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Mar 2024
21m 32s

Where did our language start?

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The ancient word for 'star' and the steppe nomads who spread it, with Laura Spinney
1233. This week, we talk to Laura Spinney, author of "Proto: How One Ancient Language Went Global." We look at how linguists reconstruct a language no one wrote down and why the ancient word for "wheel" is still debated. Then we look at how ancient DNA pointed to nomadic herders ... Show More
44m 22s
Oct 27
4 everyday words that started out as monsters. 'Graveyard' versus 'cemetery.' Which is which?
1232. This week, we look at four ordinary words — "hippocampus," "chimera," "behemoth," and "gargantuan" — that all started as the names of monsters. Then, we look at where sailors got the phrase "graveyard watch" and at the difference between a graveyard and a cemetery.The monst ... Show More
10m 30s
Oct 22
Beowulf’s ‘you know,’ Shakespeare’s ‘prithee,’ and the myth of Valley Girl ‘like,’ with Dr. Laurel Brinton
1231. This week, Valerie Fridland steps in for Mignon and sits down with linguist Laurel Brinton to talk about little words like “well,” “you know,” and “like.” They look at why “well” signals bad news, how “Beowulf” may open with the Old English version of “you know,” and why “p ... Show More
38m 10s
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