Strange but true: in the basement of our Springfield office, we have a file of 315,000 words typed in reverse. Why would anyone want (or do) such a thing? We'll explain.Hosted by Emily Brewster, Neil Serven, Ammon Shea, and Peter Sokolowski.Produced in collaboration with New England Public Media.Transcript available <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/word-matters-podcast/episode-32-backward-index" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>. Today's Podcast is brought to you by The Great Courses Plus. Visit&nbsp;<a href="http://thegreatcoursesplus.com/matters" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">TheGreatCoursesPlus.com/matters</a>to receive a free month of unlimited access.See Privacy Policy at <a href="https://art19.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://art19.com/privacy</a> and California Privacy Notice at <a href="https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info</a>.

33. Tracing the Origins of Famous Phrases

Word Matters is a show for readers, writers, and anyone who's curious about the English language. Join Merriam-Webster editors as they challenge supposed grammar rules, reveal the surprising origins behind words, tackle common questions, and generally geek out about the beautiful nightmare that is our language.