Search results for

Using an unusual spelling of a word or a fancy French saying may seem like an easy way to sound elegant, but in reality the roots of the words or sayings…

Many of the tools found in a state of the art operating room are 21st century, but in her new book University of Iowa surgeon Dr. Carol Scott-Conner…

Baby names tend to peak in popularity, and then decline over the following years. According to the Social Security Administration, none of the top ten…

We all use adjectives to describe things and the world around us, for example: "look at that speedy little red car!" or "look the beautiful clear blue…

We welcome "Word Maven" Patricia O'Conner to the program. Should people who love English get all hot and bothered when the language changes? O'Conner,…

ABC was widely praised for giving up a highly rated show on principle when it canceled its Roseanne reboot. It turns out it wasn't quite that simple.

There is no single authority on single and plural pronouns, but our regular grammar expert always has practical advice. In this Talk of Iowa, host Charity…

Actress Patricia Clarkson is making waves -- and winning fans -- for her sharp-edged interpretation of Blanche DuBois in a Kennedy Center production of A Streetcar Named Desire. NPR's Liane Hansen talks with Clarkson.

Most of the time, there's more to what we say than the words we use. English language expert Patricia O'Conner says that the tone, volume and pitch of our…