177. Tergiversation: How to Succeed in Rhetoric Without Really Lying

This episode turns Emily into a bit of a fence sitter, as she and Kyle discuss the sting of betrayal, the dangers of devil’s advocacy, and the history of the word tergiversation.

This word has our hosts turning their backs over and over again. They learn exactly what it means to converse with one another, which side of a leaf is the back, and why Caesar’s soldiers didn’t dilly-dally. While in Ancient Rome, our hosts also look at some dubious writings from Cicero and the meaning of the Latin res ipsa loquitur.

Moving on from Latin legalese, our hosts look at some English speakers who both condemn and engage in tergiversation. Emily introduces the concept of weasel words, and the puzzling origins of that phrase. Before the episode closes, Kyle discovers the truly shocking number of words that the English language “turns” on.