Lexicon Valley

Society EN ↓ 325 episodes

A podcast about language, with hosts Mike Vuolo, Bob Garfield and John McWhorter.

Be sure to visit the podcast's website and support the creator: booksmartstudios.com

Author

Lexicon Valley

Episodes

The Soft Power of Like 26.11.2019 45:44

Words and phrases that are often dismissed as filler are actually conveying politeness. X: @lexiconvalleyFacebook: facebook.com/LexiconValleyWebsite: booksmartstudios.com/LexiconValley Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Men, Women and Children 12.11.2019 37:36

The weird plurals of sentient beings. X: @lexiconvalleyFacebook: facebook.com/LexiconValleyWebsite: booksmartstudios.com/LexiconValley Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Zombie English 29.10.2019 35:07

Dead parts of our language have a way of sticking around. X: @lexiconvalleyFacebook: facebook.com/LexiconValleyWebsite: booksmartstudios.com/LexiconValley Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Let's Do Lunch 16.10.2019 38:20

Come table-hopping as we discuss the linguistic quirks of mealtime terms. X: @lexiconvalleyFacebook: facebook.com/LexiconValleyWebsite: booksmartstudios.com/LexiconValley Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How to Think Like a Linguist 01.10.2019 30:47

The alphabet doesn't quite capture the many sounds we make. X: @lexiconvalleyFacebook: facebook.com/LexiconValleyWebsite: booksmartstudios.com/LexiconValley Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Has English Gotten Less Complex? 17.09.2019 40:46

English pronouns in particular have simplified over time. X: @lexiconvalleyFacebook: facebook.com/LexiconValleyWebsite: booksmartstudios.com/LexiconValley Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

S#!t, Hell and Darn 03.09.2019 27:09

Dissecting three common curse words. X: @lexiconvalleyFacebook: facebook.com/LexiconValleyWebsite: booksmartstudios.com/LexiconValley Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This Family Speaks 1,200 Languages 20.08.2019 46:08

From Javanese to Tagalog, the wonderful Austronesian languages. X: @lexiconvalleyFacebook: facebook.com/LexiconValleyWebsite: booksmartstudios.com/LexiconValley Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Language vs. Dialect 06.08.2019 42:19

A language is a dialect with an army, to paraphrase a renowned linguist. X: @lexiconvalleyFacebook: facebook.com/LexiconValleyWebsite: booksmartstudios.com/LexiconValley Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Internet Loves the Exclamation Point!! 23.07.2019 35:39

On some of the deep forces that shape human language. X: @lexiconvalleyFacebook: facebook.com/LexiconValleyWebsite: booksmartstudios.com/LexiconValley Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why Is “Ph” Pronounced That Way? 09.07.2019 32:55

We have two F sounds in English but only one is spelled with the letter F. X: @lexiconvalleyFacebook: facebook.com/LexiconValleyWebsite: booksmartstudios.com/LexiconValley Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Does Language Affect Thought? 25.06.2019 47:45

Another look at the so-called Whorf Hypothesis, the idea that the language you speak affects your perception of the world. X: @lexiconvalleyFacebook: facebook.com/LexiconValleyWebsite: booksmartstudios.com/LexiconValley Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A Fleeting Glance 11.06.2019 39:33

Reflections on transience. X: @lexiconvalleyFacebook: facebook.com/LexiconValleyWebsite: booksmartstudios.com/LexiconValley Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Romance Languages 28.05.2019 44:37

On French, Spanish, Italian, etc. — otherwise known as the Romances. X: @lexiconvalleyFacebook: facebook.com/LexiconValleyWebsite: booksmartstudios.com/LexiconValley Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why Do Some Americans Say Warshed? 14.05.2019 48:02

Why do people often pronounce an R sound where it doesn't belong? X: @lexiconvalleyFacebook: facebook.com/LexiconValleyWebsite: booksmartstudios.com/LexiconValley Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Flores Man vs. Sulawesi 30.04.2019 40:16

A linguistic mystery on an island archipeligo of Indonesia. X: @lexiconvalleyFacebook: facebook.com/LexiconValleyWebsite: booksmartstudios.com/LexiconValley Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Lingua Francas 16.04.2019 36:43

You could speak fluently with half the world's population if you knew these 20 or so languages. X: @lexiconvalleyFacebook: facebook.com/LexiconValleyWebsite: booksmartstudios.com/LexiconValley Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can Climate Influence Language? 02.04.2019 44:25

As many as half the world's languages are tonal, but a tiny fraction are spoken in arid climates. X: @lexiconvalleyFacebook: facebook.com/LexiconValleyWebsite: booksmartstudios.com/LexiconValley Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Ain’t Was All Right 19.03.2019 39:07

On the the first person singular of to be. X: @lexiconvalleyFacebook: facebook.com/LexiconValleyWebsite: booksmartstudios.com/LexiconValley Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Semitic Tongues 05.03.2019 44:42

On the triconsonantal roots of Semitic languages. X: @lexiconvalleyFacebook: facebook.com/LexiconValleyWebsite: booksmartstudios.com/LexiconValley Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Precious Little 19.02.2019 42:21

Johnny loves his blankie — why do we tack a long e sound onto words to form diminutives? X: @lexiconvalleyFacebook: facebook.com/LexiconValleyWebsite: booksmartstudios.com/LexiconValley Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Words Collide 06.02.2019 44:06

On the creation of new English vocabulary. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lexicon Valley⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. A Booksmart Studios production. 154: "When Words Collide." With John McWhorter. Produced and edited by Mike Vuolo. All rights reserved. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Truth Be Told 22.01.2019 39:32

An actually very literal discussion of true words. Really! X: @lexiconvalleyFacebook: facebook.com/LexiconValleyWebsite: booksmartstudios.com/LexiconValley Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A Penetrating History of F*%k 08.01.2019 45:59

On our longtime obsession with the F-word. X: @lexiconvalleyFacebook: facebook.com/LexiconValleyWebsite: booksmartstudios.com/LexiconValley Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Did English Get Happy? 26.12.2018 37:39

Where does happiness come from? X: @lexiconvalleyFacebook: facebook.com/LexiconValleyWebsite: booksmartstudios.com/LexiconValley Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices