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From 'gobsmacked' to 'ginger': The British invasion of American English, with Ben Yagoda
Episode 1017
1017. How did British words find their way into American English? Author Ben Yagoda shares insights with us from his new book "Gobsmacked!" We learn …
1 year, 11 months ago
Why some verb sets are so odd (like 'go/went'). Corporate euphemisms. Goggy.
Episode 1016
1016. This week, we look at why some verbs are so irregular that their forms don't even seem related, like "go" and "went." Then, we look at the surp…
1 year, 11 months ago
What's new in the Chicago Manual of Style (18th edition), with Russell Harper and Mary Laur
Episode 1015
1015. The Chicago Manual of Style is updated every seven years, and this year's update is a big one! I talked with two of the editors — Russell Harpe…
1 year, 11 months ago
Do words like 'mandate' and 'cockamamie' come from words for men? Grammatical doppelgangers. A pair of teeth.
Episode 1014
1014. This week, we debunk misconceptions about gendered language, tracing the etymology of words like "cockamamie" and "gynecology." We also look at…
1 year, 11 months ago
What fiction writers know about avoiding stereotypes, with Alex Temblador
Episode 1013
1013. How can fiction writers create diverse, authentic characters without relying on stereotypes? Alex Temblador, author of "Writing An Identity Not…
1 year, 11 months ago
'Tea' or 'chai'? Why we misspeak. Fellatone.
Episode 1012
1012. Most words are different in different languages, but water from steeped leaves has only two main names: tea and chai. We look at why! Also, if …
1 year, 11 months ago
The language of liars. 'Legendary,' 'famous,' or 'notorious'? Fish shapes.
Episode 1011
1011. This week, we look at language patterns that may indicate someone is lying, such as how often they say "um" and the diversity of the words they…
1 year, 11 months ago
Cat Idioms. 'Summerween' and other blends. Bankery
Episode 1010
1010. We'd never be accused of belling the cat, but we did let our curiosity get the best of us when sniffing around common cat-related idioms. Plus,…
1 year, 11 months ago
Apostrophes have always been confusing. 'First' or 'firstly'? Trudy!
Episode 1009
1009. If you think apostrophes are confusing today, wait until you hear how people used them 100s of years ago! Ammon Shea has some wild stories. Plu…
2 years ago
When to use 'the' before a noun. Why rhymes help us remember. Opening a lime.
Episode 1008
1008. We look at why you have to use "the" before some nouns and not others, and then we dive into the science behind why rhymes stick in our memory …
2 years ago