Many of us struggled with the Old English poem “Beowulf” in high school. But what if you could actually hear “Beowulf” in the English of today? There’s a new translation by Maria Dahvana Headley that uses contemporary language and even internet slang to create a fresh take on this centuries-old poem — right down to addressing the reader as Bro! Also, what’s ... Show More
Oct 6
Diamond Dust (Rebroadcast) - 6 October 2025
Diamond dust, tapioca snow, and sugar icebergs -- a 1955 glossary of arctic and subarctic terms describes the environment in ways that sound poetic. And a mom says her son is dating someone who's non-binary. She supports their relationship, but still struggles to use their prefer ... Show More
51m 45s
Jun 2024
Words, Words, Words 15: HWÆT!
Next time you want to get everyone's attention for a speech at a party, try this: stand up on a table, pound your mead-chalice on a hard surface (you've got a mead-chalice, right?) and shout HWÆT! No one will have any idea what you're saying, but they'll have no choice but to lis ... Show More
31m 57s
Feb 2025
⭐ Feature: The Story of Dr. Seuss ("The Father of Children's Literature")
On March 2, we celebrate Read Across America Day, a time when schools across the U.S. encourage kids to dive into the magical world of books. But why March 2? Well, it’s no coincidence—that’s the birthday of a man whose impact on children’s literature is nothing short of legendar ... Show More
41m 18s
Sep 2024
Your English Five a Day #44.5
E365: 🎙️ Hello and welcome to The English Like a Native Podcast. My name is Anna, and you're listening to Week 44, Day 5 of Your English Five a Day. This series focuses on increasing your active vocabulary while also improving your listening skills.
🌟 In today's episode, we sta ... Show More
11m 39s
Nov 2015
What You Are is What You Say (Language and Identity)
Welcome to Episode 28, a fun collection of language learning news. Lindsay and I shared our progress in Japanese and Welsh, read out wonderful listener feedback, and finally moved on to 3 big news items.
What's it like when your language changes to express who you are?
The episod ... Show More
1h 15m
Oct 2015
31: Back to The Road Not Taken (Choices) - Robert Frost meets "Back to the Future"
This year marks the 100th anniversary of Robert Frost’s classic poem, The Road Not Taken. Also, October 21, 2015 has become known as Back to the Future Day because it is the exact date that Doc Brown, Marty McFly, and Jennifer travel to in the movie, Back to the Future 2. Now, if ... Show More
31m 46s