and Fell Down the Stairs and Died & Also Math" 44:24

26d ago44:24

44:24

EPICnyms are back! In this, the fifth (third?) installment of the EPICnyms series, Emily and Seth take you on a ride from phooey to philosophy. Starting in the Deep South with a word named for a county named for a man with some awfully bad luck, Emily reveals how a synonym for nonsense came from a political move to get right with his constituency. …

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155. Catachresis w/ Mignon Fogarty 45:40

1M ago45:40

45:40

This week, Kyle and Emily are joined by special guest Mignon Fogarty, aka Grammar Girl, as they take a deep dive into catachresis, a word that stretches the very concept of meaning and walks the line between metaphor and malfunction. Together, the trio untangles how catachresis functions when language falls short, collapsing analogies and forcing w…

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Boiled Parsnips 49: Missed Spoon Opportunity 36:19

1M ago36:19

36:19

Country music, gift talk, an Ally Pally visit, ding dong, a llama meeting, and some interesting topics. (Originally recorded for Club Parsnips on 1/1/25 https://www.patreon.com/c/athleticomince) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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154. Calends 38:21

1M ago38:21

38:21

Emily and Kyle take a look through their calendar… and through the history of the calendar, as they discuss the meaning and origin of the word calends. Our hosts begin with a bit of Latin, digging into the origins of the word calends, of various monthly words, and even of the letter K. They discuss the importance of the moon in ancient time managem…

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153. Quagswagging 41:10

2M ago41:10

41:10

This week, Kyle and Emily are shaking things up! They discuss the meaning and origin of the word quagswagging, a quivering, swaggering word with a delightful ring to it. Our hosts dive into the two parts of this word in turn. They talk about quagmires, quavers, quakes, and quacks. Then they move on from the swamp to talk about who’s got the most sw…

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152. Lagniappe 32:47

2M ago32:47

32:47

Emily’s feeling generous this week, so she’s gifted Kyle a word with a delightful meaning and fascinating origin, lagniappe. Our hosts begin their journey in the mountains of South America. Kyle spots some English words which originate in the Quechua languages of that region, and Emily traces a path from Quechua through Spanish, then through French…

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151. Parergon 37:12

2M ago37:12

37:12

Kyle and Emily get to work at their favorite side hustle, separating “work” from “bywork” and unpacking the meaning and origin of the word parergon. This word might sound like a mouthful, but our hosts begin by comparing it side by side with more familiar words like parallel, parasite, ergonomic, and paragon. Kyle then takes Emily through parergon’…

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150. Congé 39:07

2M ago39:07

39:07

This week, Emily and Kyle get their vacation time approved and finally take that holiday to France, exploring the meaning and origin of the word congé along the way. Our hosts trace this word from modern day France all the way back to Ancient Rome, talking about sick leave, travel, and even squeezing in the history of the word commute! They also ta…

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149. Vignette 38:03

2M ago38:03

38:03

Kyle and Emily look at the meaning and origin of vignette, a word which gives them snapshots of life in everything from illuminated manuscripts to early photography, and from book illustrations to theatrical tableaus. This word starts as nothing more than a small and humble vine. However, it wound its way into the world of illustrated manuscripts, …

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148. Nesh 38:23

3M ago38:23

38:23

Emily and Kyle put on their warmest coats and travel up North, braving cold weather and accent challenges to discuss the meaning and origin of the word nesh. This cozy little word takes our hosts on a journey through several definitions, encompassing all things soft, gentle, and dainty. They talk about the impressive versatility of old-timey words,…

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147. Logarithmotechny 44:14

3M ago44:14

44:14

Kyle and Emily brave the terrifying, technical world of math, and get to know a wonderful wizard of a man along the way, as they discuss the meaning and origin of logarithmotechny. Our hosts break down this impressive word into some familiar parts. Then, taking a break from English class, they move on to algebra. Don’t worry; there’s not too many n…

