994. This week, I sat down with the prolific "Dune" author Kevin J. Anderson and the famed "Dune" narrator Scott Brick to explore the language challenges in the "Dune" series. Learn how Kevin and Scott navigated Frank Herbert's original vocabulary, stayed true to the cultural influences of the names and terms, and created an extensive pronunciation guide. Whether you're a longtime fan or are new to the series, you'll love Kevin and Scott's stories about the language of "Dune" and its quirky hist...
Jun 13, 2024•45 min•Ep 994•Transcript available on Metacast 993. This week, we cover the strategic use of sign language by the Bene Gesserit in the 'Dune' movies, including its importance in covert communication. Then, we look at the many words for 'father' and their historical and linguistic significance, from early baby talk to more formal terms for adults. Dune sign language supercut video: https://youtu.be/P912zjkVSgQ?si=vH8AN3kg_hw7cabq Stan Freberg "Purfuit of Happineff" video: https://youtu.be/iOOQfGWt8Hc?si=pFF1YwbJWy-tVPwY&t=123 The "Dune" segme...
Jun 11, 2024•17 min•Ep 993•Transcript available on Metacast 992. What began as a simple word game in 1913 sparked a nationwide craze just a decade later, causing a moral panic and changing American publishing forever. This week, Ben Zimmer, a prolific crossword constructor and language commentator, takes us through the crossword puzzle's surprising early history and enduring legacy. He also explores the modern crossword scene, including competitions, digital tools, and how new puzzle constructors are shaping the future of the game. Links mentioned in the...
Jun 06, 2024•27 min•Ep 992•Transcript available on Metacast 991. This week, we trace the origin and meaning of the word "dog," from its mysterious beginning to its current use in phrases like "hot dog" and "hair of the dog." Then we go through the "audience of one" concept, which involves tailoring content to a single, imagined recipient; and we look at how this approach can make your writing more understandable and engaging. The dog segment was written by Valerie Fridland, a professor of linguistics at the University of Nevada in Reno and the author of ...
Jun 04, 2024•20 min•Ep 991•Transcript available on Metacast 990. Have you ever wondered why English doesn't have gender like Spanish and French? Which languages are the hardest to learn (and why)? And why a Q is always followed by a U? We have the answers to those questions and more this week from Paul Anthony Jones, author of "Why is this a question?" | Find Paul Anthony Jones at https://www.paulanthonyjones.com/ | Edited transcript with links: https://grammar-girl.simplecast.com/episodes/jones/transcript | Please take our advertising survey. It helps! ...
May 30, 2024•30 min•Ep 990•Transcript available on Metacast 989. What is a word? Does "that's" count as one word or two? In this excerpt from Paul Anthony Jones' new book "Why Is This a Question," we look at how things like plurals, compound words, and contractions make defining the word "word" a tricky exercise. | Find Paul Anthony Jones at https://www.paulanthonyjones.com/ | Edited transcript with links: https://grammar-girl.simplecast.com/episodes/what-is-a-word/transcript | Please take our advertising survey. It helps! https://podsurvey.com/GRAMMAR |...
May 28, 2024•19 min•Ep 989•Transcript available on Metacast 988. Peter Sokolowski, an editor at Merriam-Webster, goes through the fascinating history of the Armed Services Editions, a series of books published during World War II for distribution among the troops. We look at the special problems of wartime publishing, the collaborative efforts among publishers, and the lasting influence of these books on the publishing landscape. | Edited transcript with links: https://grammar-girl.simplecast.com/episodes/sokolowski-wwii/transcript | Please take our adve...
May 23, 2024•27 min•Ep 988•Transcript available on Metacast 987. This week, we look at why people sometimes double their subjects, writing sentences such as "John, he bought a car," and when it's OK (and not OK) to do so. Plus, we talk about the medial S, a strange F-like letter that makes an S-sound and shows up in old documents. We look at how it came to be, its role in English typography, and what made it finally go away. | Edited transcript with links: https://grammar-girl.simplecast.com/episodes/left-dislocation/transcript | Please take our advertis...
May 21, 2024•17 min•Ep 987•Transcript available on Metacast 986. Erin Brenner, author of "The Chicago Guide for Freelance Editors," shares time-saving tips including the best practices for using Word, creating macros, and using automation tools like Zapier. You'll also learn about starting and growing a freelance business, including how to figure out what to charge, how to make ends meet at the beginning, and how to handle time management once your business starts to succeed. | Resources mentioned in the podcast: Erin Brenner, Right Touch Editing: https:...
May 16, 2024•32 min•Ep 986•Transcript available on Metacast 985. This week, we look at the world of whimsical words, including the origins and meanings of terms like "dinkus," "gadzook," "petrichor" and the phrase "whim-wham for a goose's bridle." Plus, I have a quick tip about when to capitalize "mom" and "dad." The "weird words" segment was written by Michaela Dunn, a Wyoming-based editor and publisher for Everywhen Press. She specializes in magical realism, low fantasy, folklore, and fairy tales. | Edited transcript with links: https://grammar-girl.si...
