Words Unravelled with RobWords and Jess Zafarris
Jess Zafarris and Rob Watts unravel the stories behind everyday words. Want to watch our episodes too? Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8R3ZnESMdsuTevq4ib9CvA
Episodes
June 4, 2025 • 41 mins
Time for some entomology etymology! Rob and Jess will have you in bits as they explore the literal meaning of "insect" and all manner of other term for creepy crawly.
🕷️ Why do spiders spin "cobwebs"?
🦋 Was a butterfly ever a "flutterby"?
🐞 Which is older, "ladybug" or "ladybird"?
These questions answered, and many more, a critter-crammed episode of Words Unravelled.
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US...
🕷️ Why do spiders spin "cobwebs"?
🦋 Was a butterfly ever a "flutterby"?
🐞 Which is older, "ladybug" or "ladybird"?
These questions answered, and many more, a critter-crammed episode of Words Unravelled.
👕 OUR MERCH 👚
US...
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May 28, 2025 • 39 mins
Holy heck! Rob and Jess are back with an episode of biblical proportions. Join them as they get to the gospel truth about the origins of religious words.
⛪️ What was kept in the very first chapel?
🦛 Which animal was the original behemoth?
🗝️ Where does the word "conclave" come from?
These questions answered – and many more – in another Words Unravelled.
👕 OUR MERCH 👚
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⛪️ What was kept in the very first chapel?
🦛 Which animal was the original behemoth?
🗝️ Where does the word "conclave" come from?
These questions answered – and many more – in another Words Unravelled.
👕 OUR MERCH 👚
US SHOP: https://wordsunrav...
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May 21, 2025 • 39 mins
Jess and Rob are unravelling the origins of our words for fabric and clothing in this highly fashionable episode of Words Unravelled.
🩲 Why do 'pants' mean different things in the UK and US?
👖 Which city are your jeans named after?
🪶 What's flappy about a 'flapper girl'?
✈️ Is 'nylon' really named after New York and London?
These questions answered, and many more, in our most unravelly episode ...
🩲 Why do 'pants' mean different things in the UK and US?
👖 Which city are your jeans named after?
🪶 What's flappy about a 'flapper girl'?
✈️ Is 'nylon' really named after New York and London?
These questions answered, and many more, in our most unravelly episode ...
Mark as Played
May 14, 2025 • 43 mins
It's time to hit the road with Rob and Jess as they journey through the origins of words from road and rail.
🚃 Why do Brits say "transport" and Americans "transportation"?
🚊 What's the difference between a train and a locomotive?
🚙 How do you actually pronounce Hyundai?
These questions answered – and many more – in this transport[ation] special of Words Unravelled.
👕 OUR MERCH 👚
US SHOP: https...
🚃 Why do Brits say "transport" and Americans "transportation"?
🚊 What's the difference between a train and a locomotive?
🚙 How do you actually pronounce Hyundai?
These questions answered – and many more – in this transport[ation] special of Words Unravelled.
👕 OUR MERCH 👚
US SHOP: https...
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May 7, 2025 • 50 mins
Rob and Jess "pull out all the stops" in this episode explaining idiom origins.
✈️ Why do we say "balls to the wall" and "push the envelope"?
🐘 What's so useless about a "white elephant"?
👕 Where were the original "whole nine yards"?
These questions answered and many more in this common sayings special of Words Unravelled.
Here's our other idioms episode: https://pod.fo/e/2a54ba
And the video ...
✈️ Why do we say "balls to the wall" and "push the envelope"?
🐘 What's so useless about a "white elephant"?
👕 Where were the original "whole nine yards"?
These questions answered and many more in this common sayings special of Words Unravelled.
Here's our other idioms episode: https://pod.fo/e/2a54ba
And the video ...
Mark as Played
April 30, 2025 • 47 mins
Let's explore British English and American English. In another transatlantic war of words, Rob (a Brit) and Jess (an American) debate the differing words for the same things either side of the pond.
For our new Channel Memberships click "Join" just below the video.
Our previous 🇺🇸 vs. 🇬🇧 episode
📺 https://youtu.be/o6KlBd7TPFI?si=EHmBIMV3PatoSQi9
🔊 https://pod.fo/e/240f60
👕 OUR MERCH �...
For our new Channel Memberships click "Join" just below the video.
Our previous 🇺🇸 vs. 🇬🇧 episode
📺 https://youtu.be/o6KlBd7TPFI?si=EHmBIMV3PatoSQi9
🔊 https://pod.fo/e/240f60
👕 OUR MERCH �...
Mark as Played
April 23, 2025 • 33 mins
We're back for a new 🇬🇧series/🇺🇸season of Words Unravelled. In this episode, transatlantic word nerds Rob and Jess tackle the truth and lies surrounding Williams Shakespeare.
✍️ Did the Bard really invent 1,700 words?
