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 964. From Nietzsche's writing ball to word processors and beyond, we look at how technology can change the way people write. Plus, we unpack the origin of the phrase "Goody Two Shoes" — it didn't start out as an insult. The "technology" segment was by Matthew G. Kirschenbaum a professor of English and digital studies at the University of Maryland. It originally appeared on The Conversation and appears here through a Creative Commons license. Read the original: https://theconversation.com/technol...
Jan 16, 2024•17 min•Ep 964•Transcript available on Metacast 963. Strunk and White said to omit needless words, but sometimes "redundant" words can serve a meaningful purpose. Plus, we have the story behind larruping food. | Transcript: https://grammar-girl.simplecast.com/episodes/redundancy/transcript | Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates . | Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing courses. | Peeve Wars card game . | Grammar Girl books . | HOST: Mignon Fogarty | VOICEMAIL: 833-214-GIRL (833-214-4475) or https://sayhi.chat/grammargirl | Grammar Gir...
Jan 09, 2024•11 min•Ep 963•Transcript available on Metacast 962. We explore why phrases like "time flies" and "fast approaching" reveal deeper perspectives on time — is it us moving or the event? Plus, you may think you know how to use commas, but just like people, they can be more complex than they appear at first glance. The "time" segment was written by by Sarah Duffy, a senior lecturer in English language and linguistics in the Department of Humanities at Northumbria University, Newcastle. It originally appeared on The Conversation and appears here t...
Jan 02, 2024•16 min•Ep 962•Transcript available on Metacast 961. Prompting, hallucinating, and more! Jess Zafarris, author of "Words from Hell," joins me for a word-of-the-year chat. Hang out with us as we look at how dictionaries are handling new words and meanings that have cropped up around emerging technologies in 2023. "Words from Hell" https://amzn.to/3rZVxo0 Find Jess Zafarris online: Useless Etymology , TikTok , Twitter , Instagram ITEMS MENTIONED IN THE PODCAST: Intel deepfake face detector AI chatbots made up their own language : Advanced AP St...
Dec 26, 2023•23 min•Transcript available on Metacast 960. Some English letters are seen but not heard. In fact, more than half the letters in our alphabet are sometimes silent. We look at the many reasons we have these silent letters that make spelling such a challenge, but that also tell fascinating stories about the history of our language. Plus, we look at the origin of the word "pajamas/pyjamas" and why it has two spellings. | Transcript: https://grammar-girl.simplecast.com/episodes/silent-letters/transcript | Subscribe to the newsletter for r...
Dec 26, 2023•20 min•Ep 960•Transcript available on Metacast 959. Learn why human language goes beyond basic communication to allow spontaneous creativity, expression of identity, and leadership in linguistic change — things animals and chatbots can't quite achieve. Plus, I answer a British listener's question about the confusing way Americans use the word "gotten." The "chatbot" 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 Eng...
Dec 19, 2023•14 min•Ep 959•Transcript available on Metacast 958. We trace the history, usage, and meaning behind identifiers such as "Hispanic," "Chicano," "Latino," "Latina," "Latinx," and "Latine." Plus, we look at whether metaphors like "grow the business" and "grow smaller" are trendy jargon you should avoid or just regular figurative language. | Transcript: https://grammar-girl.simplecast.com/episodes/latinx-grow/transcript | Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates . | Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing courses. | Peeve Wars card game . | Gr...
Dec 12, 2023•18 min•Ep 958•Transcript available on Metacast 957. We trace the linguistic history behind "house" and "mansion" to uncover how these two humble words for dwellings grew apart, with "mansion" gaining airs — all because of the Norman invasion. Plus, we look at why someone might ask if a potential suitor "gave you any house." The "house" versus "mansion" 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...
Dec 05, 2023•13 min•Ep 957•Transcript available on Metacast 956. How did terms like "stereotype," "boilerplate," and "typecast" make the leap from specialist printing vocabulary to widespread figurative language? We trace the etymology of these and other expressions. Plus, the story of positive "anymore." | Transcript: https://grammar-girl.simplecast.com/episodes/printing-terms/transcript | Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates . | Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing courses. | Peeve Wars card game . | Grammar Girl books . | HOST: Mignon Fogarty...
Nov 28, 2023•18 min•Ep 956•Transcript available on Metacast 955. This week, we're looking at the curious origins and histories behind common idioms and expressions that use "black," like "Black Friday," "black sheep," "in-the-black," and more. Then we switch gears to explore what happens when phonetic alphabets go delightfully rogue, like in comedy bits and songs. The Black Friday segment was written by Julia DiGeronimo, a recent graduate and a freelance writer from Northern New Jersey. | Jack Parr phonetic alphabet comedy skit: https://www.youtube.com/w...
