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TVPGHDAmerica's Secret Slang30mStory Television

The history behind the expressions from America's frontier days.

Original Air Date: Apr 28, 2013

The history behind the expressions from America's frontier days.

Original Air Date: Apr 28, 2013

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More episodes

Story Television • Today, 8:00pm • 1h

America's Secret Slang

S2, EP1 "Straight From the Horse's Mouth"

How American English has been changed by animals, food, sports and death.

Story Television • Today, 9:00pm • 1h

America's Secret Slang

S2, EP3 "Lower the Boom"

How American English was influenced by the seas, the ancient world, big business and the news industry.

Story Television • Today, 10:00pm • 1h

America's Secret Slang

S2, EP2 "Riding Shotgun"

Exploring words and phrases that are rooted in history.

Story Television • Today, 11:00pm • 1h

America's Secret Slang

S2, EP5 "Cut to the Chase"

How entertainment influenced common words and phrases.

Story Television • Today, 5:00pm • 1h

America's Secret Slang

S2, EP7 "Go for Broke"

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.

Story Television • Today, 3:00pm • 1h

America's Secret Slang

S2, EP5 "Cut to the Chase"

How entertainment influenced common words and phrases.

Story Television • Today, 4:00pm • 1h

America's Secret Slang

S2, EP4 "Off the Cuff"

Ways American English has been shaped by clothes, crimes, punishments, insults and the Internet.

Story Television • Today, 1:00pm • 1h

America's Secret Slang

S2, EP3 "Lower the Boom"

How American English was influenced by the seas, the ancient world, big business and the news industry.

If you think about it, English can be confusing, especially to those first learning the language -- as George Carlin pointed out, we park in driveways and drive on parkways. While we take common phrases and idioms for granted, there's usually a back story. In "America's Secret Slang," host Zach Selwyn explores how terms like "slush fund" and "fly off the handle" entered the lexicon. Revelations include how the circus gave America the word "jumbo," how actors led to the word "upstage," and a connection between George Washington and the word "groggy."
Original Air Date: Apr 14, 2013
Genres: DocuseriesTV Series
Rating: TVPG
Playback: HD
2 seasons available on demand
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