Something Rhymes with Purple
279 episodes - English - Latest episode: 1 day ago - ★★★★★ - 346 ratingsSusie Dent and Gyles Brandreth invite you to enhance your vocabulary, uncover the hidden origins of language and share their love of words in this award-winning podcast.
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Episodes
Tantalus
June 28, 2022 04:00 - 33 minutesToday’s episode is fabulous in the most literal of senses as Susie and Gyles are looking into fables and specifically the works of one of the most famous writers; Aesop. In a slow and steady manner, we will learn about greed with the help of a goose and a golden cacklefart and how the combination of foxes and grapes can impart teachings on petulance. Be ready for many marvels, morals and myths as Susie and Gyles discuss the questions surrounding Aesop and his very existence. You will not b...
Swazzle
June 21, 2022 04:00 - 38 minutesThis week we’re embracing nostalgia and throwing open our trunks to skip through the wonderful world of toys. Along the way we discover the real Teddy behind the bear, where the word Muppet comes from, and why it’s not necessarily a good thing to be as pleased as punch. We also reminisce about trips to Hamley’s (some for business, some for pleasure), Gyles reveals the star attractions in his Teddy collection, and did he really meet the real Barbie and Ken? A Somethin’ Else production We lo...
Phloem
June 14, 2022 04:00 - 45 minutesHere in the UK, we’re striding into summer - we’ve just celebrated the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee where people were quaffing Pimm’s at street parties up and down the country and with Wimbledon just around the corner, an episode on Summer Fruits seemed the perfect way to add some extra garnish to your summer excitement. We’ll discover what barbarians and rhubarb have in common, why you should carry a basket as a third wheel on a date and what could make you a ‘top banana’. Susie and Gyles shar...
Electrick
June 07, 2022 04:00 - 35 minutesWe’re full of energy this week as we fuel up on petrol (or should that be gas?) and blaze through the language associated with power and resources. Pop a few coins in the meter and join us as we discover the remarkable etymological links between electricity and amber and between fuel and focus as we discuss the Three Day Week and the origins of fossil fuels. A Somethin’ Else production. We love answering your wordy questions on the show so please do keep sending them in to purple@somethinel...
Chenille
May 31, 2022 04:00 - 37 minutesWe are morphing from etymologists into entomologists today as we put the world of insects and other creepy crawlies under the microscope. We will find out why bees really are the busiest especially when it comes to the English language and what caterpillars have in common with very hairy cats. Ironically, Gyles finds the fly in the ointment when he tries to get to the etymological root of ‘fly’ and Susie shares the silver lining of always being bitten by mosquitoes - it’s wohlweh (the pleas...
Furlong
May 24, 2022 04:00 - 38 minutesHands and feet at the ready Purple People, today we are looking at the world of measurements. We’ll find out how Oxens’ shaped our measurement system, why you would have a different weight village to village and how a stick was the object to rule(r) them all. Make sure you aren’t one over the eight for this episode as Susie will be testing your knowledge of some of the stranger units of measure before we jump into the mailbag for some Purple Post featuring the voices of two lovely Purple P...
The Purple People Eater
May 17, 2022 04:00 - 41 minutesA highly enjoyable sift through the mountain of emails you’ve sent in over the last few weeks with some absolutely corking questions to answer. In this week’s footage we lurch from poaching to doughnuts (or should that be donuts?), we separate our vets from our vets, and we discover the meaning of ‘lief’. There are also musical interludes from hungry monsters, limericks, and a handsome trio of words to add to your arsenal. A Somethin’ Else production. We love answering your wordy question...
Ichthyologist
May 10, 2022 04:00 - 39 minutesYou are in for a whale of a time today Purple People as we are jumping into the deep blue sea and meeting the fishes. We will discover why Halibut are holy, what Cod and weak beer have in common and we will also revisit that famous red Herring of a question: what is the plural of Octopus? Susie takes us on a beautiful trip to the Italian island Sardinia before we leap back into the ocean to join some Salmon fish to investigate their connection with salaciousness. Gyles shares a fishy story...