🤬 Which insults did Willy give us?
🎭 Could he actually have written all of those plays?
These questions answered and many more, just As You Like It.
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✍️ Did the Bard really invent 1,700 words?
🤬 Which insults did Willy give us?
🎭 Could he actually have written all of those plays?
These questions answered and many more, just As You Like It.
👕 OUR MERCH 👚
US SHOP: htt...
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April 2, 2025 • 41 mins
There's fightin' talk in this episode of Words Unravelled, in which Jess and Rob discuss words of warcraft.
🔫 Which woman are all guns named after?
🪖 Where does the word "war" come from?
👮 Is lieutenant pronounced loo-tenant or lef-tenant?
These questions answered – and many more – in this military etymology special of Words Unravelled.
👕 OUR MERCH 👚
US SHOP: https://wordsunravelledshop.myspre...
🔫 Which woman are all guns named after?
🪖 Where does the word "war" come from?
👮 Is lieutenant pronounced loo-tenant or lef-tenant?
These questions answered – and many more – in this military etymology special of Words Unravelled.
👕 OUR MERCH 👚
US SHOP: https://wordsunravelledshop.myspre...
Mark as Played
March 26, 2025 • 40 mins
In this printing special of Words Unravelled, Jess proves herself a font of knowledge on names for typefaces and Rob makes a bit impression with the history of the printing press.
🆎 What's the difference between a font and a typeface?
😈 Who was the printer's devil?
📖 How did the printing press ruin English spelling?
These questions answered — and many more — in this cliché-free episode of Words Unr...
🆎 What's the difference between a font and a typeface?
😈 Who was the printer's devil?
📖 How did the printing press ruin English spelling?
These questions answered — and many more — in this cliché-free episode of Words Unr...
Mark as Played
March 19, 2025 • 50 mins
It's here: the much-requested swearing episode of Words Unravelled. Join Rob and Jess as they explore the origins of all manner of profanity.
#️⃣ Where did the F word come from?
📍 Which place names originally contained swear words?
📺 What are the worst words you can say on TV?
These questions answered, and many more, in this NSFW edition of Words Unravelled.
👕WORDY NERDY MERCH👚
Our EU...
#️⃣ Where did the F word come from?
📍 Which place names originally contained swear words?
📺 What are the worst words you can say on TV?
These questions answered, and many more, in this NSFW edition of Words Unravelled.
👕WORDY NERDY MERCH👚
Our EU...
Mark as Played
March 12, 2025 • 44 mins
Welcome to another bloomin' wonderful episode of Words Unravelled. This time, Rob and Jess are discussing the origins of all manner of flower name.
🌻Which flower makes you wet the bed?
👁️Which flower's name means "day's eye"?
🌹What is the origin of the word rose?
🥒What did Jess name her cucumber plant?
These questions answered - and many more - in this anthology of horticultural etymologies.
🎥...
🌻Which flower makes you wet the bed?
👁️Which flower's name means "day's eye"?
🌹What is the origin of the word rose?
🥒What did Jess name her cucumber plant?
These questions answered - and many more - in this anthology of horticultural etymologies.
🎥...
Mark as Played
March 5, 2025 • 39 mins
Who wants to learn how to talk pretty? In this episode, Rob and Jess explore the clever tricks used by poets, novelists and speechwriters to surprise, move and persuade us. Join them as they discuss rhetoric and literary devices.
😉 What are the three types of irony?
❓Do you now an anaphora from an epistrophe?
🤷🏼♀️ Why is tmesis so un-flippin'-believable?
These questions answered and many more in a...
😉 What are the three types of irony?
❓Do you now an anaphora from an epistrophe?
🤷🏼♀️ Why is tmesis so un-flippin'-believable?
These questions answered and many more in a...
Mark as Played
February 26, 2025 • 45 mins
Let's discuss the etymology of the body from "head" to "toe". Join Rob and Jess on an adventure through anatomical word origins.
👅 Why is tongue spelt that way?
🍎 What did we originally call our Adam's apple?
🍆 How did our naughty bits get their names?
These questions answered and many more in a body-positive episode of Words Unravelled.
👕 OUR NEW MERCH 👚
US SHOP: https://wordsunravelledshop.m...
👅 Why is tongue spelt that way?
🍎 What did we originally call our Adam's apple?
🍆 How did our naughty bits get their names?
These questions answered and many more in a body-positive episode of Words Unravelled.
👕 OUR NEW MERCH 👚
US SHOP: https://wordsunravelledshop.m...
Mark as Played
February 19, 2025 • 29 mins
Let this episode be music to your ears as Rob Watts and Jess Zafarris explore the melodic origins of all manner of musical words.
👦 Which instrument used to be called a "ho boy"?
🎤 What does "karaoke" literally mean?
🎷 Who is the saxophone named after?
🎶 How good is Rob's theremin impression?
