Ep. 30: Us and Them

Hey it’s US again! But if we’re US, then who is everybody else? In our great tradition of defining words that we already know, we are going with a couple of the first words we learn. Are they also some of the first words humans conceptualized? If so, what does that mean for the way we build society around us? Efren brings a poem by David Tomas Martinez, and we choose a straight classic jam to go out with. To find out, don’t listen to THEM, just click the link.

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Ep. 29: Breath

By now, you can probably see where this is going. By analyzing the origins of today's word, we uncover some ancient associations with it that exist to this day in some magical way. Yeah, we've been doing this for a while now, so it's almost as easy as BREATHING. Efren brings some poetry from Walt Whitman, Aaron brings Andre the Giant, Josh forgets his lines, and Abe reveals his vulnerabilities, all on today's EXTREME VOCABULARY.

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Ep. 28: Party

Cowabunga! We're here to PARTY and do our best to explore the mystery of words. Today's word has lots of definitions and tons of applications. So whether you are a member of a party, at a party, interested in hunting, or a just person who just likes, you may have enjoyed using today's very fun word. Efren is here once again with some poetry by William E. Stafford, and we answer emails. Don't worry if you didn't bring any snacks, we got everything you need on EXTREME VOCABULARY.

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Ep. 27: Antidisestablishmentarianism

Today’s episode tells the story of how the King of England set in motion a series of events that would create what is arguably the longest word in the English language (even if it’s mostly suffixes and prefixes). Then, we pluck this word from its historical context and see if it holds any relevance for the hip kids of today. Efren brings us a short story by Gayle Pemberton, Aaron shows off his knowledge of history, Abe does the research, Josh does bad accents, and we all get together to tell the kids to get off our lawn on today’s episode of EXTREME VOCABULARY.

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Ep. 26: Fetish

The Extremers are three-legged in this episode, without the mighty aid and insight of Efren. Abraham, Josh, and Aaron shuffle forward in order to try and figure out the mysteries and mystique of the word fetish. Abe crunches away at our brains with his deep research and encyclopedic knowledge of all things word-y while Josh and Aaron add their unique perspectives to this titillating word and its many implications. Meanwhile, due to the absence of our steadfast literature maven (Efren), Aaron steps up and does his best impression of a person who knows how to read poetry. The showcase piece of lit today happens to be a poem: "Aria" by David Barber. Come to this episode with an open mind and a forgiving nature as we whip up a short, but sweet, activity to stimulate your ears and, hopefully, your minds.

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Ep. 25: Cult

Here at Extreme Vocabulary, we are tools of the devil because we ask for your "cultish" devotion, dear listener. Today's word, "cult," reminds us back when civilization was a mere gardening religion thankful to unknown gods for a full stomach. But how did we get from cult as gardening to cult as drinking the cyanide kool-aid? And was it even Kool-Aid? And did Nike sponsor the Heaven's Gate cult? We answer these and other questions because we are your sole authority. Pontiff Efren brings "The Marrow of Tradition," Deacon Josh brings his charming good looks, Lord Aaron brings his cult of personality, and Abe wears the ceremonial robes for the comet's arrival-- the comet called "Extreme Vocabulary."

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Ep. 24: Intelligence

Hey smarty pants, everybody in class thinks your smart, but is it just because you're holding a book in your hands? Join us on a discovery and decide for yourself who is qualified to expound on the meaning of intelligence. Abe brings us the etymology of the word, as usual, but we also consider some topics like animals, culture, books, and... French? Efren brings a poem by Stanley Kunitz, and of course we choose a song as usual. Don't listen to us because it's cool, listen to us because it's the smart choice. We're at the link below, or on iTunes.

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