Best of SRWP Vol. 3
May 03, 2022 04:00 - 41 minutesCelebrating three years of Something Rhymes With Purple here are our favourite moments from the past 12 months on the pod. Join us as we remind ourselves of the fascinating etymological tales behind words like ‘naff’ and ‘tuxedo’, we relive some of Gyles’ most hair-raising anecdotes, and we explore the tribal language of aircrews and gamers. Plus we take the opportunity to once again hear the Purple People singing in unison… A Somethin’ Else production We love answering your wordy questio...
Bokeh
April 26, 2022 00:00 - 40 minutesStrike a pose with us this week as we give you a snapshot of the language behind the lens of photography. Our hosts – one camera shy, one a lover of the limelight – guide us through the whirrs and clicks of the camera, unearthing the first paparazzo and the surprising first person to coin the term ‘photo’ along the way. Elsewhere Gyles reveals the rollcall of great photographers for whom he has posed, we discover the first uses of terms like ‘selfie’ and ‘photobomb’, and Susie has a brillian...
Tidsoptomist
April 19, 2022 00:00 - 40 minutesThey say that time flies when you’re having fun, so this week’s episode should whizz by in a jiffy. Gyles and Susie tackle all things horological from clepsydras to obelisks and they reveal the musical history of the grandfather clock. They also chat about how best to use one’s time and the frustrating accuracy of Parkinson’s Law alongside the usual Trio and Poetry to finish on. A Somethin’ Else production. We love answering your wordy questions on the show so please do keep sending them...
E.T.
April 12, 2022 00:00 - 34 minutesToday, Susie and Gyles are blasting into outer space as they take a voyage into the linguistical world of extraterrestrial life. Rock bands and conspiracy theories will be involved in this episode’s lexical discovery as we fly by UFO’s, Crop Circles and Area 51. Also Susie and Gyles share their own run-ins with alien life before Gyles serenades us with a rather Saucy song. A Somethin’ Else production This episode features “The Saucer Song” from the musical, Salad Days written by Julian S...
Usquebaugh
April 05, 2022 00:00 - 39 minutesSusie and Gyles are in high spirits today as they lead us on a discovery to the essence of our souls…at least etymologically! We are delving into the world of spirits but not the religious or ghostly type… the alcoholic kind. This exploration will take us across the globe as we visit Geneva for our gin followed by a jaunt to Japan to discover why ordering “Sake” might not get you what you want. Susie will take us on a trip to Germany for a mouthful of Schnapps before she escorts us to India ...
Saddle-goose
March 29, 2022 00:00 - 44 minutesRecorded in front of a live audience at London’s Cadogan Hall we’re talking all things April Fools. Expect pranks aplenty as Susie and Gyles put a whoopee cushion under the jesters and hoaxters of times gone by, unpick the foolish history of Little Witham, and are unasinous in their pursuit of the perfect saddle-goose. A Somethin’ Else production We love answering your wordy questions on the show so please do keep sending them into [email protected] To buy SRWP mugs and more head ...
Pea Green Boat
March 22, 2022 01:00 - 42 minutesToday, Gyles compares us to a Summer’s day as he takes us on exploration of one of his favourite subjects: Poetry, and specifically, the Sonnet. Together, Susie and Gyles will uncover the A’s and B’s of this ‘little song’, deciphering the iambic from the pentameter, and encountering the greats from Shakespeare to Petrarch to Milton. 14 lines later, we’ll have what Gyles teaches us can be a companion for life as there is always a poem for an occasion that can provide comfort and company. We’...
Triskaidekaphobia
March 15, 2022 01:00 - 36 minutesFor those Purple People among us who refrain from walking under ladders, avoid social engagements on the 13th or live in fear of a broken mirror than this is the episode for you, as Susie and Gyles will be discussing superstitions. From Saluting magpies to knocking on wood, Susie will take us on an exploration encompassing the biblical and mythical in an attempt to find the origins of these compulsions. We get a double helping of poetry today as Gyles celebrates the birthday of Einstein. Ho...
