Mapping the American Tongue: The Dictionary of American Regional English (DARE), with Joan Houston Hall
1165. Today, we talk with Joan Houston Hall to look at the monumental task of documenting how Americans speak. We look at the Dictionary of American Regional English (DARE), exploring the unique folk ...
5 Mar 38min
The history of the octothorpe. Sir Fragalot and sentence fragments. Dribzle.
1164. This week, we look at the origin of the octothorpe — also known as the pound sign or hashtag — and why it has so many different names. Then, we look at sentence fragments and the secret of "Sir ...
3 Mar 16min
How 'be like' took over the world, with Sali Tagliamonte
1163. This week, we look at what it’s like to be a "language detective" with Sali Tagliamonte and how she used her own teenagers as a research lab. We look at a 25-year study on how the phrase "be lik...
26 Feb 26min
Why 'Tonka' sounds big and 'bitty' sounds small. Why you CAN start a sentence with 'because.'
1162. This week, we look at why some names just "feel right" while others don't and how vowels like "ee" create associations with smallness and sweetness while back vowels like "ah" sound bigger and m...
24 Feb 13min
WHY WE USE ALL CAPS TO SHOUT, with Glenn Fleishman
1161. Today, we look at the history of writing in all-uppercase letters. Tech historian Glenn Fleishman explains how capitals transitioned from a sign of importance to a convention for shouting. Plus,...
19 Feb 27min
Battle of the moguls. 'Awhile' versus 'a while.' Crittador.
1160. This week, we look at why "mogul" means both a ski bump and a powerful person. Then, we tackle when to use "awhile" versus "a while," with a trick to help you remember.🔗 Join the Grammar Girl P...
17 Feb 13min
Writing for ‘civic clarity’ (plus, the power of short sentences), with Roy Peter Clark
1159. This week, we look at "civic clarity" with writing instructor Roy Peter Clark in a newly edited version of our 2020 conversation. We look at the ethical code of clear communication and why "civi...
12 Feb 23min
How bored tourists invented an Olympic sport. Centigrade or Celsius? Piqua
1158. This week, we go full Winter Olympics, tracing the origin of "ski," "luge," "toboggan," and more. Then, we look at why we say "Celsius" instead of "centigrade."🔗 Join the Grammar Girl Patreon.�...
10 Feb 13min
