Fifty Words For Snow

Fifty Words For Snow

A linguistic expedition into brave new words. Maggie Rowe and Emily John Garcés hunt for words that lack an English equivalent. They like to think of themselves as Dora the Explorers of language, with their rucksacks and hats and notebooks and magnifying glasses, embarking on a cultural adventure, hunting and gathering useful new word specimens from far flung continents, and holding them up to see what new light they shine on old ideas.

Episodes

May 21, 2026 25 mins
Maggie and Emily learn the Sanskrit word viriya from Katherine “Senshin” Griffith, head teacher at the Zen Center of Los Angeles and discuss “sick in bed without a fever day” with Jim Vallely. Poem by Maggie: Tiny Hero.
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Maggie and Emily learn the words from “terroir” and “noble rot” from wine educator  Nora Murphy. They discover “apisoir” with Michael Alberty and “aha-mnesty” with C. Brian Smith. Poem by Emily:  Terroir.
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Maggie and Emily discuss the Buddhist words dukkha and mudita with Zen priest Senshin and put the word “karma” on trial with judge Matthew Laura Aitken. Poem by Maggie: Not To My Liking.
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Maggie and Emily talk to guests from around the world about love and learn how people say “I love you” across the globe. Poem by Emily: galaxies.
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 Emily and I will be back with new episodes in May, but for now, we have a rerun of episode 19 words from math and music. Here we go.
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Maggie and Emily learn the Armenian words qti maz and mousmous from Gagik Hakobyan and John Ekezian. They discuss the term brickianity with Rob Bell and see the word kalsarikänni in action with Eric Giancoli. Poem by Maggie: Tapping Out.
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Maggie and Emily discuss the Pashto words gharzai and sabar with native speaker Sanjar Qiam from Afghanistan and learn the word "contemplocean" from the author of The Cosmic Dictionary, Norm Millstein. Poem by Emily: Gharzai.
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Maggie and Emily learn Hebrew words asir toda and nefesh from native speaker Leila Eden. Reporter at large Peter Baynham reports on the Finnish word kalsarikännit and Susie McDonnell shares “embarrask.” Poem by Maggie: Asir Toda (Gratitude Prisoner)
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Maggie and Emily learn the words khomar and melamastia from native speaker Sanjar Qiam. They speak with Italian actress Laura James about the Italian word pantofoliao and observe the French word flaneur in action with Jim Vallely. Poem by Maggie: It Happens Sometimes. 
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Maggie and Emily speak with Chris Reuland about the French words flaneur and dépaysement and learn a very particular use of the word “scripted” from John Ekezian. Poem by Emily: Dépaysement.
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 Maggie and Emily learn the words pomalo and fjaka from native Croatian speaker Saskia Neal. They discover the word hustletivity with Bonnie Harvey and Michael Houlihan. Poem by Maggie: It is Time.
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Maggie and Emily talk to Majken Nillson about the Swedish words slutspurt and lagom. They explore a "Word in Action" with Nerys Miller-Baynham and the word "woolfthdt." Poem by Emily: Lagom.
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A linguistc expedition into brave new words. Maggie and Emily learn the Farsi words taarof and khaste nabashid with native speaker Navid Naderi Alizadeh and put the term “happy birthday” on linguistic trial. Poem by Emily: Taarof.
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A linguistic exploration into brave new words. In this rerun of episode 11, Maggie and Emily learn the Farsi words taarof and khaste nabashid with native speaker Navid Naderi Alizadeh and put the term “happy birthday” on linguistic trial. Poem by Emily: Taarof.
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Maggie and Emily revisit the Sanskrit word mudita with Katherine Senshin Griffith and the Chinese word guimi 閨蜜 with Shen Zhong. Then, they put the word "love" on trial with judge Matthew Laura Aitken. Poem by Maggie: The First Year Without Love.
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Maggie and Emily learn the ancient Greek words kyklos and epistrophe from psychologist Chet Sunde and try to coin a word for "nostalgia for the present" with Arlo Miller-Baynham. Poem by Emily: I Had An Epistrophe.
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Maggie and Emily learn the Ancient Greek word "ekgona" from psychologist Chet Sunde and put the word "legacy" on linguistic trial with judge Matthew Laura Aitken. Poem by Maggie: ekgona.
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Maggie and Emily explore the Hebrew word tohu va vohu with retired Yeshiva principal Seth Taylor and philospher Peter Rollins. Poem by Maggie: Tohu wa-bohu.
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Maggie and Emily discuss the Portuguese word saudade with Lucas Gomes and Peter Rollins. Poem by Emily: Saudade.
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Maggie and Emily learn the Puerto Rican Spanish words gufear and chinchorrear and speak to Nerys Miller-Baynham about the fictional Welsh saint, Saint Toiletai. Poem by Maggie: One Day.
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