Hepeating
March 08, 2022 01:00 - 48 minutesRecorded live in front of a sell-out crowd at Newcastle’s Northern Stage theatre we’re celebrating International Women’s Day and taking a close look at how the vocabulary we use changes when talking about women as opposed to men. After delving into some canny Geordie phrases and highlighting the historic work of a local unsung linguistic hero, we discover why some words, such as bubbly and airhead, are only ever used when describing women. And we look at the journeys of words like harlot, b...
Galvanise
March 01, 2022 01:00 - 44 minutesDid you know that every time you galvanise yourself to pick up the saxophone, or pop on a cardigan before sipping a glass of pasteurised milk, or you enjoy a Caesar salad and a play on a Rubik’s Cube you have someone in particular to thank for the pleasure? This week we’re returning to the ever-rich world of eponyms. Join us to find out how everything from the Cyrillic alphabet to chauvinism can be traced back to one man or woman in history. A Somethin’ Else production. We love answering...
Tufty
February 22, 2022 01:00 - 39 minutesWhether you’ve had a ruff day and need a Puple style re-leash, or you have dug out a paw-fect podcast listening moment, come hear about a man’s best friend on today’s episode of the podcast. Today we will be laying low with the basset hound and paddling with the poodle as we hear the fascinating etymology of dog breeds. We will find out why Saint Bernards are so saintly and what we have to thank Mr. Doberman and Mr. Russell for. Gyles’ expertise in English etiquette help answer your corresp...
Chatoyant
February 15, 2022 01:00 - 33 minutesPut your seatbelt on and relax in the passenger seat as we chauffeur you through the highways and byways of the language of the road. After easing the car out of the garage, we’ll cruise over the tarmac and the cats eyes, and try to avoid mounting the pavement before a well-earned stop at a Service Station. To pass the time en route, Gyles and Susie will discuss highway robberies, swap chicken jokes, and discover their unique CB radio handles. 10-4, looks like we’ve got ourselves a convoy. A...
PM
February 08, 2022 01:00 - 40 minutesGood Afternoon, Purple People! This is the follow up to Episode 144, AM, where Susie took us from morning to just before lunch delivering some perfect words to get us through the day. Now it’s time for the afternoon so let’s sit down for some luncheon as Susie helps us to identify the parasites, groakers, pinglers and guttlers amongst us before Gyles leads us into a post-perennial snooze. After our rizzle, it may be time for some expert fudgeling before a fit-of-the-clevers takes us to the...
Ataraxy
February 01, 2022 01:00 - 47 minutesRecorded live at the first of our London shows at the Cadogan Hall, Susie and Gyles focus on the lost language of positivity. Susie is on a mission to bring back the orphaned partners of uncouth, unkempt, and ruthless, and she also has some wonderful words to keep you thinking positively throughout 2022. Elsewhere Gyles reveals his secrets to happiness, there are lots of questions and suggestions from the audience, a few script mishaps, a trio, and a poem. It’s jam-packed with upbeat goodness...
Schuss
January 25, 2022 01:00 - 40 minutesPop your dirtiest salopettes on and join us as we race both on-piste and off-piste through the exciting language of winter sports. Separate your luge from your skeleton, your skates from your skis, and find out who put the bob in bobsleigh. Elsewhere Gyles interrogates Susie on the “ask gap” and they’re in danger of melting the ice with a long chat about psychometric tests and dating profiles. A Somethin’ Else production. We love answering your wordy questions on the show so please do kee...
Foolhappy
January 18, 2022 01:00 - 43 minutesThis week we’re having a much-needed sift through all your fabulous emails that came in over the Christmas period and dedicating the whole episode to your linguistic head-scratchers. We find out why lumbago no longer has our backing, the sharper origins of the phrase ‘can’t hold a light to’, and what a fugitive has to do with an explosion between your legs. Plus we go hunting for Dudgeon and Low Dudgeon and discover an interesting link between the different seasons. The work goes on! A Som...
