America's Secret Slang Season 1

Mark Seen

Guns, Booze and Politics Apr 14, 2013 Politics is full of odd phrases like "pork barrel projects," "slush funds," and "lame ducks" -- all of which had practical origins and morphed to mean what they do today.

Mark Seen

Them's Fighting Words Apr 14, 2013 Have you ever wondered why someone who can't get it together is called a "basket case"? Or where the term "Yankee" came from? And why do we say someone "bought the farm" when they die?

Mark Seen

Y'all Speak Country Apr 21, 2013 The American South has given us words like "y'all" and "rednecks" as well as dozens of colorful phrases like "fly off the handle," "having an axe to grind," and "barking up the wrong tree.

Mark Seen

West Word, Ho! Apr 28, 2013 Expressions from "riffraff" to "betting your bottom dollar", "passing the buck," "acid test" and even "heard it through the grapevine" all come from America's frontier days. But have you ever wondered why these phrases were first used?

Mark Seen

Coming to America May 5, 2013 Ever wonder why American cowboys say "'git along little doggies" when they're talking about herding cattle? Or why a losing wrestler "cries uncle?" And why do we say "ouch" when we stub a toe?

Mark Seen

Talking Turkey May 12, 2013 Americans have always loved to eat and expressions relating to food--from New York's "big apple" to "wake up and smell the coffee" --pepper our everyday speech. But where did they all come from?