A Word in Your Ear

Language Professor Roly Sussex discusses the seventeen Australian words the Oxford English Dictionary has added in 2026, including "yeah nah", "checkout chick" and "dishlickers".

Language Professor Roly Sussex and 612-ABC Brisbane gardening expert Clare Bickle discuss the love language that is plants and gardening.  

Language Professor Roly Sussex and 612-ABC presenter Sally Rope discuss how television has shaped language via words they created and the catchphrases we love.   

The FIFA World Cup 2026 is underway - what words have come to us from the "Beautiful Game" and how many have crossed into other sports??

If you've ever "gawn to the bottlo, grabbed some goon and picked up some Maccas", that's a creative use of Australian English.  Why is it so much fun? 

Professor Roly Sussex explores which language changes are allowed, which ones are a grey area, and which ones are still just plain wrong. 

Professor Roly Sussex answers all of your language questions.

Professor Roly Sussex raises a glass to the language of alcohol and being drunk - why have we always needed different ways to describe the same thing?

Language expert, Professor Roly Sussex discusses the language of clothing, material and fashion with special guest Nathalie Ryner, Costume Supervisor at Queensland Theatre . 

Language expert, Professor Roly Sussex discusses King Charles III's address to the American Congress, and why the King's accent was so effective in making criticism seem charming.

Professor Roly Sussex discusses the ways Acronyms and Initialisations are becoming an increasingly important part of written language.  

Special guest and former prisoner Craig Worland takes you through the language of prison and why it's important amongst the inmates. 

There have been many attempts to simplify or reform English spelling, none of which succeeded, but is it time to get rid of some punctuation? Is the letter "Z" really necessary in a modern world?

Professor Roly Sussex explains the phrases of the festive season.

What does it mean to be polite, and has that changed in recent years?

Professor Roly Sussex clarifies some common pronunciation problems and why different places have differing ways of saying the same thing.

Everyone loves a fresh turn of phrase, a new saying or an untested expression.  These newly coined phrases are called neologisms.

It might shock you, but Professor Roly Sussex says some language rules are made to be broken.

From "10-4" to "hammer down", Professor Roly Sussex unlocks the secret language of the roads.

Professor Roly Sussex takes us on a journey through history and language to explore France's lasting influence on the English vocabulary. 

Have you ever thought about why we call the objects in our kitchen whatever we call them?

Professor Roly Sussex unpacks the different ways women communicate, and how these contrasts emerged.

Professor Roly Sussex discusses the origins and uses of our 26 letters, and explains why we don't use a phonetic alphabet. 

Professor Roly Sussex is joined by ABC Radio Australia presenter Michael Chow, who speaks two and a half Papua New Guinean languages.

Professor Roly Sussex unpacks the language of some of the most successful adverts and why they have stood the test of time.