MAN: ♪ Martha was an average dog ♪ ♪ She went... and... and... ♪ (barking, growls) ♪ When she ate some alphabet soup ♪ ♪ Then what happened was bizarre... ♪ On the way to Martha's stomach, the letters lost their way.

They traveled to her brain, and now... ♪ She's got a lot to say ♪ ♪ Now she speaks... ♪ How now, brown cow?

♪ Martha speaks ♪ ♪ Yeah, she speaks and speaks and speaks ♪ ♪ And speaks and speaks... ♪ What's a caboose?

When are we eating again?

♪ Martha speaks... ♪ Hey, Joe, what do you know?

My name's not Joe.

♪ She's not always right, but still that Martha speaks... ♪ Hi, there.

♪ She's got the voice, she's ready to shout ♪ ♪ Martha will tell you what it's all about ♪ ♪ Sometimes wrong, but seldom in doubt ♪ ♪ Martha will tell you what it's all about ♪ ♪ That dog's unique... ♪ Testing, one, two.

♪ Hear her speak ♪ ♪ Martha speaks and speaks and speaks and speaks and... ♪ ♪ Communicates, enumerates, elucidates, exaggerates ♪ ♪ Indicates and explicates ♪ ♪ Bloviates and overstates and... ♪ (panting) ♪ Hyperventilates!

♪ ♪ Martha-- to reiterate-- Martha speaks.

♪ NARRATOR: What words make things go?

Find out in today's thrill-packed, nonstop adventurama.

Now here's your host.

Hello!

In today's program, we will explore two kinds of words: verbs, which are action words, like "jump" and "run" and "speak," and adverbs, which are words that say how you do things-- words like "instantly" or "sloppily" or "quietly."

Watch out for all the verbs and adverbs, and we'll see you at the end of the show.

Face it, cats are just way, way smarter than dogs.

Number one: cats don't bark.

B: they wash themselves.

Plus cats never drool or eat garbage, like some animals I could name.

I'm talking about dogs, Larry.

Number three: they're dignified.

You'd never see a cat begging for food or doing stupid tricks.

(ripping) Ow, ow, ow!

Hey!

Get out of here!

MARTHA: Hi, guys.

You don't believe dogs are dumb?

Watch this.

Hey, Martha.

Hi, Ronald, what's up?

Just thought you should know, we all saw you ambulating in public the other day.

I... di... Uh-uh.

Yeah-huh.

Ambulating all over the place.

Out in front of everyone.

Right, guys?

(stifled laughter) What's so funny?

You are.

What a... a... dog!

(boys laughing) That's nothing.

Watch this.

(phone rings) Three, four, five.

Hello?

Stuck in the swamp.

(sighs) Something's wrong with Martha!

Yeah, that's the definition.

(groans) ALICE: Martha!

TD: We found you!

What's the matter?

We were worried about you.

(giggling): About me?

Why?

We heard you were... were... Ambulating.

Oh, ha-ha.

Very funny.

I guess you all think you're hilarious.

Well, guess what.

You're nothing but a bunch of... clowns.

She's right.

You are clowns.

To ambulate just means to walk.

Walk?

Uh-oh.

You mean...?

Ronald!

I can't believe those guys.

Ganging up with Ronald.

Making fun of a dog just because she doesn't know what "ambulate" means.

They use words like some... evil superpower.

Don't they know that words can really, really... Ow!

Hurt.

Um, maybe next time just hand me the book.

Evil superpower!

Evil superpower.

Words can hurt.

Superpower!

Hey, does anyone else smell hot dogs?

Shh.

Superpower.

Superpower... NARRATOR: Martha was an average talking dog.

She went: Hi!

And... Bye!

And... (growling) Then one day, struck by a falling book of 501 English verbs, she developed a power that was bizarre...

Fly!

The power of verbs!

Verbs are the words that say what someone or something does.

Verbs are action words, like fly, land, roll, beg.

Not on your life.

(laser zaps) Aided by the mysterious Doctor R, Martha sniffs out trouble.

And when she does, mild-mannered Martha instantly becomes... Verb Dog!

Using verbs to help wherever trouble strikes.

Car: elevate!

Verb Dog!

Explain it again, Doc.

My powers don't work with all words?

That is correct.

Only verbs.

Verbs are the words that tell you what something is doing-- words like "jump" and "run" and even "think" and "wonder."

