Erin McKean, co-founder of wordnik.com and former editor-in-chief for American Dictionaries at Oxford University Press, returns to discuss more buzz-worthy words you hear in the news and on the street.
Today: Baseball lingo.
Today: Baseball lingo.
Comments [7]
Audio not available Even though I have windows media player. I'm just not rich enough, or a Yank fan, to hear the story, or any other. Go Angels!
Rats! I was picked off by Mark because I don't talk on the phone or email when I'm driving. Mark is absolutely correct about "can of corn," and it refers to a high fly-ball to an outfielder who barely has to move to catch it. Although, as every NY baseball fan knows, it's pronounced "cannacorn." Unless you are a Mets fan. There is no such thing as a cannacorn in Flushing when their outfielders have to catch one.
Go Yanks!
John Bell
Brooklyn
jsyk--balk has been around long before baseball. Shakespeare used it in Twelfth NIght. It referred not only to beams or crossbars, but to rows in fields from plowing and also to fences. These were two things that would cause a horse to stop short, and balk became a verb, especially known to riders, to stop unexpectedly and/or refuse to go on.
"Can of corn" comes from a grocery clerk catching knocking a can off a high shelf with a stick and making the easy catch.
Flashing the leather!
LOVE baseball talk. What about chin music and high cheese? How about yellow hammer and Uncle Charlie? A bloop and a blast? "Grab a piece of cheese and turn the fan on."
Don't assume new baseball terms' coming into use in politics means men are bringing them in! There are a lot of women baseball fans too! (How many are in politics is another question, & yes, there are still too few....)
Leave a Comment
Register for your own account so you can vote on comments, save your favorites, and more. Learn more.
Please stay on topic, be civil, and be brief.
Email addresses are never displayed, but they are required to confirm your comments. Names are displayed with all comments. We reserve the right to edit any comments posted on this site. Please read the Comment Guidelines before posting. By leaving a comment, you agree to New York Public Radio's Privacy Policy and Terms Of Use.