The word "symphony" has a straightforward origin: it comes directly from ancient Greek roots for "together" and "sound." But it offers an opportunity to explore the history of linguistic rules around word formation and the notion of "barbarism" in English. Finally, we read a poem from the celebrated American writer Billy Collins, "Another Reason Why I Don't Keep a Gun in the House."

Suggest a word for a future episode or support this podcast at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/wordswordswords

Music: Adapted from Sonatine by Maurice Ravel, performed by Irene Posviatovska (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

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