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146. Runcible 38:07

3M ago38:07

38:07

Emily and Kyle look at some whimsical poems and delightful nonsense, as they try--perhaps in vain--to ascertain the meaning and origin of the word runcible. It’s revealed that this word isn’t exactly a word, though it certainly looks like one. Emily recalls a cozy, if silly, bit of poetry from her childhood. Kyle learns of a must-see opera prequel …

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Boiled Parsnips 48: Ladder Parties 29:19

3M ago29:19

29:19

Musical fun, shunned topics, a new quiz, Peter encounters Martin, soccer secrecy, and nursery rhymes. (Originally released via Club Parsnips in October 2024) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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145. Wroth 37:33

3M ago37:33

37:33

Kyle and Emily wax nostalgic, poetic, and wode over a deceptively familiar word, looking through Middle English and modern fantasy for the history of the word wroth. This word bears striking similarity to wrath, and at least a dozen other words. Kyle unpacks the etymological reasons why. He might’ve been a little angry at having to parse through so…

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144. Exurb 34:41

4M ago34:41

34:41

Emily and Kyle get away from the hustle and bustle, and take a linguistic drive to the countryside--discussing suburbs, cemeteries, and the history of the word exurb. Our hosts begin by finding the origins of the exurbs, both as a word and as an extension of the city. They talk about the urbane ancient Romans, the suburbs of Gomorrah, and the adven…

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The Geordie Heat Collection Vol. 3 43:47

4M ago43:47

43:47

A dollop of Tyne-based crime reality from between July and November of 2022 (First released to Club Parsnips members in July 2024) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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143. Simplified Spelling w/ Gabe Henry 59:56

4M ago59:56

59:56

In this very special guest episode, Kyle, Emily, and Seth are all joined by author Gabe Henry who’s been walking in the particularly large shoes of Teddy Roosevelt lately with the recent release of his book Enough is Enuf: Our Failed Attempts to Make English Easier to Spell . In Enough is Enuf, Henry explores hundreds of years of spelling reform ef…

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142. Bizarro 57:04

4M ago57:04

57:04

Kyle and Emily are embroiled once more in Seth’s conjurations of the Lexiconicon when he introduces them to this week’s word: bizarro. Seth traces this word’s tangled roots from French to Italian to Spanish (and maybe Basque?) only as a courtesy to what lies ahead. Summoning linguists Parkvall and Androutsopoulos, Seth reveals the “O-word taxonomy”…

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141. Formication 40:09

4M ago40:09

40:09

Kyle really gets Emily itching for a word this week, but don’t worry, it’s probably just formication. From medieval pustules to meth mites, this week's word scurries through centuries of medical language and insect-inspired metaphors. Kyle takes us through the Latin root formīca and the many creepy-crawly terms it spawned, while exploring the fine …

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Boiled Parsnips 47: Norwegian Tasting 31:24

4M ago31:24

31:24

Safety, memory renewal, a quiz, Gangs of the EPL, a door, Ding Dong, and access aggravation. (Originally recorded for Club Parsnips on 5/10/24 https://www.patreon.com/c/athleticomince) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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140. Aphotic 36:00

5M ago36:00

36:00

Emily and Kyle plumb the depths this week—literally and linguistically—as they explore the word aphotic and the eerie world it describes beneath the ocean’s surface. From Greek roots to Victorian bacteria reports, our hosts trace the word’s journey into scientific language, uncovering how aphotic came to define a zone of the deep sea. Emily describ…

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139. Planet Word w/ Ann B. Friedman 52:56

5M ago52:56

52:56

Emily and Kyle are joined this week by Ann B. Friedman, founder of Planet Word, a museum in Washington, D.C. dedicated to the language arts. Planet Word, located in the historic Franklin School building in Washington, D.C., transforms the fascinating world of language arts into something interactive, engaging, and universally enjoyable. From a kara…

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The McClaren Collection Vol. 4 44:46

5M ago44:46

44:46

Steve and Casper’s antics and adventures (and singing) from episode 85 to 116. (Previously issued via Club Parsnips on Patreon and Apple Subscriptions in Feb 2024) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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138. Codswallop 37:03

