Lexicon Valley
Lexicon Valley
A podcast about language, with hosts Mike Vuolo, Bob Garfield and John McWhorter.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Apr 27, 2021 • 39min
Nine Nasty Words
English in the gutter: then, now and forever.
Visit Lexicon Valley. A Booksmart Studios production. Episode 212: "Nine Nasty Words." With John McWhorter. Produced and edited by Mike Vuolo. All rights reserved. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apr 13, 2021 • 43min
The Invisible Complexities of Translation
Examining the nuances of translation through the single word "self."
Visit Lexicon Valley. A Booksmart Studios production. Episode 247: "The Invisible Complexities of Translation." With John McWhorter. Produced and edited by Mike Vuolo. All rights reserved. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Mar 30, 2021 • 42min
English Is Plain Weird
There's nothing run-of-the-mill about this language called English.
Visit Lexicon Valley. A Booksmart Studios production. Episode 210: "English Is Plain Weird." With John McWhorter. Produced and edited by Mike Vuolo. All rights reserved. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Mar 16, 2021 • 41min
Subject-Verb-Object, Right?
Our way of putting together sentences is far from universal.
Visit Lexicon Valley. A Booksmart Studios production. Episode 209: "Subject-Verb-Object, Right?" With John McWhorter. Produced and edited by Mike Vuolo. All rights reserved. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Mar 2, 2021 • 42min
Parting Company
How did a word that literally means with bread come to sprout it corporate connotations?
Visit Lexicon Valley. A Booksmart Studios production. Episode 208: "Parting Company." With John McWhorter. Produced and edited by Mike Vuolo. All rights reserved. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Feb 16, 2021 • 44min
Wallowing in Negativity
When a simple no will not suffice.
Visit Lexicon Valley. A Booksmart Studios production. Episode 207: "Wallowing in Negativity." With John McWhorter. Produced and edited by Mike Vuolo. All rights reserved. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Feb 2, 2021 • 44min
Fossil Hunting in English
Knowing where to dig is the key to uncovering our linguistic past.
Visit Lexicon Valley. A Booksmart Studios production. Episode 206: "Fossil Hunting in English." With John McWhorter. Produced and edited by Mike Vuolo. All rights reserved. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 19, 2021 • 54min
Why Do Languages Have Gender?
Why do so many languages divvy up nouns into seemingly arbitrary categories?
Visit Lexicon Valley. A Booksmart Studios production. Episode 205: "Why Do Languages Have Gender?" With John McWhorter. Produced and edited by Mike Vuolo. All rights reserved. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 5, 2021 • 58min
Forgetting Your Roots
When the apple falls far from the tree.
Visit Lexicon Valley. A Booksmart Studios production. Episode 204: "Forgetting Your Roots." With John McWhorter. Produced and edited by Mike Vuolo. All rights reserved. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Dec 22, 2020 • 1h 6min
Future English Speaker, Can You Read Me?
At what point will the language we speak now be incomprehensible to our progeny?
Visit Lexicon Valley. A Booksmart Studios production. Episode 203: "Future English Speaker, Can You Read Me?" With John McWhorter. Produced and edited by Mike Vuolo. All rights reserved. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