So if I say, "Fire hydrant: yellow."

Did it change?

No.

Verbs are things you do.

You talk, you dance, but you can't "yellow."

So if I say, "Hamburger!"

Nothing happens.

"Hamburger" is a noun.

It's a thing, not an action.

Figures.

So how about "gently"?

You cannot "gently."

"Gently" isn't a verb, it's an adverb.

"Gently" says how you do something.

An adverb?

(whimpers) All these rules are starting to make my head spin.

Um, I take it "spin" is a verb.

Uh, yeah.

Where are we going?

Martha, this town is being menaced by some really mean people.

Your superpowers are just what this city needs to defeat them.

In that case, we'd better hurry.

Hop on my back.

Let's fly!

This is their hideout?

A tree house?

Trust me, the people who hang out here are very mean.

Tree house: descend.

Walls: vanish.

Hey!

It's that pesky Doctor R. I'll take care of him.

Watch it!

DOCTOR R: That's Al-ICE.

She's as much fun as an ice-cream headache.

Too late for you, Al-ICE.

I have a secret weap... Hey!

Not nice.

Al-ICE: giggle.

(giggling) Doctor R: thaw.

(sighs) Watch out.

It's the TD 603.

Hah-hah-hah.

TD 603: giggle.

It's no use.

The TD 603 is a robot.

He has no feelings at all.

MARTHA: Oh, no, he's armed.

Seriously?

Sorry.

Robot arms: tangled.

Whoa!

Tangled.

Tangled!

Hmm.

"Tangled" must not be a verb.

Hey, Doc, what's a verb for when something gets, like, tangled?

(yelling): Tangle!

Oh... like "tangled," only without the "duh" at the end?

Yes!

Wow.

Verbs are easier than I thought.

Verb Dog!

Oh, right.

Robot arms: tangle.

Thanks, Verb Dog.

(stomping) (whimpering) Who is that?

Their leader.

She's two-faced and has a heart of stone.

She pretends to be your friend and then stabs you in the back.

What do you call her?

Helen.

Ah.

Well, Helen: fly to Hackensack, instantly.

That was easy.

Victory dance.

(singing gibberish) Come on, Doc.

What's the problem?

"To Hackensack": that's not really a verb, you know.

And "instantly" is an adverb.

Aw, quit worrying, Doc.

She's gone, isn't she?

I suppose.

Oh, come on, cheer up, Dr. Pouty-face.

Dr. Frownipuss.

Hey, I know what will cheer you up.

Some verbs.

Hop on!

Leap!

Leap...!

(Doctor R screaming) Leap!

Let's add some rolls this time.

Roll!

(screaming) Now spin up.

(Doctor R screaming) MARTHA: Hover.

Hey, I'm starting to like verbs.

(whooshing) Oh, no!

She's not gone.

And she has a jetpack!

Looks like we'll just have to outfly her.

Hang on, Doc.

Fly away!

(Doctor R screaming) Turn!

Turn.

Turn!

Duck!

Hang on!

(Doctor R screaming) Good work, Verb Dog.

Hop on.

Fly.

Uh-oh.

Spoke to soon.

Down there.

Good thinking, Doc.

Descend.

The sewers?

Hurry, this way.

I don't know what the big deal is.

What's her power?

Walking loud?

She's the worst of all.

She... Where are you hiding?

Come out, come out wherever you are.

(hypnotized): Coming, Helen... Martha, no!

Come to Helen.

Fight it, Martha.

Fight it.

Can't... resist... Atta girl!

Martha!

Remember: ambulate.

Ambulate?

Hey, that's right.

I remember.

She made fun of me.

Helen: petrify.

You did it!

You turned her to stone.

Yeah.

Just one thing left.

This.

A muzzle?

Sorry, you can't speak through this muzzle, which means you're powerless.

Just like your friends.

Friends?

Ronald?

(in Doctor R voice): My plan worked... (clears throat) My plan worked just the way I hoped.

I turned you against your friends, so now there's no one to stop me in my brazen quest for unbridled power!

(laughing evilly) Oh, no!

Oh, no!!

HELEN: Martha?

Martha.

Martha!

(gasping) Are you okay?

They said a book hit you.

I'm fine.

I...

I had the strangest dream, though.

You were there, and you were there, and you were there, and you were all mean to me.