5M ago37:03

37:03

Kyle and Emily crack open a cold soda and go fishing with Hagrid. And if that sounded like absolute nonsense, then boy are you in for a treat with this history of the word codswallop. This slang word takes our hosts down strange and disparate paths, though the strangest of all is just how recent this word’s origin might be. Kyle begins at a brewery…

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137. Jejune 36:50

5M ago36:50

36:50

Emily and Kyle dig into a word which is anything but lacking. Both their appetites and their minds will be well sated by this exploration of the word jejune. Examining this word’s earliest roots, our hosts chat about sacrifice in Ancient Rome, a fasting ritual inherited from Ancient Greece, and what is certainly the best synonym for breakfast. And,…

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Boiled Parsnips 46 And A Half: Cool Petrol Guy 29:40

5M ago29:40

29:40

Parsnippers questions, quizzing, singing, that sort of thing. (Originally recorded for Club Parsnips on 17/9/24 https://www.patreon.com/c/athleticomince) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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136. Etymonline w/ Doug Harper 53:18

6M ago53:18

53:18

Kyle and Emily sit down this week with the founder of the Online Etymology Dictionary (https://www.etymonline.com) and hesitant word wizard himself Doug Harper. Harper takes our hosts through the intricacies and idiosyncrasies of compiling one of the most exhaustive etymology resources on the internet, one which got its sea legs during the genesis …

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135. Euouae 38:28

6M ago38:28

38:28

Kyle and Emily warm up their vocal chords and join the church choir, as they discuss the history of a vexingly vowel-laden word, euouae. Our hosts look at the history of everyone’s favorite tunes, Gregorian chants! They discover what a little bird told Pope Gregory I, learn what little phrase sneaks between psalms and hymns in a Catholic mass, and …

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134. Rover 38:10

6M ago38:10

38:10

This week, linguistic buccaneers Emily and Kyle tackle that age-old question--why is the rum always gone?--and along the way explore the history of the word rover. Not only does this episode uncover a lost definition of rover, but it’s also chock full of other pirate words! Emily discusses the origin of some words we all know, like booty and buccan…

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133. Witham 35:53

6M ago35:53

35:53

Lovers of dad jokes and witty insults, tune in! Kyle and Emily dig into some punny humor of the highest caliber, and explore the history of the word witham. This episode’s journey begins with a simple jab, “born at Little Witham”, a textbook example of British wit. Our hosts aren’t sure from which English village this phrase springs--but that may b…

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The Beardsley Collection Vol. 5 45:55

6M ago45:55

45:55

From episodes 103-113, including Carol’s new beau, Peter listening to Talksport, and much more… (Originally released to Club Parsnips members on 31/10/23) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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132. Scrieve 40:13

6M ago40:13

40:13

This week, Emily and Kyle are digging into all the ‘write’ stuff. They discuss flash language, begging letters, and the history of the word scrieve. Our hosts start in the wide world of writing, in contexts varying from beloved Scottish writer Robert Louis Stevenson to the tedious work of a scribe. However, the once-innocent scrieve soon becomes th…

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Boiled Parsnips 45: Japanese Street Food Van 32:14

7M ago32:14

32:14

A lanky song, catchphrases, Crime Files, Littlepodding, a quiz, Mick goes shopping and more format theft. (Originally recorded for Club Parsnips on 1/9/24 https://www.patreon.com/c/athleticomince) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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131. Glossopoeia 38:37

7M ago38:37

38:37

Kyle and Emily are talking about what is perhaps the most complicated part of worldbuilding for sci fi and fantasy, as they unpack the etymology and history of the word glossopoeia. This episode’s all about the nerdiest kind of wordplay, made-up languages. And not just the ones that appear in your favorite franchises like Lord of the Rings, Star Tr…

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130. Moeity 34:38

7M ago34:38

34:38

Emily and Kyle get in the middle of the legal world and discover who will get a moiety of Kyle’s assets when he’s bought the farm. In this episode, Emily uncovers the connections between social media and the paranormal, Kyle splits up his assets for both Alice AND Agnes, and the pair learn how the word expanded from law to chemistry and cultural an…