May 14, 2024•16 min•Ep 985•Transcript available on Metacast 984. This week, we talk about the subtle differences between words such as "stock" or "broth," "street" or "boulevard," "maze" or "labyrinth" and more with Eli Burnstein, author of "The Dictionary of Fine Distinctions." Confusion about colors got him started on this path, but along the way, he gained insights into language, culture, and the subtle differences that shape meanings. | Find Eli at https://EliBurnstein.com | Dictionary of Fine Distinctions: https://www.unionsquareandco.com/9781454952...
May 09, 2024•27 min•Ep 984•Transcript available on Metacast 983. This week, we explore "skunked" words — terms going through hotly disputed meaning changes. We look at the debate between prescriptivists who stick to traditional meanings and descriptivists who accept new usages and what you should do with these words in your own writing. Plus, we learn how using "we" versus "I" alters perceptions of leadership, inclusivity, and status. The "skunked words" segment was written by Mignon Fogarty and Susan K. Herman. Susan is a retired multidisciplined langua...
May 07, 2024•18 min•Ep 983•Transcript available on Metacast 982. This week, we delve into the fascinating world of Old English with medievalist Hana Videen, author of "The Deorhord." We'll uncover the secrets of Old English animal names, from "walking weaver" for spider to the ominous "unland" for a whale's deceptive island. Find Hana Videen at https://OldEnglishWordhord.com/ | Edited transcript with links: https://grammar-girl.simplecast.com/episodes/videen/transcript | Please take our advertising survey. It helps! https://podsurvey.com/GRAMMAR | Gramma...
May 02, 2024•31 min•Ep 982•Transcript available on Metacast 981. Major style guides now have advice on when and how you should cite AI chatbots such as ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini. We look at what you need to include in your writing so you're handling this kind of information credibly and professionally. Then, we take a linguistic safari through the world of animal terminology, including the histories and nuances behind words such as "critter," "varmint," and "beast." | The "critters" segment was written by Samantha Enslen, who runs Dragonfly Editorial. ...
Apr 30, 2024•18 min•Ep 981•Transcript available on Metacast 980. This week, I talk with with Anne Curzan about the fascinating world of language evolution, her new book, "Says Who? A Kinder, Funner Usage Guide for Everyone Who Cares About Language," and why linguists should take marketing tips from Apple and why Ben Franklin thought the word "colonize" was bad. | Edited transcript with links: https://grammar-girl.simplecast.com/episodes/curzan/transcript | Please take our advertising survey. It helps! https://podsurvey.com/GRAMMAR | Grammarpalooza (Get t...
Apr 25, 2024•34 min•Ep 980•Transcript available on Metacast 979. In the first segment, we unravel the mysteries surrounding the origins and transformation of punctuation. From the early days when words ran together without spaces, to the introduction of punctuation systems by scholars like Aristophanes, we explore how punctuation has played a pivotal role in shaping written communication. In the second segment, we look at noun clusters that can gum up your writing. You'll see how simple steps like reordering, adding clarifying words, and transforming nou...
Apr 23, 2024•16 min•Ep 979•Transcript available on Metacast 978. Join Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and bestselling author, Charles Duhigg, as we talk about mastering the art of communication and his new book, "Supercommunicators." We explore the skills anyone (yes, you!) can learn to become a powerful communicator. Learn about the science behind effective communication, from NASA's emotional intelligence tests for astronauts to everyday interactions that can make or break relationships. Learn about the art of asking the right questions, the importan...
Apr 18, 2024•19 min•Ep 978•Transcript available on Metacast 977. This week, we cover the latest AP Stylebook updates that were just revealed at the ACES conference. From the switch to Merriam-Webster to easing up on the word "unique," we look at what these changes mean for writers and editors. Plus, we explore "catawampus" thanks to its cameo in the "Curb Your Enthusiasm" finale. Learn about its quirky origins, regional differences, and wordy friends like "kitty-corner." | Kitty-corner map: https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/articles/kitty-corner-or-catty...
Apr 16, 2024•14 min•Ep 977•Transcript available on Metacast 976. How have our pets influenced the way we use language? This week, we dive into the "cativerse" and explore the vocabulary, grammar, and spelling habits of our furry friends. From LOLcats to doggo dialects, discover the linguistic wonders of how we talk about our beloved pets. Plus, don't get tripped up by "imply" versus "infer." In the second segment, we dive into the definitions, origins, and proper usage of these often-confused words. The pet-speak segment was written by Susan Herman , a r...
Apr 09, 2024•20 min•Ep 976•Transcript available on Metacast 975. This week, I learned all about audiobook narration from David H. Lawrence XVII, who is launching a new program called "Narrate Your Own Book." If you've ever dreamed of being a narrator, this episode is for you! And if you're a self-published author who has always wanted to narrate your own audiobook (or feel like you should), this episode is especially for you. We talk about many of the fears that might be holding you back and why they don't matter as much as you probably imagine. If you w...
