1125. This week, we talk with linguist and author Danny Bate about his book, "Why Q Needs U." We look at the ancient origins of our alphabet, tracing its conceptual leap from Egyptian hieroglyphs to symbols that represent sounds. Danny explains the "acrophonic principle" (one sound from a picture) and why the letter A was originally a consonant, not a vowel.
Jan 15
Building the Online Etymology Dictionary, with Doug Harper
1151. This week, we look at the deep history of words with Doug Harper, creator of Etymonline. We look at the "gravitational" link between digging a grave and having a grave problem, the surprising 1839 origin of "OK," and why some of our favorite word stories are actually "folk ... Show More
33m 50s
Jan 13
Using ‘impact’ as a verb. ‘Sympathy’ versus ‘empathy.’ Big help, Irving.
1150. This week, we look at "impact" as a verb and why it's a pet peeve for so many editors and readers. Then, we look at the linguistic shift between sympathy and empathy, exploring how "sympathy" began to sound patronizing and how "empathy" expanded to fill the gap.Links to Get ... Show More
15m 6s
Jan 8
Rare books, burned letters, and Johnson’s dictionary, with John Overholt
1149. This week, we look at the life and legacy of Samuel Johnson, the man behind the 1755 Dictionary of the English Language. We talk with John Overholt, curator at Harvard’s Houghton Library, about Johnson's eclectic career. We also look at what it’s like to manage a collection ... Show More
32m 21s
Feb 2025
PRETTY CURIOUS | JVN Goes Blonde, BTS at The View, and NYC with the Fab 5 - Let’s Get Into It!
JVN tackles the age old question: do blondes have more fun? On this episode of Pretty Curious, Jonathan Van Ness and producer Chris McClure spill the tea on JVN’s latest glow-up: going blonde. They chat about the chaotic history of Snapchat filters, the art of cheering on your fr ... Show More
33m 23s
Sep 2025
Short Story Ep #2 - A Stonehenge Adventure with Hugo, Chris & Mike
📥 Grab the FREE PDF with 20+ advanced expressions from this episode, complete with quizzes and example sentences , to learn today’s vocabulary 3x faster. Plus, get the script from today's story included! 🎓 Join my weekly online group lessons Welcome to a series of shor ... Show More
23m 28s
Mar 2025
AEE 2372: Ghosting and Dating Culture in the U.S.
Take our free English-level quiz here to find out what your current English level is.
Do you love All Ears English? Try our other podcasts here:
Business English Podcast: Improve your Business English with 3 episodes per week, featuring Lindsay, Michelle, and Aubrey
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19m 24s
Mar 2025
PRETTY CURIOUS | JVN Talks Weightloss Transformation Posts And Trust Issues
This week, we’re diving into what’s going on in your world, news that SLAYS, and the news that makes us go “Orrr Norr!” Plus! Thirsty and celebratory IG posts, hot takes on betrayals of trust, and stick around to the end for our Hot Bitch Of The Week!
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30m 53s
Sep 2025
Algorithmic Social Media Is Driving New Slang
From viral slang such as “skibidi” to the rise of so-called brain rot, linguist and content creator Adam Aleksic, aka the “Etymology Nerd,” and associate editor Allison Parshall, who covers the mind and brain, unpack how social media and algorithms are reshaping the way we commun ... Show More
26m 55s
Feb 2025
AEE: I Love English! What About You?
Take our free English-level quiz here to find out what your current English level is.
Do you love All Ears English? Try our other podcasts here:
Business English Podcast: Improve your Business English with 3 episodes per week, featuring Lindsay, Michelle, and Aubrey
IELTS ... Show More
21m 18s