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Words Unravelled with RobWords and Jess Zafarris

Words Unravelled with RobWords and Jess Zafarris
Words Unravelled with RobWords and Jess Zafarris
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105 episodes

  • Words Unravelled with RobWords and Jess Zafarris

    You speak more Ancient Greek than you think | GREEK WORDS IN ENGLISH

    2026/10/21 | 44 mins.
    English is enriched with a plethora of words from Ancient Greek, whether they were pilfered straight from source, or absorbed via Latin, French or Arabic. In this episode, Rob and Jess investigate just how many there are.
    πŸͺ What do cosmos and chaos literally mean?
    🏠 Why is your attic named after Ancient Greece?
    πŸ‡ Which fruit gave us the word sycophant?
    These questions answered, and many more, in another revelatory (or should that be "apocalyptic") episode of Words Unravelled.
    πŸ‘• OUR MERCH πŸ‘š
    US SHOP: https://wordsunravelledshop.myspreadshop.com/
    EU/UK SHOP: https://wordsunravelledshop.myspreadshop.net/
    WATCH THIS EPISODE: https://youtu.be/D36vMrZG2sc
  • Words Unravelled with RobWords and Jess Zafarris

    Denny's used to be called Danny's | BRAND NAME ORIGINS

    2026/10/14 | 44 mins.
    Rob and Jess are investigating how some of the world's biggest brands got their names.
    πŸ“Έ Does KODAK mean anything?
    🍟 Which Wendy is Wendy's named after?
    πŸ— Does Popeyes have anything do with Popeye the Sailor?
    πŸ” What was the Big Mac nearly called?
    These questions answered – and many more – in another Words Unravelled.
    πŸ‘• OUR MERCH πŸ‘š
    US SHOP: https://wordsunravelledshop.myspreadshop.com/
    EU/UK SHOP: https://wordsunravelledshop.myspreadshop.net/
    πŸŽ₯ WATCH THIS EPISODE: https://youtu.be/tE92FxDc9us
  • Words Unravelled with RobWords and Jess Zafarris

    Who is Sydney named after? | CITY NAME ORIGINS

    2026/10/07 | 43 mins.
    Let's explore city names in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and beyond in another etymological journey around the world.Β 
    πŸ‡¦πŸ‡Ί Is Darwin really named after Charles?
    πŸ‡¨πŸ‡¦ Is Ontario named after the lake or vice versa?
    πŸ‡ΉπŸ‡· Which Turkish city is just called "to the city"?
    πŸ‡³πŸ‡Ώ What does the Māori name for Auckland mean?
    This questions answered, and many more, in another globe-trotting episode of Words Unravelled.
    WATCH THIS EPISODE: https://youtu.be/foQR0vsAAIc
    OTHER CITY EPISODES
    https://youtu.be/fR7IIZAy4Js
    https://youtu.be/p4bB1fOPtXI
    πŸ‘• OUR MERCH πŸ‘š
    US SHOP: https://wordsunravelledshop.myspreadshop.com/
    EU/UK SHOP: https://wordsunravelledshop.myspreadshop.net/
  • Words Unravelled with RobWords and Jess Zafarris

    How to read hieroglyphs | ANCIENT WRITING

    2026/09/30 | 42 mins.
    Rob and Jess are exploring the writing systems of the ancient world.
    π“€€ How do hieroglyphs work?
    ✍️ When did writing first begin?
    πŸ«† And how did we solve the mystery of Linear B?
    For these answers, and many more, enjoy this gloriously outdated episode of Words Unravelled.
    Also, check out Stefan Milo on the Phaistos disc: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PbkThIkdiM
    And Rob's video about hieroglyphs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90An1dnvwyc
    WATCH THIS EPISODE: https://youtu.be/m9AaobtBMtA
    πŸ‘• OUR MERCH πŸ‘š
    US SHOP: https://wordsunravelledshop.myspreadshop.com/
    EU/UK SHOP: https://wordsunravelledshop.myspreadshop.net/
  • Words Unravelled with RobWords and Jess Zafarris

    What's the French for "raining cats and dogs"? | WORLD IDIOMS

    2026/09/23 | 41 mins.
    Let's explore some funny sayings from around the world. In this episode, Rob and Jess discover other languages' equivalents of phrases like "raining cats and dogs", "cost an arm and a leg" and "one sandwich short of a picnic".
    Discover idioms in languages as diverse as Korean and Russia, Quebecois and Welsh in this wordy nerdy world tour of adages from overseas.
    πŸ‘• OUR MERCH πŸ‘š
    US SHOP: https://wordsunravelledshop.myspreadshop.com/
    EU/UK SHOP: https://wordsunravelledshop.myspreadshop.net/
    πŸŽ₯ WATCH THIS EPISODE: https://youtu.be/YBIXXAipmZw
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About Words Unravelled with RobWords and Jess Zafarris
Jess Zafarris and Rob Watts unravel the stories behind everyday words. Want to watch our episodes too? Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8R3ZnESMdsuTevq4ib9CvA
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