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Why don't we say the L in 'walk'? Never use 'always.' PABST
Episode 1069
1069. Have you ever wondered why we have silent L's in words like "walk" and "half"? Those questions lead us to L-vocalization, spelling pronunciatio…
11 months, 2 weeks ago
Exploring slang, AI ghost words, and language change, with Heddwen Newton
Episode 1068
1068. Did Yosemite Sam ever actually say "tarnation"? What’s "fridgescaping," and why is it trending? And why is AI filling the internet with nonsens…
11 months, 2 weeks ago
What’s wrong with "'til"? Why tiny words control conversations. How many cookies?
Episode 1067
1067. Think "'til" is a valid alternative to "until"? Think again! We learn about the difference between "till" and "until" and why many style guides…
11 months, 2 weeks ago
The best punctuation book, period, with June Casagrande
Episode 1066
1066. Do you really need that comma? Should your dashes have spaces? Is there ever just one "right" way to punctuate? June Casagrande, author of "The…
11 months, 3 weeks ago
Why we say ‘OK.’ How tea shaped English slang. Poetry winner
Episode 1065
1065. Is it "OK" or "okay"? We look at the surprising history of one of the world’s most recognized English words and how a 19th-century election cam…
11 months, 3 weeks ago
Behind the scenes of Wikipedia: editing, accuracy, and notability, with Jonathan Rick
Episode 1064
1064. Is Wikipedia the last refuge on online truth? With AI-generated content and misinformation spreading online, Wikipedia is growing in esteem, bu…
1 year ago
How did our holidays become so 'corny'? Why do some words have accent marks in English? Cubby hole
Episode 1063
1063. Why is it called "corned beef" when there’s no corn involved? We look at how the word "corn" evolved to mean different things over time. Then, …
1 year ago
Why kids can't read (and what we can do about it), with Kate Crist
Episode 1062
1062. Did you know that 21% of U.S. adults struggle with basic literacy? In this eye-opening episode, literacy specialist Kate Crist talks about the …
1 year ago
The mystery of ‘it’ in English. The most dramatic moments in grammar history. Ghost Town Mad, the song
Episode 1061
1061. Ever wonder why we say "It's raining" even though "it" doesn't refer to anything? We explain the logic behind this quirky English rule. Then, w…
1 year ago
From 'Parasite' to 'Emilia Pérez': How movies shape language, with Andrew Cheng
Episode 1060
1060. Why do villains always have British accents? Why was "Parasite" a game-changer for non-English films? And how is AI secretly shaping the voices…
1 year ago