Why the heck does 'score' mean 20? How we subconsciously know how to pronounce different plurals.
929. While we were looking into why we use the word "score" to mean "twenty," our minds were blown by how many languages still have remnants of a base-20 counting system. And then we learned the secre...
23 Touko 202318min
Why English is the best language for Wordle, with Lynne Murphy
928. Listen to the interview that got me playing Wordle again. Lynne Murphy shared all sorts of things you probably didn't know about this game!Lynne Murphy is professor of linguistics at the Universi...
16 Touko 202324min
It's all uphill from here (or is that downhill?). Eating like a pig (animal idioms).
927. Whether you're a bird brain or a wise old owl, you'll love this week's episode as we fight an uphill battle to understand a language filled with metaphors.| Transcript: https://grammar-girl.simp...
9 Touko 202314min
What's wrong with 'there are' sentences? 5 fun facts about Spanish for Cinco de Mayo
926. You may remember being told not to start sentences with "there are," but do you know why? We have the answer! Plus, for Cinco de Mayo, we have five fun facts about Spanish.| Transcript: https://...
2 Touko 202318min
Have you begged the question lately? What kind of learning is best: online, remote, distance, or virtual?
925. The existence of the manchineel tree does NOT beg the question of how many different ways a tree can actually hurt you. But it does show that you can't always use taste to tell whether something ...
25 Huhti 202319min
What we get wrong about 'um' and 'uh,' with Valerie Fridland
924. What if I told you that you actually should use "uh" and "um" when you're giving a talk? And what if I told you "dude" was originally an anti-masculine word? Those are just some of the surprising...
18 Huhti 202332min
5 things every writer wants to learn, with Roy Peter Clark
923. America's writing coach, Roy Peter Clark, shares his wisdom about the five things every writer he's ever taught wants to learn.| Transcript: https://grammar-girl.simplecast.com/episodes/roy-pete...
11 Huhti 202334min
Killer bunnies in medieval manuscripts. The strange rules of 'dozen.'
922. "A dozen of eggs" sounds weird, but why? Rabbits performing violent acts are a common scene in medieval marginalia. But why are they there? Turns out—Monty Python was on to something!| Transcript...
4 Huhti 202321min
