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The secret to writing a good memoir, with Wendy Dale
Episode 1050
1050. This week, I talk with Wendy Dale, author of "The Memoir Engineering System," about how to write a compelling memoir. We look at the differenc…
1 year, 1 month ago
Quotation marks in 1906. Starting stories in the middle. Road trip words.
Episode 1049
1049. I came across a hilarious entry about quotation marks in an old usage guide and had to share it. Then, we look at a technique that can work fo…
1 year, 1 month ago
'Rebel with a Clause,' the movie, with Ellen Jovin and Brandt Johnson
Episode 1048
1048. Ellen Jovin set up a folding table on the street in all 50 U.S. states to talk with people about grammar, which led to the book "Rebel with a C…
1 year, 2 months ago
From "august" to "August." Why the union is always "strong." Nee nee
Episode 1047
1047. This week, we look at word pairs like "august/August" that change their meaning when capitalized and how you can make your meaning clear. Then,…
1 year, 2 months ago
The psychology of fandom, with Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Episode 1046
1046. Jennifer Lynn Barnes, author of the "Inheritance Games" books, discusses how writing from different points of view can help readers connect wit…
1 year, 2 months ago
Does 'Wicked' have a grammar error? What is the 'neck of the woods'? To be Frances
Episode 1045
1045. A listener asked if the song "The Wizard and I" should actually be "The Wizard and Me," so we look at how you can tell. And then we look at int…
1 year, 2 months ago
The case of the mystery dialect, with Natalie Schilling
Episode 1044
1044. Today, I'm talking about a strange disappearance that forensic linguist Natalie Schilling worked on that she calls "the case of the mystery dia…
1 year, 2 months ago
2024 words of the year, with John Kelly
Episode 1043
1043. "Skibidi," "polarization," "brat," "demure," "enshittification," and more. You might get whiplash from the vacillating vibes of all the words t…
1 year, 2 months ago
Twee pop, bumbershoot, amongst, and more, with Ben Yagoda
Episode 1042
1042. Today, I have the bonus segment from my interview with Ben Yagoda back in September. Ben is the author of the book "Gobsmacked: The British Inv…
1 year, 2 months ago
'Home' for the holidays. False friends. Hello, Dentist.
Episode 1041
1041. Today, we talk about the word "home" and its meaning beyond just a structure, and then we talk about false friends — words in different languag…
1 year, 2 months ago