Nov 21, 2023•17 min•Ep 955•Transcript available on Metacast 954. Uh-oh, "irregardless" isn’t going away anytime soon. Take a deep breath while we dig into this hated word’s history, from its first appearance in 1795 to today. And then, do you love a good plot twist? In honor of National Novel Writing Month, we look at the psychology of surprises in fiction. The "irregardless" segment was written by Susan Herman , a retired U.S. government multidisciplined language analyst, analytic editor, and instructor. The "plot twist" segment was written by Vera Tobi...
Nov 14, 2023•18 min•Ep 954•Transcript available on Metacast 953. In honor of Veterans Day, Ben Yagoda tells us tales of military words that marched from the British lexicon to American English and influence the way we speak today. "Omnishambles," "gadget," "boffin" and more! We'll dispel some posh myths, and you'll be gobsmacked by the linguistic invasion.. Find Ben at BenYagoda.com . His forthcoming book, "Gobsmacked! The British Invasion of American English," will come out in fall of 2024. | Transcript: https://grammar-girl.simplecast.com/episodes/ben-...
Nov 07, 2023•33 min•Ep 953•Transcript available on Metacast 951. In honor of National Cliché day, we uncover why some overused phrases rub us the wrong way. What is the boundary between idioms, slang, and clichés—and should we give "adulting" a break? Then, we trace the 700-year history of "organic," from bodily organs to natural growth, and ask whether using a bully pulpit makes someone a bad person. The "cliche" segment was written by Kirk Hazen, a professor of linguistics at West Virginia University, and Jordan Lovejoy, a visiting assistant professor ...
Oct 31, 2023•20 min•Ep 952•Transcript available on Metacast 951. What's the difference between terror and horror? Why was the word for "bear" so scary that it is lost to history? Jess Zafarris, author of "Words from Hell," goes through these stories and more in a scary, spooky etymology romp to help us get ready for Halloween. "Words from Hell" https://amzn.to/3rZVxo0 Find Jess Zafarris online: Useless Etymology , TikTok , Twitter , Instagram | Transcript: https://grammar-girl.simplecast.com/episodes/jess-zafarris/transcript | Subscribe to the newsletter...
Oct 24, 2023•35 min•Ep 951•Transcript available on Metacast 950. Nowthen, a town with an odd little name, helps us understand the word "namesake," and then I have some surprising poll results about the much-hated verb "commentate." The "namesake" segment is written by Brenda Thomas, a freelance writer who enjoys writing about a variety of topics in the humanities and education. | Transcript . | Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates . | Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing courses. | Peeve Wars card game . | Grammar Girl books . | HOST: Mignon Fog...
Oct 17, 2023•14 min•Ep 950•Transcript available on Metacast 949. Topic sentences aren't just for students! This week, we have real-life, grown-up examples — and you'll finally understand why that concept your English teacher kept talking about will help you write better business proposals, blog posts, and more. Plus, we have fun looking at fanilects (you read that right, not familects) and weird words such as "unputdownable," "throwawayable," and "untalkaboutable." Cohesive paragraph example from the Indiana University Bloomington Writing Tutorial Servic...
Oct 10, 2023•15 min•Ep 949•Transcript available on Metacast 948. Think you know where words like "bully," "nice," and "bimbo" come from? Think again! Join me as we explore surprising origins of common words. We'll see how terms like "bully" and "nice" changed meaning over time, how "bimbo" switched genders, and where oddly violent words like "amok" and "berserk" originated. Plus, did you know "soon" once meant "immediately"? Learn these twists and turns in the curious histories of familiar words! Plus, we look at the publishing industry meaning of "preor...
Oct 03, 2023•16 min•Ep 948•Transcript available on Metacast 947. Do you wish you could think on your feet faster? Well, Stanford business professor and communication expert Matt Abrahams has insights on having great off-the-cuff conversations that are also surprisingly helpful for writers. Matt shares the secrets of chunking when you're writing, tailoring your message for different audiences, and using structures to guide your thinking. Also, as a comfortable speaker but nervous writer, Matt shares his tips on how to get that difficult first draft down o...
Sep 26, 2023•22 min•Ep 947•Transcript available on Metacast 946. It's Talk Like a Pirate Day, which brings to mind "Pirates of the Caribbean," but you can actually pronounce "Caribbean" at least two different ways. Did Disney get it right or wrong? We turn to history for the answer and discover a second fascinating linguistics story along the way! Plus, we answer a listener's question about how to write equations. | Transcript. | American Mathematical Society style guide (PDF). | Subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates . | Watch my LinkedIn Learn...
Sep 19, 2023•13 min•Ep 946•Transcript available on Metacast 945. What was the famous Usage Panel from the American Heritage Dictionary and how did the panel's opinions influence dictionary entries? Steve Kleinedler, who managed the Usage Panel for many years, joins us this week with all kinds of fascinating inside-the-dictionary stories. David Skinner article about the history of the American Heritage Dictionary Usage Panel David Skinner's book "The Story of Ain't" American Heritage Dictionary Old Tumblr Steve Kleinedler's book "Is English Changing?" Ste...
Sep 12, 2023•33 min•Ep 945•Transcript available on Metacast 
