Lexicon Valley

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Society & Culture
**Lexicon Valley**

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

Latest Episodes:

Come Under Scrutiny Mar 18, 2024

Show notes

What does the '-bat' in 'acrobat' have to do with the word 'come'?

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Have Your Own Damn Self a Merry Little Christmas Dec 30, 2023

Show notes

Reflexive pronouns are redundant in a way, sure, but they’re also quite common in many languages.

Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lexicon Valley⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. A Booksmart Studios production. Episode 265: "Have Your Own Damn Self a Merry Little Christmas." With John McWhorter. Produced and edited by Mike Vuolo. All rights reserved.

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When Did People Start Talking? Nov 06, 2023

Show notes

There’s good reason to believe that sophisticated speech began long before homo sapiens hit the scene.

Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lexicon Valley⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. A Booksmart Studios production. Episode 264: "When Did People Start Talking?" With John McWhorter. Produced and edited by Mike Vuolo. All rights reserved.

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Who's Afraid of Ayesha Rascoe? Sep 29, 2023

Show notes

Does Ayesha Rascoe have a good radio voice? Not according to many NPR listeners, who find her "loud," "high-pitched" and generally "grating."

Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lexicon Valley⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. A Booksmart Studios production. Episode 263: "Who's Afraid of Ayesha Rascoe?" With John McWhorter. Produced and edited by Mike Vuolo. All rights reserved.

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What Is Miami English? Aug 21, 2023

Show notes

A recent study suggests that a new dialect is emerging in the southern part of Florida.

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Report of the Trial of Levi Weeks Jul 17, 2023

Show notes

The trial transcript of a 225-year-old murder is filled with fascinating evidence of the way we used to talk.

Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lexicon Valley⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. A Booksmart Studios production. Episode 262: "Report of the Trial of Levi Weeks." With John McWhorter. Produced and edited by Mike Vuolo. All rights reserved.

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I Got My Nails Did! Jun 09, 2023

Show notes

Many English verbs have three forms — sing, sang and sung, for example. The problem is that speakers seem to want only two.

Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lexicon Valley⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. A Booksmart Studios production. Episode 260: "I Got My Nails Did!" With John McWhorter. Produced and edited by Mike Vuolo. All rights reserved.

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To v. Too May 09, 2023

Show notes

'Too' — whether about excess, addition or contradiction — evolved from 'to.'

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Picture of Health Apr 24, 2023

Show notes

Some languages adopt their “health” word from the concept of wholeness — a metaphor that makes perfect sense. Other languages, however, adopt their “health” word from trees.

Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lexicon Valley⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. A Booksmart Studios production. Episode 258: "Picture of Health." With John McWhorter. Produced and edited by Mike Vuolo. All rights reserved.

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The Right Stuff Apr 03, 2023

Show notes

Like the French word 'droit,' English’s 'right' has taken on a number of useful metaphorical meanings.

Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lexicon Valley⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. A Booksmart Studios production. Episode 257: "The Right Stuff." With John McWhorter. Produced and edited by Mike Vuolo. All rights reserved.

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