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Home > Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing > Can you use ‘epicenter’ for positive things? The etymology of ‘bro.’ Mukwonago, Oconomowoc.
Podcast: Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing
Episode:

Can you use ‘epicenter’ for positive things? The etymology of ‘bro.’ Mukwonago, Oconomowoc.

Category: Education
Duration: 00:16:34
Publish Date: 2025-09-30 09:00:00
Description:

1120. This week, we look at tricky uses of the word "epicenter" and how people feel about using it metaphorically. We also look at where the word “brother” came from and how it branched into “bro,” “boy,” and even “buddy.”

The "brother" segment was written by Valerie Fridland, a professor of linguistics at the University of Nevada in Reno and the author of "Like Literally, Dude: Arguing for the Good in Bad English." You can find her at valeriefridland.com.

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