A Conversation with Mentor Valerie Fridland | The Mentor Project Podcast | Hosts: Dr. Susan Birne-Stone and Marco Ciappelli

Guest: Valerie Fridland, Linguist and author of Like, Literally, Dude

On LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/valerie-fridland-0b29b5209/

The Mentor Project: https://mentorproject.org

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Hosts:

Dr. Susan Birne-Stone Ph.D., Host of The Mentor Project Podcast | Host of Perspectives | Systems Psychotherapist, International Coach, Talk Show Host & Producer, Professor | Mentor at the Mentor Project

On ITSPmagazine | https://www.itspmagazine.com/itspmagazine-podcast-radio-hosts/dr-susan-birne-stone

Marco Ciappelli, Co-Founder at ITSPmagazine, Host of Redefining Society Podcast, and other shows on ITSPmagazine

On ITSPmagazine | https://www.itspmagazine.com/itspmagazine-podcast-radio-hosts/marco-ciappelli

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Episode Introduction

Welcome everyone, to another enlightening episode of the Mentor Project podcast, where inspiring mentors and their impactful stories are highlighted. With hosts Dr. Susan Birne-Stone and Marco Ciappelli, listeners embark on a journey of knowledge and discovery.

The guest of the day is someone whose work is truly captivating. As a sociolinguist, Valerie Fridland's passion for language and the nuances of human communication has charted a course of learning for students globally. As a professor, an author, and above all, a mentor, Valerie's contributions to the field are substantial.

Valerie’s fascination with language extends beyond the usual academic perspective. She enables listeners to explore the social factors that shape language over time, bringing fresh insights to daily conversations. For the younger audience, she validates their contributions to language evolution, debunking myths around 'slang' or 'bad grammar'.

In the conversation with Valerie, listeners will explore how language connects to individual identities and cultures, how it is tightly bound with historical contexts, and how it continues to evolve with societal changes. Valerie will also share her journey with the Mentor Project, demonstrating how her expertise is being used to inspire and guide the next generation.

This episode promises to be a linguistic roller-coaster, offering both enlightenment and entertainment. Subscribing and sharing the podcast can spread the love for learning. To learn more about the Mentor Project's initiative, mentors, and ways to become a part of this vibrant community, listeners can visit The Mentor Project’s website. The journey to becoming a lifelong learner begins with the Mentor Project.

Without further ado, let's dive in!

About the Book 

Like, Literally, Dude: Arguing for the Good in Bad English

A lively linguistic exploration of the speech habits we love to hate—and why our “like”s  and “literally”s actually make us better communicators

Paranoid about the “ums” and “uhs” that pepper your presentations? Concerned that people notice your vocal fry? Bewildered by “hella” or the meteoric rise of “so”?  What if these features of our speech weren’t a sign of cultural and linguistic degeneration, but rather, some of the most dynamic and revolutionary tools at our disposal?

In Like, Literally, Dude, linguist Valerie Fridland shows how we can re-imagine these forms as exciting new linguistic frontiers rather than our culture’s impending demise. With delightful irreverence and expertise built over two decades of research, Fridland weaves together history, psychology, science, and laugh-out-loud anecdotes to explain why we speak the way we do today, and how that impacts what our kids may be saying tomorrow. She teaches us that language is both function and fashion, and that though we often blame the young, the female, and the uneducated for its downfall, we should actually thank them for their linguistic ingenuity.

By exploring the dark corners every English teacher has taught us to avoid, Like, Literally, Dude redeems our most pilloried linguistic quirks, arguing that they are fundamental to our social, professional, and romantic success—perhaps even more so than our clothing or our resumes. It explains how filled pauses benefit both speakers and listeners; how the use of “dude” can help people bond across social divides; why we’re always trying to make our intensifiers ever more intense; as well as many other language tics, habits, and developments.

Language change is natural, built into the language system itself, and we wouldn’t be who we are without it. Like, Literally, Dude celebrates the dynamic, ongoing, and empowering evolution of language, and it will speak to anyone who talks, or listens, inspiring them to communicate dynamically and effectively in their daily lives.

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Resources

Learn More About The Mentor Project: https://mentorproject.org

Like, Literally, Dude: Arguing for the Good in Bad English (Book): https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/671558/like-literally-dude-by-valerie-fridland/

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Watch the webcast version on-demand on YouTube:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnYu0psdcllQSyw1kVnIvnQh_DzpPSPDm

For more podcast stories from The Mentor Project: 
https://www.itspmagazine.com/the-mentor-project-podcast

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