903. A listener heard some jargon, and then got annoyed by "said" jargon, so we explored why. Plus, who the heck are your kith? And finally, we got excited about the first new Scrabble words since 2018.
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
How Can We Be More Effective With Language?
Have you ever wondered what’s up with double negation, the history of gender neutral pronouns, or why swearing is taboo? Then get ready for this week’s guest, linguist Anne Curzan! Anne and Jonathan talk about how the English language has evolved since the 1300s and how our words ... Show More
53m 20s
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
Feb 2024
Your English Five a Day #16.1
<p><b>E180:</b> 🎙️ Welcome to <b>The English Like a Native Podcast</b> with me, Anna! Tune in to <b>Week 16, Day 1</b> of <b>Your English Five a Day</b>, where we boost your active vocabulary with five new words every weekday.<br/><br/>🌟 Today's list kicks off with "t ... Show More
13m 35s
Feb 2024
Your English Five a Day #17.2
<p><b>E188:</b> 🎙️ Welcome to <b>The English Like a Native Podcast</b> with me, your host, Anna! Today marks <b>Week 17, Day 2 </b>of <b>Your English Five a Day</b>, where we delve into five new words to expand your vocabulary.<br/><br/>🌟 Kicking off our list is the adjective & ... Show More
15m 26s