The secret code of weather forecasts
1194. This week, we look at weather forecast terminology, including why "mostly sunny" and "partly cloudy" aren't the same thing, what "oktas" are, and how terms like "breezy," "scattered," and "likel...
16 Jun 9min
Randall Munroe of xkcd: Language chat and weird bee laws.
898. Randall Munroe joined me back in October 2022 to talk about his language-themed xkcd cartoons, his simple-language project Up Goer V, his biggest pet peeve, his favorite words, and his new book "...
13 Jun 36min
What it really takes to translate Shakespeare, with Daniel Hahn
1193. Today, we talk to award-winning translator Daniel Hahn, author of "If This Be Magic," about what it really takes to translate Shakespeare, starting with the philosophical paradox at the heart of...
11 Jun 34min
How to get started as a freelance writer
1192. How do you get your first writing jobs when you don’t have much experience? Grammar Girl shares stories from her own early career and offers advice on finding a niche, spotting opportunities, ma...
9 Jun 14min
The case for language clarity, with Iva Cheung
1191. This week, we talk to Iva Cheung, a plain language expert and editor who has helped shape Canada's accessibility standards. We look at what plain language actually means (it's more than just sho...
4 Jun 28min
Does Yoda speak 'real' English? Is it 'a real trouper' or 'a real trooper'?
1190. This week, we look at what makes Yoda's English special, and we look at the difference between “trooper” and “trouper,” including whether singular “troop” may be short for “trooper” and why “a r...
2 Jun 13min
Everyone has a story to tell, and why your memoir matters, with Grant Faulkner
1189. This week, we talk to Grant Faulkner, co-founder of Memoir Nation and former executive director of NaNoWriMo, about what makes writing a memoir different from writing fiction. We look at why mem...
28 Mai 26min
How ‘bee’s knees’ became high praise, and why do recipes sound so bossy?
1188. This week, we look at how “the bee's knees” went from meaning something tiny to the cheeriest slang of the 1920s — and why it outlasted the cat's pajamas and the clam's overshoes. Then, we look ...
26 Mai 16min
