Podcast Episodes
Back to Search
Cant: From Thieves’ Code to Corporate Spin
Episode 100
This episode follows the word ‘cant’ from its origins in 16th‑century thieves’ cant through its codification by early lexicographers, to its modern u…
6 days, 3 hours ago
From Guy to Guys: Tracing a Nickname’s Rise Into a Universal Address
Episode 99
In this episode we dig into the surprising evolution of the word ‘guys,’ from its 13th‑century French roots to a gender‑neutral collective pronoun in…
6 days, 3 hours ago
The Egg That Became English: From Norse Roots to Modern Lexicon
Episode 98
Discover how the simple word for a breakfast staple survived Viking influence, printing standardization, and even digital memes—revealing the dynamic…
6 days, 4 hours ago
Acronyms Aren’t Ancient—Debunking Old Word Myths
Episode 97
In this episode we investigate the claim that words like ‘fuck’ and ‘spam’ originated as ancient acronyms, revealing how these stories misread lingui…
6 days, 4 hours ago
From Slur to Standard: How Three English Words Shaped Politics, Possession, and Trust
Episode 96
This episode follows three distinct threads in English history: the Scottish‑origin insult that became a political party name, the evolution of the p…
6 days, 4 hours ago
From Print to Tweet: The Evolution of the Exclamation Mark
Episode 95
Explore how the exclamation mark moved from a 13th‑century printing curiosity to a ubiquitous social media signal, shaping tone and persuasion across…
6 days, 4 hours ago
Will Global English Fragment into Separate Languages? The Future of English Variation
Episode 94
This episode explores whether the global lingua franca might split into distinct languages as regional varieties gain prestige and identity, examinin…
6 days, 5 hours ago
Herbals and the Birth of English Medical Language
Episode 93
Explore how Tudor herbals, led by William Turner's 1551 New Herball, turned English into a practical medical tongue—standardizing plant names, shapin…
6 days, 5 hours ago
Scottish English: Layers of Language Contact and Change
Episode 92
Explore how Scottish English emerged from a complex mix of Gaelic, Norse, Norman French, and later global influences, revealing the dynamic layers th…
6 days, 5 hours ago
Current, Jury, and Its: Tracing Three Everyday English Words Through History
Episode 91
From the humble flow of water to the sparks that power our world, from a court’s sworn assembly to a punctuation debate, this episode follows three o…
6 days, 5 hours ago