Lexicon Valley

Latest Episodes:

Loose as a Goose Apr 07, 2026

Show notes

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. Episode 295: "Loose as a Goose." With Bob Garfield and Mike Vuolo. Edited and produced by Mike Vuolo. Produced by Livia Bloom Ingram. All rights reserved.

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The Sound of a Car Backshifting Mar 24, 2026

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John McWhorter on language change — from the meaning of wit to the pronunciation of automobile. Plus, a defense of redundancy!

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How Do Words Get into the Dictionary? Mar 10, 2026

Show notes

⁠⁠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 into the Dictionary?" With Stefan Fatsis and Bob Garfield. Edited and produced by Mike Vuolo. Produced by Livia Bloom Ingram. All rights reserved.

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Look It Up! The Story of the Dictionary. Mar 03, 2026

Show notes

"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 Studios production. Episode 292: "Look It Up! The Story of the Dictionary." With Stefan Fatsis and Bob Garfield. Edited and produced by Mike Vuolo. Produced by Livia Bloom Ingram. All rights reserved.

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Open Season for Racists Feb 24, 2026

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Like 'analog watch' and 'snail mail,' 'openly racist' is a retronym — John McWhorter and Mike Vuolo explain.

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Playing the Angles Feb 10, 2026

Show notes

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: "Playing the Angles." With Bob Garfield and Mike Vuolo. Edited and produced by Mike Vuolo. Produced by Livia Bloom Ingram. All rights reserved.

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You Get the Gist Feb 03, 2026

Show notes

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 the Gist." With Bob Garfield, Mike Pesca, and Mike Vuolo. Edited by Mike Vuolo. Produced by Livia Bloom Ingram. Special thanks to Michelle Hunter Pesca. All rights reserved.

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Derek Guy on the Language of Clothing Jan 20, 2026

Show notes

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 Guy on the Language of Clothing." With Derek Guy and Mike Vuolo. Edited by Mike Vuolo. Produced by Livia Bloom Ingram. All rights reserved.

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McWhorter vs. McWhorter Jan 06, 2026

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The world was shocked by a controversial article published by "John McWhorter." Here, he sets the record straight.

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A Toast to Toast Dec 30, 2025

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Raise a glass to browned bread ... now you're toast!

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