Lexicon Valley
Lexicon Valley
A podcast about language, with hosts Mike Vuolo, Bob Garfield and John McWhorter.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Sep 22, 2021 • 32min
The Pandemic's Effect on Language
Turns out that some languages are less intelligible through a mask than others, and, believe it or not, it all depends on how often you use certain consonants. It’s called the McGurk effect and it’s the closest that linguistics comes to actual magic.
Visit Lexicon Valley. A Booksmart Studios production. Episode 222: "The Pandemic's Effect on Language." With John McWhorter. Produced and edited by Mike Vuolo. All rights reserved. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sep 7, 2021 • 36min
What Do They Speak in Afghanistan?
Dari and Pashto are the two major official languages of Afghanistan. One, says John McWhorter, is “disarmingly approachable” while the other is “deliciously intimidating.”
Visit Lexicon Valley. A Booksmart Studios production. Episode 221: "What Do They Speak in Afghanistan?" With John McWhorter. Produced and edited by Mike Vuolo. All rights reserved. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Aug 24, 2021 • 30min
The Morphing of Critical Race Theory
What did CRT originally mean, and what does it mean now? What are children actually being taught? And why do some terms tend to become so thorny over time?
Visit Lexicon Valley. A Booksmart Studios production. Episode 220: "The Morphing of Critical Race Theory." With John McWhorter. Produced and edited by Mike Vuolo. All rights reserved. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Aug 10, 2021 • 35min
Mare of Easttown and the Philly Accent
In the 7-part crime drama, Mare of Easttown, Kate Winslet plays a flannel-clad cop with a thirst for Rolling Rock, an appetite for hoagies and a tendency to pronounce water more like wooder. John McWhorter discusses his hometown’s enigmatic accent and Winslet’s courageous attempt at imitating those impossibly difficult vowels.
Visit Lexicon Valley. A Booksmart Studios production. Episode 219: "Mare of Easttown and the Philly Accent." With John McWhorter. Produced and edited by Mike Vuolo. All
rights reserved. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jul 28, 2021 • 41min
English Has a Bee in Its Bonnet
Not all languages lend themselves to spelling competitions. Plus: A special subscriber-only bonus segment — get them all by becoming a paying subscriber to Lexicon Valley.
Visit Lexicon Valley. A Booksmart Studios production. Episode 218: "English Has a Bee in Its Bonnet." With John McWhorter. Produced and edited by Mike Vuolo. All rights reserved. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jul 6, 2021 • 38min
Russian Is My Mt. Everest
How the novel Anna Karenina sparked a quest to learn Tolstoy's native tongue.
Visit Lexicon Valley. A Booksmart Studios production. Episode 217: "Russian Is My Mt. Everest." With John McWhorter. Produced and edited by Mike Vuolo. All rights reserved. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jun 22, 2021 • 43min
Languages of Northern Africa
Berber, Somali and other fascinating languages of the region.
Visit Lexicon Valley. A Booksmart Studios production. Episode 216: "Languages of Northern Africa." With John McWhorter. Produced and edited by Mike Vuolo. All rights reserved. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jun 8, 2021 • 45min
You’re Gonna Hafta
Linguistic inspiration from a television series about the Royal Family.
Visit Lexicon Valley. A Booksmart Studios production. Episode 215: "You’re Gonna Hafta." With John McWhorter. Produced and edited by Mike Vuolo. All rights reserved. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 25, 2021 • 38min
The Languages of Southeast Asia
Are Vietnamese, Thai and others of that region a lot like Mandarin?
Visit Lexicon Valley. A Booksmart Studios production. Episode 214: "The Languages of Southeast Asia." With John McWhorter. Produced and edited by Mike Vuolo. All rights reserved. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 11, 2021 • 39min
Irregardless Make You Cringe?
Some other words that perhaps should bother you but probably don't.
Visit Lexicon Valley. A Booksmart Studios production. Episode 213: "Irregardless Make You Cringe?" With John McWhorter. Produced and edited by Mike Vuolo. All rights reserved. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