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129. Flophouse 42:11

7M ago42:11

42:11

Kyle and Emily flop down for a quick snooze, but before they drift off to sleep they discuss the meaning and history of the word flophouse. Our hosts are talking about the lives of (and distinctions between) tramps, vagabonds, and the homeless. Kyle discusses the effects that the Civil War and the Great Depression had on homelessness in America, an…

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128. Magnoperate 37:35

7M ago37:35

37:35

This weeks’ word is truly a work of art! Emily and Kyle discuss grand performances, the realities of artist life, and how to improve their next pitch; as they dig into the myriad meanings of the word magnoperate. Our hosts talk about great works, in all senses of those words. Magnoperate is a decidedly aspirational word--describing everything from …

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Boiled Parsnips 44: Fish Truthers 30:09

8M ago30:09

30:09

Safety, snake vaping, a distance quiz, a door, and a hot tub dreamer. (Originally released to Club Parsnips members in July 2024) Join Club Parsnips at https://www.patreon.com/athleticomince Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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127. Tintinnabulation 42:13

8M ago42:13

42:13

We might be long past the season, but Kyle and Emily still have a few jingle bells hangin’ around, and they’re using them to make sweet music as they discuss the word tintinnabulation. Kyle and Emily put words to sounds, finding just the right way to express the ring of a bell. Better yet, noted authors Edgar Allen Poe and Charles Dickens do the sa…

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126. Susurrus 33:58

8M ago33:58

33:58

This episode comes in like a whisper on the wind, and gets Emily and Kyle talking about the sonically pleasing and linguistically intriguing word susurrus. Our hosts murmur about the word’s origins in Latin, as well as its satisfying sound as an onomatopoeia. Looking through the lens of some Roman poetry and English literature, they see how this wo…

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125. Soubrette 35:37

8M ago35:37

35:37

Kyle lets Emily in on the true theatre kid experience, as they discuss French maids, Italian sopranos, and the history of the word soubrette. Our hosts reveal how an Occitan word for a servant came to refer to an iconic stock character as common as the Harlequin. From Italian Commedia dell’Arte, to French opera, to Shakespeare, to 1950s farces… the…

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124. Charivari 36:20

8M ago36:20

36:20

Emily delights Kyle’s ears with a serenade of the very worst kind, as this episode parades through the history of the word charivari. Our hosts begin with this word’s origins in Greek, and a bothersome inconsistency of spelling and pronunciation. But that’s not the only headache of the day--because this wedding tradition hinges noise making. It’s a…

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Boiled Parsnips 43: Bone On Bone 38:55

9M ago38:55

38:55

A safety rap battle, Lawro commentates, Martin visits Neil, Harry’s England gang, and a Slaughters trip. (Released via Club Parsnips in June 2024) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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123. Decalog(ue) 1:21:02

9M ago1:21:02

1:21:02

Seth, Emily, and Kyle decide that, this holiday season, they want to keep it simple. Well, not in terms of episode length. But don’t let that scare you off! Our hosts are dashing through some fascinating language history, laughing all the way! Seth starts us off with a word of uncertain spelling. The competition between decalogue and decalog launch…

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122. Retiform 37:09

9M ago37:09

37:09

Med students, pull out your flashcards! Kyle and Emily are crafting a delicate weave of medical terms, biological networks, and the word retiform. Our hosts discuss how the usage of the word retiform is a bit extended from its etymological roots. Emily does her best to recall the anatomy of the eye, and Kyle takes us through all manner of nets and …

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121. Bunco 39:54

9M ago39:54

39:54

Emily and Kyle roll the dice and try out some good old fashioned games of chance. If they play their cards right, they just might learn the history of the word bunco. The word arrived at the intersection of a card game and a dice game, both of which involved betting against a bank like in Blackjack or Roulette. However, you might not want to take y…

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120. Infangthief 33:59

9M ago33:59

33:59

Kyle and Emily have been caught red handed! This week they’re exploring crime and punishment of the most Medieval kind, as they discuss the meaning and origin of infangthief. They begin with the origins of this criminal word--which, if you’re wondering, IS related to fangs… a little. But the thief relation is a little more concrete, as this word pu…