What dictionary labels tell us about words. Why we say 'mama'. DU, STU, and LO.
Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing6 Mai

What dictionary labels tell us about words. Why we say 'mama'. DU, STU, and LO.

1079. Ever wonder what labels like "informal," "archaic," or "offensive" mean in a dictionary entry? We explain how different dictionaries use labels to describe when, where, and how to use words. Then, we explore why so many babies say "dada" first and why babies say "mama" almost everywhere.

The "dictionary labels" segment was written by Susan Herman, a retired U.S. government multidisciplined language analyst, analytic editor, and instructor.

The "mama" segment was written by Valerie Fridland, a professor of linguistics at the University of Nevada in Reno and the author of "Like Literally, Dude: Arguing for the Good in Bad English." You can find her at valeriefridland.com.

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Episoder(963)

131 Collective Nouns

131 Collective Nouns

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2 Sep 20085min

129 Assure Versus Ensure Versus Insure

129 Assure Versus Ensure Versus Insure

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25 Aug 20085min

127 Begs the Question

127 Begs the Question

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19 Aug 20084min

126 - Through, Threw, and Thru

126 - Through, Threw, and Thru

Through, Threw, and Thru Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

14 Aug 20084min

125 Comparatives Versus Superlatives

125 Comparatives Versus Superlatives

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12 Aug 20084min

124 Better Versus Best

124 Better Versus Best

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8 Aug 20086min

122 Is "Have Got" Acceptable English?

122 Is "Have Got" Acceptable English?

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1 Aug 20083min

120 He Said, She Said

120 He Said, She Said

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25 Jul 20083min

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