No Such Thing As A Fish No Such Thing As Gutter Ice
92 snips
Jan 29, 2026 
Sally Phillips, comedian and actor known for sharp wit and storytelling, joins for a lively chat. They cover Greenlandic New Year rituals and Inuit traditions. Conversation turns to exporting iceberg ice and the ethics of novelty ice products. They also unpack airline death-handling practices and the 1982 BA ash-cloud incident. A playful detour explores Australian accents, slang and Paul Hogan's influence.
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The 'Poo Knife' Survival Tale
- Peter Freuchen allegedly freed himself from snow by freezing his own feces into a tool and ripping off his beard to escape.
- Sally notes the story was dramatic and later questioned by recreations and scientists.
Backwards Cards In Lexicography
- Merriam-Webster kept 315,000 index cards with every English word spelled backwards for research queries.
- Physical archival methods once solved lexicographic puzzles that now digital tools handle instantly.
Short Words Are Hardest To Define
- Lexicographers find short function words hardest because they carry many meanings.
- New senses get recorded only after sustained usage and expert classification.
