Loose as a Goose
Is there anything particularly loose about a goose — or does that idiom exist only because it rhymes? Bob Garfield and Mike Vuolo investigate. Visit Lexicon Valley. A Booksmart Studios Production. Ep...
7 Apr 27min
The Sound of a Car Backshifting
John McWhorter on language change — from the meaning of wit to the pronunciation of automobile. Plus, a defense of redundancy! Visit Lexicon Valley. A Booksmart Studios production. Episode 294: "...
24 Mar 31min
How Do Words Get into the Dictionary?
Getting new words into the dictionary is a rigorous, time consuming process — with no guarantee of success. Visit Lexicon Valley. A Booksmart Studios production. Episode 293: "How Do Words Get i...
10 Mar 25min
Look It Up! The Story of the Dictionary.
"Unabridged" author Stefan Fatsis on the fastidious practice of lexicography and the heiress who amassed the largest collection of dictionaries in history. Visit Lexicon Valley. A Booksmart Studi...
3 Mar 30min
Open Season for Racists
Like 'analog watch' and 'snail mail,' 'openly racist' is a retronym — John McWhorter and Mike Vuolo explain. Visit Lexicon Valley. A Booksmart Studios production. Episode 291: "Open Season for Ra...
24 Feb 23min
Playing the Angles
What does St. John the Apostle have in common with Bernie Bernbaum, the sniveling grifter from Miller's Crossing? Angling! Visit Lexicon Valley. A Booksmart Studios production. Episode 290: "Playin...
10 Feb 25min
You Get the Gist
During an appearance on The Gist with Mike Pesca, we discussed the curious backstory of, you guessed it, the word "gist." Visit Lexicon Valley. A Booksmart Studios production. Episode 289: "You Get...
3 Feb 13min
Derek Guy on the Language of Clothing
A prolific writer on men's fashion, Guy discusses the vocabulary of outerwear and why dress is a form of social language. Visit Lexicon Valley. A Booksmart Studios production. Episode 288: "Derek ...
20 Jan 19min
