College of Arts and Sciences Gets 'Word Wise'

June 2, 2009
News Photo 4691

Contact: Will Crockett, College of Arts and Sciences, (254) 710-3245
Follow us on Twitter: BaylorUMediaCom

"Word Wise," a new radio program produced by Baylor University's College of Arts and Sciences, recently made its on-air debut on Central Texas public radio station KWBU-FM 103.3.

Hosted by Baylor alumnus and former TLC "Trading Spaces" designer Christy Proctor, Word Wise is a weekly segment that explores the origin, history and tall tales behind common words or phrases. Faculty from Baylor's College of Arts and Sciences offer their expertise in understanding how the words were formed or what their true meaning may be. The show offers a look at how language changes and how words evolve.

A variety of disciplines are represented in the show, including the sciences, arts, social sciences, film, literature and politics. Upcoming shows feature the words happiness, stereoscopic, gore, monologue, "break a leg," ask, run amuck, Caesar and more.

One of the first episodes of Word Wise focused on the long history of a seemingly new term - "high definition" - featuring the expertise of digital television pioneer Corey Carbonara, professor of film and digital media in the department of communication studies at Baylor. Word Wise also sized up the word "diet," with Dr. Suzy Weems, chair and professor of nutrition in the department of family and consumer sciences at Baylor.

Proctor earned her bachelor's degree in interior design from Baylor in 1988. In 2003 she joined the cast of TLC's "Trading Spaces" for three seasons. Proctor currently maintains a schedule of speaking engagements, in addition to running an interior and flooring design firm in Waco with her husband.

Word Wise airs on KWBU-FM 103.3 on Mondays at 6:35 a.m. and 6:45 p.m. and on Tuesdays at 8:35 a.m. and 5:35 p.m.

Links to streaming audio of "Word Wise" can be found
here
.