We didn't intend to insult you.

It was completely Ronald's fault.

He tricked us.

Yeah, I sort of figured that out.

ALICE: Why pick on Martha, Ronald?

I was just trying to prove a point.

What point?

That cats are geniuses compared to dogs.

MARTHA: Don't look now, but your pet genius just got his head stuck in a bag.

(meows) (grunts) Aw, Nelson!

Well, if you pick on anyone again, Ronald, I'll tell Mom.

Uh... don't do that.

Please.

Okay, but on one condition: you have to apologize to Martha.

All right, all right.

Sorry you didn't know what "ambulate" means.

Ronald.

Okay, I'm sorry.

I apologize.

TD: Three, four, five... Aw, swamped again.

(groans) ALICE: Hey, look at Martha's feet.

TRUMAN: Hmm, I wonder what she's dreaming.

Rats!

We did it!

Great work, team.

Our work here isn't finished.

We can't rest as long as danger lurks.

You're right.

What are we waiting for?

ALL: Let's go!

Martha.

Flying?

Oh right, sorry.

Team: elevate!

NARRATOR: Verb Dog!

Verbs are the words that say what someone or something is doing.

If you're thinking of becoming a superhero with the power of words, it helps to know some special verbs.

"Elevate" is a handy verb.

Elevate!

"Elevate" means to go up.

Very handy for escaping bad guys.

And then you descend.

Descend!

"Descend" means to go down.

Here's a good verb to use if a monster is coming after you.

Petrify!

"Petrify" can also mean to be so scared that you can't move, but I just use it for what it actually means, which is to turn to stone.

(groaning) Sorry, unpetrify.

Don't worry, I won't do it again.

He was petrified that I'd petrify him again.

♪ Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily... ♪ (Martha humming along) What an absolutely perfect day, Otis.

Could there be any way to make it absolutely, positively perfect?

I could fetch you a ball, Master.

Hey!

Good fetching, talking doggie.

Elevate your legs.

I know how you like to soak your sore feet in newly minted coins.

(sighs happily) And here's a treat for you.

(snaps his fingers) (sniffs) Ahh... Otis, today I am the happiest talking dog on earth.

(sighs happily) I have everything I ever wanted.

(coughing and spitting) Why must the end of a daydream taste so bitter?

Yuck!

At least Dr. Pablum's snow mover invention will make clearing this snow simple and pleasant.

Ooh!

Ow!

Ow!

Ow!

Do you have the instructions for the snow mover?

That can wait.

Look at this: the Adverbalizer.

It activates adverbs.

I'll demonstrate.

Do something.

I am doing something.

I'm melting.

Ah, perfect.

You are melting quickly.

That is absolutely, positively amazing!

It changed how I melted.

Verbs are action words.

They tell you what you do.

Adverbs can tell you how to do it.

You melted.

"Melt" is a verb.

You melted quickly.

"Quickly" is an adverb because it tells you how you melted.

Is that device amazing?

Absolutely!

There must be a... (screams) There must be a way to make money with that.

And... ouch.

If you see anything you like, stop me.

Stop!

Isn't that those crooks who always bother us, Weaselgraft and Pablum?

I guess there are no rules about who can get on TV anymore.

Hmm... Verbs are great action words, but I wish I could get more out of them.

Have you tried adverbs?

Adverbs?

Yes, adverbs, those words that tell you how, when, or where your action happens.

How are you going to eat your spaghetti?

Sloppily.

That means when you do something, you make a mess.

I will eat neatly, which means, uh... neatly.

With my new Adverbalizer, I can make you eat sloppily.

Don't forget, adverbs can modify other adverbs too, so you can eat completely, totally, awfully sloppily.

I need to clean up.

Why not clean up with an adverb like "instantly"?

It means right away, quickly.

Clean up instantly!

BOTH: Get the most out of your verbs with the Adverbalizer!

Order one immediately.

That can't be for real.

I want to order one immediately.

What would you use it for?

I'd make time in school pass... quickly.

(bell rings) I'd make summer vacation pass... slowly.

And I'd get good grades... easily.

Hey, Dad, can I buy something weird I saw on TV?

Merely weird or really weird?

Really weird.

Okay, as long as it's really weird.

Are you thinking what I'm thinking?

Yes.

It's lunchtime.

No.

