America's Secret Slang
Host Zach Selwyn hits the streets to ask everyday people what they know about the origins and meaning of American slang, and then he reveals the true etymology and hidden history of common phrases and words that are unique to the United States. In each 30-minute episode, Selwyn focuses on a specific period in American history, revealing words that originated during that era or had significance for the geographic region.
Episodes
How American English has been changed by animals, food, sports and death.
Exploring words and phrases that are rooted in history.
How American English was influenced by the seas, the ancient world, big business and the news industry.
Ways American English has been shaped by clothes, crimes, punishments, insults and the Internet.
How entertainment influenced common words and phrases.
Words that originated in the military, police, aviation and baseball; a "last ditch effort"; freelance workers; pushing the envelope.
Runtime: 30m
Exploring the ways the language has been shaped by Vikings, the Cold War, computers, music and gambling; the meanings behind the colors of the rainbow.
Runtime: 30m
Presidents, sex and romance, and manners have influenced American English.