Chum (Recorded live at Chichester Festival Theatre)
January 11, 2022 01:00 - 33 minutesIt’s the second instalment from our live show at the Chichester Festival Theatre and in this episode Susie and Gyles take us through the revolving doors of the language of hotels. Gyles re-visits his days as an MP as we uncover the origin of the word ‘lobby’ and Susie reveals the icy reason why at 15, she aspired to be a hotel manager! Fortunately for us, Susie instead decided to become a lexicographer and takes us on a few further visits to hostels and chamber chums with detours to pickets ...
AM
January 04, 2022 01:00 - 47 minutesRise and shine Purple People. We’re kicking off the new year with a whole host of wonderful words to carry you through every moment of the day. From getting out of bed with an expurger or a jobblyjock we’ll help cure your dysania and clinomania and make the very best of the morning to come. Plus Susie spins some poetry out of all the different words we’ve invented over the years for time-wasting. If your new year’s resolution is to widen your vocabulary then this is the episode for you. ...
Tipple
December 28, 2021 01:00 - 30 minutesJoin us as we pop a few corks and drink deeply from various bottles of linguistic libation. Feel free to plunge your nose into the glass and discover the link between claret and clear, blackbirds and merlot, and gen up on the difference between a Nebuchadnezzar and a Balthazar. In vino veritas and please listen responsibly. A Somethin’ Else production. To buy SRWP mugs and more head to.... https://kontraband.shop/collections/something-rhymes-with-purple If you would like to sign up ...
Gregarious
December 21, 2021 01:00 - 38 minutesThis week we’re separating the wheat from the chaff and paying tribute to those hard-working folk who will be working the land over the Christmas season. So roll up your sleeves and dig in with us as we uncover the origins of a ploughman’s lunch, learn of the debt that the financial world owes the lexicon of agriculture, and we get under the linguistic bonnet of the combine harvester. A Somethin’ Else production To buy SRWP mugs and more head to.... https://kontraband.shop/collections/s...
Hooch
December 14, 2021 01:00 - 40 minutesRecorded live in front of 1000 Purple People at the Chichester Festival Theatre, in this episode we get our claws into the rich language of the 1920s. From sipping gimlets in speakeasys to getting a shingle to go with our plus fours we skip through a decade that gave so many unique phrases to the English language. No hokum, it really is the bees-knees. There are lots of theatrical anecdotes from Gyles as he’s in a theatre very close to his heart and our lovely audience come up with some ver...
Curglaff
December 07, 2021 01:00 - 33 minutesA very special episode of the show this week as we bring you highlights of the first live show of our 2021/2022 tour. We’re in Bath where, appropriately, we were discussing the language of baths and bathing. Discover the equestrian links to a bidet and the unpleasant origin of ‘bumf’ in a show full of Eureka moments… just make sure you get out before you become quibbled. A Somethin' Else production. To buy SRWP mugs and more head to.... https://kontraband.shop/collections/something-rh...
Cybernetic
November 30, 2021 01:00 - 35 minutesIt's time to reboot your systems as we surf the web and probe around the intricate world of computers. Join us as we discover the origins of Google (and what the founders nearly called themselves instead), what digital mediums have to do with our fingers, and why you might not want to be invited to a computer 'picnic'. We also answer a brilliant email about the origins and uses of monitors, plus to help Gyles tell the difference between uploads and downloads there's a very special appeara...
Barmpot
November 23, 2021 14:13 - 37 minutes*This episode contains language that some listeners might find offensive* Today we are looking inwards and taking a linguistic journey through the world of mental health; how our attitudes towards it have changed over the years and how language has adapted to reflect this. Discover the connection between barmy and beer, the effect of the moon on our wellbeing, and why being bananas or nuts has nothing to do with anything that you eat. A Somethin’ Else production. To buy SRWP mugs and ...
Flenched
November 16, 2021 01:00 - 34 minutesThis week we’re having a rummage through the postbag and dedicating the whole episode to questions that you, the marvellous Purple People, send in each out. We help people find out where all the different meanings of ‘mandarin’ came from, ponder whether there’s a word for the twilight of the morning, and we get to the bottom of a rather tricksy wordy riddle. Also up for discussion are cauliflowers, rumours, ducks, and meadows. If you have a question that you’d like us to look into then ...
