Mortarboard

Mortarboard

Author: Sony Music Entertainment November 8, 2022 Duration: 35:46
Recorded live at the Oxford Playhouse on Sunday 9th October 2021.   Gyles and Susie explore the wordy world of Universities as they return to their University home of Oxford.    Come discover what seminars have in common with semen, how gold tassels gave us the term ’Toff’, why the mortarboard and the pestle & mortar are linked and Susie shares the ultimate excuse for bunking off class early to go for a drink down The White Rabbit (an Oxford pub named after Oxford resident, Lewis Carroll’s Alice's Adventures in Wonderland).   Gyles teaches Susie what it means to 'sport one's oak' and Susie shares some further sporting references revealing why chess boards and dominoes are also linked to University life.   We love hearing from you, find us @SomethingRhymes on Twitter and Facebook, @SomethingRhymesWith on Instagram or you can email us here: purple@somethinelse.com   We currently have 20% off at the SRwP official merchandise store, just head to: https://kontraband.shop/collections/something-rhymes-with-purple   Want even more purple, people? Join the Purple Plus Club by clicking the banner in Apple podcasts or head to purpleplusclub.com to listen on other platforms'   Don’t forget that you can join us in person at our upcoming tour, tap the link to find tickets: www.somethingrhymeswithpurple.com    Enjoy Susie’s Trio for the week:   Peristeronic - of or relating to pigeons.  Hirquiticke - horny teenager  Backspang - a loophole that allows you to renege on a deal.    Gyles read ‘Jabberwocky’ by Lewis Carroll    ’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves        Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:  All mimsy were the borogoves,        And the mome raths outgrabe.   “Beware the Jabberwock, my son!        The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!  Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun        The frumious Bandersnatch!”   He took his vorpal sword in hand;        Long time the manxome foe he sought—  So rested he by the Tumtum tree        And stood awhile in thought.   And, as in uffish thought he stood,        The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,  Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,        And burbled as it came!   One, two! One, two!  And through and through        The vorpal blade went snicker-snack! He left it dead, and with its head        He went galumphing back.   “And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?        Come to my arms, my beamish boy!  O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!”        He chortled in his joy.   ’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves        Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:  All mimsy were the borogoves,        And the mome raths outgrabe.    A Somethin’ Else & Sony Music Entertainment production.     Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ever found yourself wondering why we say "butterfly" or what a "snollygoster" might be? Lexicographer Susie Dent and writer Gyles Brandreth have built a delightful space to explore exactly that. Their Something Rhymes with Purple podcast feels less like a lesson and more like eavesdropping on a wonderfully meandering conversation between two deeply knowledgeable friends. Each episode digs into the quirks and histories of our language, unearthing surprising etymologies and forgotten words that deserve a comeback. You'll come away not just with an enhanced vocabulary, but with stories about how words shaped history and culture, all delivered with a warm, witty charm. It’s this blend of genuine expertise and playful camaraderie that has earned the show its award-winning status. While the journey through language is the main attraction, the tone is consistently light and often humorous, fitting its home in arts, comedy, and education. Produced by Sony Music Entertainment, the podcast is a regular invitation to rediscover the joy and sheer oddity of the English language. For those who find themselves captivated, there are avenues to join a community of fellow word enthusiasts and dive even deeper.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Something Rhymes with Purple
Podcast Episodes
Lovely Jubbly [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Roses are red, Violets are blue, Love makes the world go round, And so does etymology too! Happy Valentines Day! This week, Susie and Gyles explore the words of affection we used in our everyday vernacular... From darlin…
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This week at the Purple HQ, we explore words that come from the swinging 60s! Hear all about Gyles meeting The Beatles in an Apple shop back in the day, and Susie unpacking extraordinary etymologies... We love hearing fr…
(H)aitch [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Join Susie and Gyles this week as we unravel the captivating stories behind the letters 'E' to 'L,' in the second installment of our alphabet journey. We explore the rich history and surprising connections that have shap…
Rizz [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:34
Have you ever spotted a beige flag in your situationship? Are you a die hard Swiftie? Do you think you've got plenty of Rizz? If you don't know what we're on about, Purple People, then you need to get with the times! Thi…
Semiquincentennial [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:11
PURPLE PEOPLE! Today is an extra special day for Something Rhymes With Purple - we are celebrating our 250th episode! So to celebrate, we have decided to rifle through our glorious inbox, and answer YOUR questions. Thank…
Mafiosa [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:35
Embark on a linguistic odyssey with this week's episode as Susie and Gyles unravel the hidden histories behind Mafia terminology. We explore the gripping meanings of the words that have shaped the clandestine world of th…
Pertolerate [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:54
Happy New Year, Purple People! We're kicking off 2024 by flicking through the pages of Gyles book' 'Word Play'. Join us and join in as we unpack and explore odd and unusual words in the English language. We love hearing…