Podcast Episodes
Back to Search
The Long Story Behind English Comparatives: From Old‑English '-er' to Modern 'More'
Episode 210
Explore how English’s comparative forms evolved from the Old‑English suffixes -er and -ost to the modern ‘more X’ construction, tracing phonological …
6 days, 5 hours ago
The Etymology of Anger: From Old Norse Roots to Modern Usage
Episode 209
In this episode we trace the word "anger" from its Old Norse origin, through Middle English and Shakespearean use, to its appearance in early diction…
6 days, 5 hours ago
Th‑Fronting: How One Sound Shift Reshaped British English
Episode 208
Explore the th‑fronting shift that turns /θ/ into /f/ or /v/, from its roots in London’s Cockney and Estuary English to its spread via media, tech, e…
6 days, 5 hours ago
The Vanishing Final Schwa: How Middle English’s Silent e Reshaped Poetic Rhythm
Episode 207
In this episode we trace the disappearance of the final schwa from late fourteenth‑century London, its impact on Chaucerian meter, and how spelling s…
6 days, 6 hours ago
Law & Language: Tracing the French Vocabulary of English Courts
Episode 206
Explore how Norman, Latin, and French roots became the backbone of modern English legal terms—from ‘plaintiff’ to ‘subpoena’—and why that heritage st…
6 days, 6 hours ago
Contractions: The Silent Rebels That Shaped Modern English
Episode 205
Discover how contractions evolved from early manuscript marginalia to a staple of printed and digital language, tracing the influence of printers, pr…
6 days, 6 hours ago
Turnpike: From Medieval Spikes to Modern Toll Roads – The Etymological Journey
Episode 204
Explore how the word turnpike evolved from a medieval spiked gate to today's digital toll systems, tracing its roots in Middle English and its spread…
6 days, 7 hours ago
Cutting Up English: How Greek Roots Shape Modern Anatomy
Episode 203
From the candlelit dissections of the Renaissance to today's digital medical databases, this episode follows the journey of anatomical terms rooted i…
6 days, 7 hours ago
From Bazaar to Caviar: The Persian Loanwords that Shaped Modern English
Episode 202
Explore how a handful of Persian terms—bazaar, caviar, carafe, sari, pajamas, saffron, cardamom, mint—traveled through Arabic scholars, Ottoman merch…
6 days, 7 hours ago
Brunch: From Victorian Portmanteau to Global Brand
Episode 201
The episode traces the birth of "brunch" in 1895, its journey from London cafés to New Orleans diners, and how social media turned a simple meal into…
6 days, 7 hours ago