Apr 02, 2024•24 min•Ep 975•Transcript available on Metacast 974. How does aging affect our ability to understand language? From the challenges of processing complex sentences to the resilience you get from a rich vocabulary, we look at how our language skills change over time. Plus, looking into why people say "anyways" led me to some interesting historical tidbits. The aging 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 Engli...
Mar 26, 2024•18 min•Ep 974•Transcript available on Metacast 973. "Oppenheimer" leads us to wonder about the "nucular" pronunciation of "nuclear." And why do people have that second capital letter in the middle of MySpace, OutKast, and PowerPoint (and is it grammatically correct)? | Edited transcript with links: https://grammar-girl.simplecast.com/episodes/nuclear/transcript | Grammarpalooza (Get texts from Mignon!): https://joinsubtext.com/grammar or text "hello" to (917) 540-0876. | Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates . | Watch my LinkedIn L...
Mar 19, 2024•17 min•Ep 973•Transcript available on Metacast 972. How did humans evolve from grunting ancestors to masters of language and poetry? This week, we explore fascinating theories on the origins of human language, including the laugh-inducing Bow-Wow and Pooh-Pooh theories. We also delve into Irish-English calques for St. Patrick's Day (and in response to a question from a Grammarpaloozian) and celebrate Leslie F. Miller's winning limerick from the National Grammar Day contest. Miller works as a health care writer in Baltimore. She is the author...
Mar 12, 2024•14 min•Ep 972•Transcript available on Metacast 971. Linguists have traced modern languages like English and Sanskrit back thousands of years to a single Proto-Indo-European source. This week, we explore their detective work and the debates around the origins of the ancestral tongue. This piece was written by Kurt Kleiner, a freelance science and technology writer living in Toronto. It originally appeared in Knowable Magazine, a digital publication dedicated to making scientific knowledge accessible to all. Explore the latest at knowablemagaz...
Mar 05, 2024•22 min•Ep 971•Transcript available on Metacast 970. We answer a listener question about the difference between "addictive" and "addicting," and then we look at how to write compound nouns: did you visit a coffeehouse or a coffee house? | Edited transcript with links: https://grammar-girl.simplecast.com/episodes/addictive/transcript | Grammarpalooza (Get texts from Mignon!): https://joinsubtext.com/grammar or text "hello" to (917) 540-0876. | Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates . | Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing courses. | Pee...
Feb 27, 2024•14 min•Ep 970•Transcript available on Metacast 969. From "wolkenkratzer" in German to "flea market" in English, direct translations called calques show how languages borrow from each other. This week, we look at how these translations are changing English in Miami and Spanish in Louisiana. Plus, we look at the difference between "gumball machine" and "gumballs machine" and how it might explain Joe Alwyn's Tortured Man Chat. The calques segment was written by Susan K. Herman, a retired multidisciplined language analyst, analytic editor, and i...
Feb 20, 2024•20 min•Ep 969•Transcript available on Metacast 968. This week, I expand on my comments for the New York Times about Taylor Swift's grammatically sound but apostrophe-free new album title: "The Tortured Poets Department." Plus, we dive deep into the nuances between "loving" someone and being "in love," tracing how the word evolved from the ancient Proto-Indo-European root "leubh" yet still doesn't fully capture love's complexity across languages. The "in love" segment was written by Valerie Fridland, a professor of linguistics at the Universi...
Feb 13, 2024•13 min•Ep 968•Transcript available on Metacast 967. Should you say "a honor" or "an honor"? It's trickier than you think! We explore why articles depend on sounds and regional variations, the difference between "thee" and "thuh," and your stories about delicious phrasings. | Transcript: https://grammar-girl.simplecast.com/episodes/a-versus-an/transcript | Grammarpalooza (Get texts from Mignon!): https://joinsubtext.com/grammar or text "hello" to (917) 540-0876. | Why we have both "a" and "an: Episode 920 | Subscribe to the newsletter for reg...
Feb 06, 2024•13 min•Ep 967•Transcript available on Metacast 966. We explore the rise and fall of the letter H: Debates over its name ("haitch" or "aitch"?) and why a once-prestigious pronunciation like "hwhat" now seems old-fashioned. The "haitch" segment was written by Kate Burridge, a professor of linguistics at Monash University, and Catherine McBride, a professor of psychology at Chinese University of Hong Kong. It originally appeared on "The Conversation" and appears here through a Creative Commons license . | Transcript: https://grammar-girl.simple...
Jan 30, 2024•18 min•Ep 966•Transcript available on Metacast 965. It's a listener question extravaganza! I answer your questions about "canceled," "another think/thing coming," zero plurals such as "fish," the way I reference verbs, episode numbers, "at about," mangos versus green peppers, and muskgos. (And if I didn't answer your question, don't despair. I hope to do another show with listener questions in a month or two.) | Transcript: https://grammar-girl.simplecast.com/episodes/listener-qs/transcript | Share a recording of your familect story with me ...
Jan 23, 2024•20 min•Ep 965•Transcript available on Metacast 
