94. Umquhile

This week, Emily stumps Kyle with a word whose spelling and pronunciation defy all expectations… umquhile.

Emily reveals umquhile’s many definitions, including everything from “late” to “sometimes” to “eventually.” She keeps Kyle in suspense about the word’s spelling for a while, starting with a dive into the um- prefix and its use in British mythology.

After a brief quest with a knight from King Arthur’s court, and several former synonyms for “surround,” at last the question of umquhile’s pronunciation is addressed. This leads our hosts to discuss linguistics, Scottish history, and the American Southern drawl.