[Exploring Linguistic Curiosities: A 'Two Whats and a Wow' Special]-[Two Whats?! And A Wow! - Word is the Word (9/9/22)]

Wow in the World · B1 · 2022-09-09

📋 Summary

Linguistic Wonders and the Game of 'Two Whats and a Wow'

In this episode of Wow in the World, hosts Mindy Thomas and Guy Raz take listeners on an educational journey through the fascinating world of words. The centerpiece of the show is their interactive game, Two Whats and a Wow, a "scientific game show that separates the wows from the whats." The hosts challenge the audience to distinguish between authentic scientific facts and creative fabrications, blending humor with curious linguistic trivia.

Round 1: Numerical Oddities

The game kicks off with a challenge regarding the English language and numbers. The hosts present three statements: the presence of the letter 'A' in numbers, the number of words for ketchup in French, and the length of the longest English word. The "winning wow" reveals that "1,000 is the first number that has the letter A in its name." This segment highlights the arbitrary yet structured nature of how we name numbers, providing an engaging "wow" moment for the listeners.

Round 2: Geographical and Alphabetical Extremes

Moving into the second round, the discussion shifts to global linguistic geography. The contestants are presented with claims regarding extinct languages, the Khmer alphabet, and a town in Wales. The verified fact—the "winning wow"—is that "there's a town in Wales with 58 letters in its name." Guy Raz notes that this town expanded its name in an effort to "bring in tourists," illustrating how language can be manipulated for cultural and economic purposes.

Round 3: Etymological Origins

The final round focuses on etymology, specifically the origins of common terms. The statements provided include the definitions of the word 'try,' the origin of 'dinosaur,' and rhyming constraints for the word 'pint.' The correct answer confirmed by the show is that "the word dinosaur comes from the Greek word for terrible lizard." The hosts elaborate on this by referencing Sir Richard Owen, who coined the term Dinosauria, noting that while the etymological root translates to "terrible lizard," Owen also perceived these creatures as "fearfully great."

Interactive Learning and Conclusion

Beyond the game show format, the episode encourages listeners to become active participants in language creation. Through "Operation What's the Word?," the hosts challenge the audience to "create your own word" by researching Greek or Latin roots. This initiative aims to foster curiosity about language evolution and encourage children to engage with the mechanics of vocabulary building.

Throughout the episode, the hosts maintain a playful atmosphere, complete with "bonker balls physical challenges" for those who guess incorrectly, ensuring that the learning process remains entertaining. By blending trivia with actionable creative challenges, Wow in the World successfully transforms abstract linguistic concepts into an accessible and memorable experience for their "Wowzers."

🎯Key Sentences

I lost track of time.

That's so cool, right?

You want to help me organize this pile over here?

This is the best day ever.

Oh, don't you hi Dennis me.

Expand All

📝Key Phrases

music to your ears

get on with

lost track of time

mixed in with

get restless

Expand All

📖 Transcript

Grownups, Wondery Plus subscribers can listen to Wow in the World early and ad-free right now.

Join Wondery Plus in the Wondery app or Wondery Kids Plus on Apple Podcasts.

Hey, Wowzer fans, Mindy here.

And before we start the show, I gotta let you know that this November, with a special new episode featuring our friends at Circle Round and Terrestrials on Radiolab for Kids,

And don't miss when Elmo from Sesame Street stops by Wow in the World to make us all belly laugh on November 24th.

Oh, but that's not all, Reg.

Or study on the web version →