Podcast Episodes
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A rizzy word-of-the-year chat (with Jess Zafarris)
961. Prompting, hallucinating, and more! Jess Zafarris, author of "Words from Hell," joins me for a word-of-the-year chat. Hang out with us as we loo…
2 years, 2 months ago
The special sauce of human language. Gotten. NATO alphabet. A1 sauce.
Episode 959
959. Learn why human language goes beyond basic communication to allow spontaneous creativity, expression of identity, and leadership in linguistic c…
2 years, 3 months ago
What's the difference between Hispanic, Chicano, Latino, Latinx, and Latine? Can something 'grow' smaller? Musko.
Episode 958
958. We trace the history, usage, and meaning behind identifiers such as "Hispanic," "Chicano," "Latino," "Latina," "Latinx," and "Latine." Plus, we …
2 years, 3 months ago
When does a house become a mansion? Giving someone house.
Episode 957
957. We trace the linguistic history behind "house" and "mansion" to uncover how these two humble words for dwellings grew apart, with "mansion" gain…
2 years, 3 months ago
From metal type to metaphor: printing terms that extended their reach. The positive 'anymore.' Gigglemare.
Episode 956
956. How did terms like "stereotype," "boilerplate," and "typecast" make the leap from specialist printing vocabulary to widespread figurative langua…
2 years, 3 months ago
Why is Black Friday black? The NATO alphabet. Byeloveyou.
Episode 955
955. This week, we're looking at the curious origins and histories behind common idioms and expressions that use "black," like "Black Friday," "blac…
2 years, 3 months ago
The science of the plot twist. Irregardless. Spug.
Episode 954
954. Uh-oh, "irregardless" isn’t going away anytime soon. Take a deep breath while we dig into this hated word’s history, from its first appearance …
2 years, 4 months ago
Omnishambles! Military slang across the pond (interview with Ben Yagoda)
Episode 953
953. In honor of Veterans Day, Ben Yagoda tells us tales of military words that marched from the British lexicon to American English and influence th…
2 years, 4 months ago
Cliches. Organic. Bully pulpit. Fimfy.
Episode 952
951. In honor of National Cliché day, we uncover why some overused phrases rub us the wrong way. What is the boundary between idioms, slang, and cli…
2 years, 4 months ago
The dark histories behind your favorite scary words, with Jess Zafarris
Episode 951
951. What's the difference between terror and horror? Why was the word for "bear" so scary that it is lost to history? Jess Zafarris, author of "Word…
2 years, 4 months ago