Anything involving Weaselgraft and Pablum means trouble.

Oh, yeah.

And it's lunchtime.

When we're rich, I'll never have to shovel snow again.

"Step one, push lever firmly."

Where is the Adverbalizer?

I need to melt quickly.

Otis, great news!

Our TV commercial worked.

We got an order for the Adverbalizer.

I just shipped it.

We're on the road to riches.

Now where's ours so I can melt quickly?

Ours?

Don't tell me there was only one.

Oh, go ahead and tell me.

There was only one.

(grunting) We must get it back immediately.

And immediately means right now.

Packing stuff, more stuff, instructions... (gasps) What's it supposed to do?

Watch.

How do I want to clean up this mess?

Instantly.

I want to try it.

Everyone can have a turn.

Ready.

Truman wants to know dinosaur history completely.

Nothing happened.

Tell us something about dinosaurs.

Scientists believe that Sinosauropteryx had orange feathers on its back and a striped tail.

I never knew that.

Neither did I. I love adverbs!

(barking) Skits, you'll give Dad a headache.

(barking) Can this make Skits bark quietly?

(barking quietly) Ew.

I would like Baby Jake to eat neatly.

Whoa!

I'm too clumsy to do ballet.

Now you can dance gracefully.

It really worked!

I'm graceful.

Whoa...

I didn't say anything about ambulating gracefully.

There's the Adverbalizer and that talking dog.

Otis, are you sure about that disguise?

A gardener in winter?

Good point.

Let's go get what we deserve.

How is it, TD?

Really weird?

It's absolutely amazing.

Excuse me.

J. Edgar Weaselbush of your government Food and Verbal Modifiers Administration.

Can I help you, Officer Weaselbush?

These little beasts... children are in possession of a restricted verb modification device.

But it was advertised on TV.

Mistakenly.

Now hand it over to the proper authorities: me.

I think Weaselbush is really Weaselgraft with a fake name and a faker mustache.

If that's true, his friend Pablum has to be nearby.

(sniffing) PABLUM: Scat!

Go find a nice tree.

That shrub just pushed me.

More reason to hand it over.

The device is clearly having an unseemly effect on local shrubbery.

Sorry, TD, I guess we should hand it over immediately, and that means right now.

Your attempt to take it away will end unsuccessfully.

But first, we should call the government and make sure this guy isn't a big faker.

Oh, I saw what you did there.

And I can make your attempt end totally, miserably, absolutely unsuccessfully.

So give up.

(grunts) It's always the talking dog!

We can't win as long as they can use adverbs against us.

If only we had our own Adverbalizer.

Unfortunately, I only built that one.

And the prototype: a small test version.

Does the small one work?

Not completely.

If something works completely, it does everything it's supposed to do.

The prototype doesn't completely work because it can't do all of the things it's supposed to do exactly like it's supposed to do them, Otis.

Then we'll bring extra help.

(laughing evilly) Can't you just use the Adverbalizer and build a snowman instantly?

Where's the fun in that?

(clears throat) You crooks can't beat us.

We have the Adverbalizer.

But we have one, too.

(laughing evilly) (laughing) Hand it over... immediately!

Immediately!

Oh, no, it works.

I must go back rapidly.

Surrender completely.

Completely!

It's too weak.

Get closer or this will end unsuccessfully again.

Hear that?

Keep them away.

Let's make a hundred snowballs instantly.

This is the second weirdest thing that's ever happened around here.

Give it to me immediately.

TD: You heard him.

Give it to him!

Now, Doctor, now!

The other way!

Incoming!

We have to surrender.

Not yet.

Snowballs, fly very, very slowly.

It's always the talking dog.

Martha, take the Adverbalizer in the house and get my dad.

Hold it gently.

Okay.

Gently.

Soft mouth.

Whoa... (gasping) It broke so easily.

I demand a refund.

We happily refund all dissatisfied victims... um, customers.

You gave him all our money.

So what?

Look: it's still on.

I can fix it.

Really?

It looks like they've broken it completely.

Otis, not so loud!

Now we've broken it completely.

This was truly weird.

Those guys may be totally, horribly bad, but without them, we'd never have gotten to see this.

To dig up some more fun words and games, visit pbskids.org or check out your local library for the "Martha Speaks" books.

Captioned by Media Access Group at WGBH access.wgbh.org