Sunday, June 7, 2020

Ep. 40: Sartorial

On today's episode we ask you a sexy question: What are you wearing? As we talk about the word Sartorial, we discuss scientifically engineered clothes, T&C Surf Designs, pretending to be upper class, comfortability, double-breasted suits, kimonos, hamstrings, the ridiculousness of rock star clothing, and the philosophy of clothes in general. We also discuss how COVID-19 has changed our clothing style. Efren brings a fashionable poem by Eileen R. Tabios about the white-collar working class. Josh chooses ZZ Top's "Sharp Dressed Man." And Abe and Aaron wear their hair big. So put on some pajamas and get comfy with Extreme Vocabulary!


Friday, April 3, 2020

Ep. 39: Commune

In this second of our two-part series, we think about communism's root word commune. We ask, what can humans commune with? What is left of the commons? Air? Water? Desert? And Efren offers Planet Fitness as a utopian model of communism. Wait! Hear us out! Efren brings a poem by Brian Komei Dempster, Abe tells us about the Paris commune, Josh tells us about the E.T. Atari games in the desert, and Aaron teaches us how to commune with each other here on Extreme Vocabulary!


Friday, February 28, 2020

Ep. 38: Capital

Today's episode is the first of a two-part discussion on the opposing terms CAPITAL and COMMUNE, roots of the words capitalism and communism. And you bet that our discussion will rattle your head as we take on the debate between capital and commune! Abraham looks at the many definitions of capital from head, to pillar, to manuscripts, to economic value. Meanwhile, Efren brings us a poem by Joshua Clover. Who will win the debate between capital and commune? It depends. What do you value, dear listener?

Sunday, December 8, 2019

Ep. 37: No Word

Today we take a break from our usual programming to catch up with each other and reveal tiny slivers of our usually concealed identities. Also, some number of impressions are done. 



Sunday, October 27, 2019

EV 36: Blunt

On today's episode, we are missing Aaron so we lose our edge as we discuss today's not-so-sharp word, "blunt." So join us as we consider the history of how warfare generates our metaphors, insults make us dance, and salsa inspires the salivary glands for us all. Abe takes us back in time through the origins of this word, while Efren brings a recent example from a work of literature by Justin Torres.


BONUS: now you can join us for the never-ending Extreme Vocabulary Dance Party by listening to our playlist on Apple Music (spotify links forthcoming). Enjoy!


Sunday, September 29, 2019

Ep. 35: Abstract

Today we find ourselves at the precipice between what is symbol and what is phenomena, and we discuss how words and numbers help us crossover from our crude matter into our minds and back out into the cosmos. Art itself supports and is supported by today's word. We also discuss weighty philosophical matters such as, what is the best time to eat a banana? And what the definition of is is. Abe did the researdch, while Efren brings us a piece of literature from Hector Tobar, and we choose a piece of music too. In the end though, it's really hard to say how anything really ever happened.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Ep. 34: Skulduggery

This is no act of deceit or treachery, this is a real episode of Extreme Vocabulary, where we define one of the least rooted words we've ever had. Join us to learn the tale of how a Scottish word came to be used to describe a sex crime in old catholic documents, only to be later used to describe financial crimes in our own century. Then join us for one two many impressions, a poem by Vachel Lindsay, and a special helping of cool music.