Language and History

Do we really know what Chaucer's poetry sounded like? Professor Simon Horobin introduces evidence that gives us an insight into the history of English pronunciation and explores what it tells us about how and why changes in language take place. 

Professor Charlotte Brewer introduces the methodology behind the creation of the OED and how current activity to update the Dictionary may reveal new evidence about Shakespeare's impact on the English Language. 

Professor Deborah Cameron explores some of the key theories surrounding the use of language by women and men. Are we really so different? 

The English language is spoken by millions of people around the world, and despite that fact, it remains relatively fluid. Because it’s so adaptable, who knows what the future will hold in store for English? On today's Please Explain, we’ll attempt to find out with Simon Horobin, ... Show More

The history of the English Language: 1066 is the most important date in the history of English.  Why does English have a "double vocabulary system"?  Why do some words feel casual, while others feel formal?  Why is English spelling so confusing?  The answers to those questions ca ... Show More

It’s an unfortunate fact that many people don’t know the truth about how language works outside of their grammar books, in the real world, but recently I spoke to someone who is trying to change that. Shana Poplack and her sociolinguistics laboratory at the University of Ottawa a ... Show More

Is your English teacher always talking about grammar? Does he or she expect you to know how to identify the subject and verb of a sentence? Do you think that knowing this helps you to communicate better in English? Here is a podcast for those of you who love grammar, and for thos ... Show More

Do you think you are lazy when it comes to studying English? Well, let us introduce you to Olly Richards, an English polyglot who has taught himself 7 languages. In this episode you are going to discover how Olly managed to learn all of these language despite his busy schedule, a ... Show More

Welcome to The Story of Language: an original podcast series about language, linguistics, cognition, and culture. In this episode we talk about linguistic relativity: the idea that the language we speak can change the way we think.