Why don't we say the L in 'walk'? Never use 'always.' PABST
1069. Have you ever wondered why we have silent L's in words like "walk" and "half"? Those questions lead us to L-vocalization, spelling pronunciation, and why American and British speakers differ. Pl...
1 Apr 202515min
Exploring slang, AI ghost words, and language change, with Heddwen Newton
1068. Did Yosemite Sam ever actually say "tarnation"? What’s "fridgescaping," and why is it trending? And why is AI filling the internet with nonsense words like “lrtsjerk”? Linguist and translator He...
27 Mar 202531min
What’s wrong with "'til"? Why tiny words control conversations. How many cookies?
1067. Think "'til" is a valid alternative to "until"? Think again! We learn about the difference between "till" and "until" and why many style guides frown on "'til." Then, we uncover the hidden power...
25 Mar 202517min
The best punctuation book, period, with June Casagrande
1066. Do you really need that comma? Should your dashes have spaces? Is there ever just one "right" way to punctuate? June Casagrande, author of "The Best Punctuation Book, Period," busts punctuation ...
20 Mar 202525min
Why we say ‘OK.’ How tea shaped English slang. Poetry winner
1065. Is it "OK" or "okay"? We look at the surprising history of one of the world’s most recognized English words and how a 19th-century election campaign helped it stick. Then, we have some fun with ...
18 Mar 202517min
Behind the scenes of Wikipedia: editing, accuracy, and notability, with Jonathan Rick
1064. Is Wikipedia the last refuge on online truth? With AI-generated content and misinformation spreading online, Wikipedia is growing in esteem, but who decides what gets published? How does Wikiped...
13 Mar 202527min
How did our holidays become so 'corny'? Why do some words have accent marks in English? Cubby hole
1063. Why is it called "corned beef" when there’s no corn involved? We look at how the word "corn" evolved to mean different things over time. Then, we look at the role of accent marks in English — wh...
11 Mar 202515min
Why kids can't read (and what we can do about it), with Kate Crist
1062. Did you know that 21% of U.S. adults struggle with basic literacy? In this eye-opening episode, literacy specialist Kate Crist talks about the literacy crisis in America, how reading is taught i...
6 Mar 202527min