SRWP Live in BATH 20th November
November 11, 2021 17:00 - 41 secondsPurple People! We're so excited to be kicking off our live tour on Saturday 20th November at 3pm in BATH. We'll have all the podcast favourites as we record an extra special live episode of the show, they'll be lots of interactive wordy elements AND a live Q&A. Tickets are available from tiltedco.com/somethingrhymeswithpurple We can't wait to see you there! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jerkwater
November 09, 2021 01:00 - 38 minutesAll aboard Purple People because today, Susie and Gyles will be taking you on a trip on the railways! As our locomotive pulls the carriages along, we’ll see how freight trains are fraught, why university book sellers were also at the station and how a stop-off at a small town became insulting. The Purple People will of course be receiving the red carpet treatment from Susie and Gyles will be making sure the timing on our schedules all align. What are you waiting for? Let’s get on the (g...
Firgun
November 02, 2021 01:00 - 32 minutesThis week we’re full of chutzpah as we schmooze our way through the fabulous words that Yiddish has given to the English language. While our resident mensches don’t pretend to be mavens, they swell with kvelling as they revel in this rich and unique vocabulary covering everything from they smutty schmucks to the new Purple favourite ‘firgun’. Elsewhere Susie explains what ‘relexicalisation’ is, there’s a discussion on political correctness, and as always, three brilliant words to take into y...
Scoff
October 26, 2021 00:00 - 37 minutesHappy 175th birthday to Auguste Escoffier! In honour of the founding father of the modern restaurant we invite you Purple People, to join us in some fine dining today. Please let maitre d’hotel Brandreth sit you at your table (with its impeccably white table cloth) and waitron Dent will soon be here to serve you today’s finest offering of delectable culinary language. Soup is definitely off the menu (as are brown shoes…Gyles will explain!) and let’s hope you don’t order anything that is an ...
Glisters
October 19, 2021 00:00 - 39 minutesIt’s time for fake tan, sequins and your dancing shoes today, Purple People because Susie and Gyles are waltzing into the world of Ballroom Dancing…. One, two, three, One, two, three… We’ll be tripping the light fantastic as we explore the Waltz’s scandalous origin, cha-cha-cha-ing into the latin dances where Susie and Gyles prove it takes two to tango as we explore the Paso Doble and Charleston. Gyles will jitterbug us into the days of his school disco despair whilst Susie shares times ...
Just A Minute
October 12, 2021 00:00 - 34 minutesTesting, testing… one-two, one-two. Turn your wireless to the correct frequency and then turn it up as this week we bring you the terminology behind the world of radio. Discover the agricultural origins of the word ‘broadcast’, learn the difference between wet and dry audio, and find out why a bed is not for sleeping in and a disco isn’t an opportunity to dance. Elsewhere Susie’s got a fantastic trio of words to add to your vocabulary, we learn about Gyles’ first job in radio, and we’ve g...
Prepone
October 05, 2021 00:00 - 38 minutesThis week we abandon our mufty and don our finest khaki dungarees to set off from Blighty in search of the rich influence of Indian on the English language. We go doolally for juggernauts, repeat some mantras to reach nirvana, and we discover why ‘stadium’ might be your new favourite insult. And there was so much to cover that there is an extended version of this episode with an extra ten minutes of content for Purple Plus members available on Apple Subscriptions. To find access this, plea...
Masheen
September 28, 2021 00:00 - 41 minutesIt’s an honor to have you with us today Purple People as we plow through the colorful world of the lexicographer, author, language reformer and perhaps famously the dictionary creator, Noah Webster. Known as the father of American English, he is the man principally responsible for the loss of the ‘u’ in the American spelling of words like ‘color’ and the person responsible for adding J and V to our alphabet. Although we still visit islands (not ilands) and operate machines rather than mas...
Mausolos
September 21, 2021 00:00 - 33 minutesPick up your finest trowel and join us as we dig around the etymology of archaeology. Find out the link between helmet and hell, why we have an ancient king to thank for grand mausoleums, and why a thesaurus is even more of a treasure trove than you might first think. Elsewhere Susie has some great examples of fossil words that you might like to bring back to life and Gyles gets passionate about Sutton Hoo. Gyles and Susie also delve into the inbox to answer some more of your fantastic ques...
