Why Are British English and American English Different?
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 2020
#25: What's The Difference Between Great Britain and The United Kingdom?
<p><strong> </strong></p><br><p>Confused about the difference between Great Britain and The United Kingdom, and always wondered when to call someone British instead of English, Scottish, Welsh or Irish? Let's clear it up, and explain how we got to this, admittedly, pretty complic ... Show More
18m 34s
