WWII was a rich source of new words for the English language. Before the 1940s, you couldn't tell an eager beaver to shut his pie hole while you were being debriefed by the head honcho. And you'll be amazed by the origin of the word "Jeep." And in honor of NaNoWriMo—because you have to name so many things in fiction—we talked about the most common ways place ... Show More
Yesterday
The sinful fork (and other dinner-table surprises)
<p>1136. This week, we go full Thanksgiving, talking about the origin of butter knives, forks, and more. You'll love all the tidbits you can share with your family or friends during dinner.</p><p>🔗 <strong>Share your familect recording via </strong><a href="https://www.speakpipe ... Show More
14m 49s
Nov 20
Why print dictionaries still matter, with Peter Sokolowski
<p>1135. This week, we talk with Peter Sokolowski, editor at large at Merriam-Webster, about the new print 12th Collegiate Dictionary. We look at why print still matters, how the dictionary used lookup data to decide which words to drop (least looked-up compounds), and the import ... Show More
35m 31s
Nov 18
Personification in language and AI. Dictums, maxims, and proverbs. Expensitive.
<p>1134. This week, we look at the poetic power of personification (the language quirk that gives human traits to nonhuman things) and why style guides advise against using it for AI. Then, we look at the different names for common sayings, defining a proverb and breaking down th ... Show More
17m 26s
May 2024
Your English Five a Day #30.1
<p><b>E278: </b>🎙️ Welcome to <b>The English Like a Native Podcast</b> with me, your host, Anna! Tune in to <b>Week 30, Day 1 </b>of <b>Your English Five a Day</b> where we dive into vocabulary enrichment. Join us on this journey as we explore five new words each weekday to boos ... Show More
14m 31s
May 2024
Your English Five a Day #30.2
<p><b>E279:</b> 🎙️ Welcome to <b>The English Like a Native Podcast</b> with me, Anna! Tune in to <b>Week 30, Day 2</b> of <b>Your English Five a Day</b>, where we dive deep into expanding your vocabulary with five enriching items every weekday.<br/><br/>💀 Today, we kick off wit ... Show More
14m 45s
Feb 2024
Your English Five a Day #16.4
<p><b>E183:</b> 🎙️ Welcome to <b>The English Like a Native Podcast</b>, where each episode is a step towards enhancing your English proficiency! I'm your host, Anna, and you're tuned in to <b>Week 16, Day 4</b> of <b>Your English Five a Day</b>. Join me as we delve int ... Show More
12m 41s
Dec 2023
Your English Five a Day #8.3
<p><b>E127: </b>🎙️ Welcome to <b>The English Like a Native Podcast</b>! I'm Anna, your host, and you're tuned in to <b>Week Eight, Day Three</b> of <b>Your English Five a Day</b> series. We're on a linguistic journey through five enriching vocabulary pieces every ... Show More
10m 24s