These questions answered, and many more in another Words Unravelled.
WATCH THIS EPISODE: http...
👦 Which instrument used to be called a "ho boy"?
🎤 What does "karaoke" literally mean?
🎷 Who is the saxophone named after?
🎶 How good is Rob's theremin impression?
These questions answered, and many more in another Words Unravelled.
WATCH THIS EPISODE: http...
Mark as Played
February 12, 2025 • 32 mins
Join Rob and Jess as they explore the origins of a myriad of mathematical terms and innumerable number words.
💯 What number was the original "hundred"?
♾️ What is the infinity symbol called?
🕚 Why does English have weird words for 11 and 12?
These questions answered - and numerous others - in an incalculably fun episode of Words Unravelled.
WATCH THIS EPISODE: https://youtu.be/ey38pmqPBnM
💯 What number was the original "hundred"?
♾️ What is the infinity symbol called?
🕚 Why does English have weird words for 11 and 12?
These questions answered - and numerous others - in an incalculably fun episode of Words Unravelled.
WATCH THIS EPISODE: https://youtu.be/ey38pmqPBnM
Mark as Played
February 5, 2025 • 48 mins
Rob and Jess are on the wrong side of the law in this criminal episode of Words Unravelled. Join them as they discuss the origins of all manner of words for felony, misdemeanour and malfeasance.
🏴☠️ What is so black about blackmail?
🏚️ What is the "burg" in burglary?
💰 What's the difference between "robbery" and "theft"?
🎩 What Victorian prison slang are we still using today?
Those questions answered ...
🏴☠️ What is so black about blackmail?
🏚️ What is the "burg" in burglary?
💰 What's the difference between "robbery" and "theft"?
🎩 What Victorian prison slang are we still using today?
Those questions answered ...
Mark as Played
January 29, 2025 • 47 mins
In this episode, Rob and Jess debunk some myths about the origins of common sayings, and prevent the even more fascinating true stories behind the idioms we use day-to-day.
🔴 Who was the first to "paint the town red"?
🌩️ How can someone's "thunder" be "stolen"?
🐕 What's the (horrible) origin of "to screw the pooch"?
🥃 Where did the phrase "on the wagon" come from?
These questions answered and many more ...
🔴 Who was the first to "paint the town red"?
🌩️ How can someone's "thunder" be "stolen"?
🐕 What's the (horrible) origin of "to screw the pooch"?
🥃 Where did the phrase "on the wagon" come from?
These questions answered and many more ...
Mark as Played
December 18, 2024 • 38 mins
Join Rob and Jess for a festive feast of Christmas etymology.
🎅🏼 Is Santa Claus an Americanism?
🎩 Who was Sir Christmas?
🦌 How did the Santa's reindeer get their names?
🎶 Is it "four calling birds" or "four colly birds"?
These questions answered and many more as we deck the halls with linguistic intrigue in another episode of Words Unravelled.
👀WATCH THIS EPISODE 👀 https://youtu.be...
🎅🏼 Is Santa Claus an Americanism?
🎩 Who was Sir Christmas?
🦌 How did the Santa's reindeer get their names?
🎶 Is it "four calling birds" or "four colly birds"?
These questions answered and many more as we deck the halls with linguistic intrigue in another episode of Words Unravelled.
👀WATCH THIS EPISODE 👀 https://youtu.be...
Mark as Played
December 11, 2024 • 47 mins
Let's explore our words for jobs, professions and trades.
🪵What did carpenters originally make?
🐐Which animal did butchers originally butcher?
💩Where did a "gong farmer" actually farm?
🛒What is so gross about a grocer?
These questions answered and many more in another Words Unravelled with RobWords and Jess Zafarris.
👀WATCH THIS EPISODE👀 https://youtu.be/L8QXVs2DNFk
🪵What did carpenters originally make?
🐐Which animal did butchers originally butcher?
💩Where did a "gong farmer" actually farm?
🛒What is so gross about a grocer?
These questions answered and many more in another Words Unravelled with RobWords and Jess Zafarris.
👀WATCH THIS EPISODE👀 https://youtu.be/L8QXVs2DNFk
Mark as Played
December 4, 2024 • 43 mins
Join Rob and Jess for a period as they get straight to the point about punctuation.
🏛️ Which punctuation mark came first?
💀 How can you punctuate sarcasm?
❓ Why does a question mark look like that?
These questions answered - and many more - in another punctilious episode of Words Unravelled.
👀WATCH THIS EPISODE👀 https://youtu.be/DLBBiY5w8qM
🏛️ Which punctuation mark came first?
💀 How can you punctuate sarcasm?
❓ Why does a question mark look like that?
These questions answered - and many more - in another punctilious episode of Words Unravelled.
👀WATCH THIS EPISODE👀 https://youtu.be/DLBBiY5w8qM
Mark as Played
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