Pluffy
September 14, 2021 00:00 - 37 minutesThis week we’re going goo-goo and gaga as we investigate the wonderful words associated with babies. We cut the umbilical cord, discover the Roman connections with c-sections, and reveal the link between a fountain and a baby’s head. So, depending on where you are in the world, pop a dummy or a pacifier into your mouth and hop into our linguistic pram/buggy and we’ll whizz you through the language of babies before a well-earned nap in your cot… or should that be crib? Elsewhere Gyles reve...
Big Top
September 07, 2021 00:00 - 37 minutesJoin us under the Big Top this week as your ringmasters Susie and Gyles crack their etymological whips to tell the stories of the freaks, geeks, and clowns that populate our circuses. We discover the famous hands Gyles has shaken at one remove thanks to Popov The Clown, we learn about the joke behind jugglers, and we ask what’s the point of acrobats? A Somethin’ Else Production. Susie’s Trio: Quodlibertarian - a pedantic blowhard; someone who argues over every single point Tranklements ...
Grok
August 31, 2021 00:00 - 41 minutesPostman Purple is back with his big sack of Purple People correspondence! You heard it right folks, Gyles and Susie are diving into the mail bag where we are going to explore what connects airports and kitchens, what happened when Susie tried charcoal toothpaste and we have some Purple People theories on your ‘Aunt Nels’ (spoiler: includes shells and elephants). We also venture into the world of the extraterrestrial and - perhaps a purple first - learn some language of the martians. Gyles...
Icarus
August 24, 2021 08:39 - 37 minutesChocks away! Roll out! Hello! It’s another Tuesday and we’re pushing the envelope (well, not really, but we love alliteration) and presenting you, our Purple People, with another episode! The last year and a half has been almost entirely devoid of holidays. Have you missed the miniatures? Have you longed for a drink as you fly over the drink? Have you ever had a Delsey dinner with a crumb cruncher? Well even if you’re not up in the air, we at Something Rhymes With Purple will get you hal...
Merry-go-sorry
August 17, 2021 00:00 - 47 minutesRoll up, roll up and scream if you want to go faster! This week Gyles and Susie take a spin on the carousel (or should that be merry-go-round) as they waltz their way through the general hoopla of fairgrounds and carnivals. They marvel at the ironic profession of the inventor of candy floss, they toss away the notion that coconuts are shy, and Gyles reminisces about his father’s attempts to knock an old woman out of her bed. Strap in, it’s going to be a rollercoaster of a ride. As always ...
Naff
August 10, 2021 00:00 - 36 minutesBona to vada your dolly eek, Purple People! Now, if the above greeting to today’s episode is wholly incomprehensible then let Gyles and Susie decode it for you as they take us through the fascinating language of Polari. Whether you want to add a bit of Zhuzh to your conversation or if you have experienced something a bit naff recently, Susie is here to tell us to how these words found their way into this secret language which heralded from Italian, but evolved to encompass multiple other lang...
Podiuming
August 03, 2021 00:00 - 35 minutesHappy Tuesday! We must ask, are there many Purple People in the Peri-perineum? It is the perfect way to spend a blursday! Now that we’ve properly exchanged pleasantries- get read… set and go! Because this week we are doing a Tom Daley and diving deep into the wonderfully relevant world of the Olympics! Do you fancy an ancient ritual in honour of Zeus? Given the tight leash on demographics oh so many Olympiads ago, we think… probably not! Are you buffed and oiled and ready for the athalon? O...
Tuxedo Park
July 27, 2021 00:00 - 38 minutesWe can hear the bells today, Purple People! Here in the UK, we have hit wedding season so Susie and Gyles have decided to provide you with some charming titbits to entertain those table guests you’ll be next to on the big day. The time for firkytoodling is done so, get out your best tux (or morning suit as Gyles will passionately advocate), find your finest corsage and we hope you remembered to RSVP because the ushers will be showing you to your seat shortly. Susie will walk us - not down t...