PODCAST

Because Language - a podcast about linguistics, the science of language.

Daniel Midgley, Ben Ainslie, and Hedvig Skirgård

A podcast about linguistics, the science of language.

science social sciences

All Episodes

01:47:33

29: Cultish (with Amanda Montell and Jared Holt)

Because Language - a podcast about linguistics, the... ·

2021/06/08

Blog post with show notes: http://becauselanguage.com/29-cultish/ Support the show on Patreon: http://patreon.com/join/becauselangpod/ Language helps us build and maintain social relationships. Cults — however we define them — exploit this function and subvert it for their own ends. Amanda Montell is the author of the new book Cultish, and she joins us for this show. And researcher Jared Holt explains why QAnon conspiracy catch phrases seem to be dropping off in popularity from the mainstream

01:33:58

28: The Cutting Edge (with Emma Schimke, Georgia...

Because Language - a podcast about linguistics, the... ·

2021/05/26

Show notes: http://becauselanguage.com/28-the-cutting-edge/ Become a patron and support the show: http://patreon.com/join/becauselangpod/ We're taking over Pint of Science (or are they taking over us?) for this episode! Three researchers are presenting their work in language, and they'll also tell us what they're learning about public science communication.

01:29:22

27: It’s All Semantics (live at LingFest 2021)

Because Language - a podcast about linguistics, the... ·

2021/05/18

Blog post with show notes and video episode: http://becauselanguage.com/27-its-all-semantics/ Become a patron yourself: http://patreon.com/join/becauselangpod/ Are fish wet? What is bi-weekly? And which Monday is next Monday? We’re solving some of the thorniest problems in semantics by voting, because that’s how language works! 👍 Our great Patreon patrons join us for this episode, along with Christy Filipich on Auslan interpretation. Part of #LingFest.

01:33:11

26: Hyphen (with Pardis Mahdavi)

Because Language - a podcast about linguistics, the... ·

2021/04/28

It joins, it divides. It’s disappearing in some places, but it’s stronger than ever in others. For this episode, we’re talking to Professor Pardis Mahdavi, author of Hyphen, an exploration of identity and self as it concerns this confounding little mark.

01:43:08

25: Transcription (with Maya Klein)

Because Language - a podcast about linguistics, the... ·

2021/04/15

Who listens to the show more closely than anyone (except possibly Daniel)? It's Maya Klein, who transcribes every word we say in excruciating detail. What goes into the process of transcription, and is a word-for-word approach really the best? And what quirks and habits do we have on the show? Maya roasts us on this episode of Because Language.

01:46:37

24: Higher Ed Discrimination (with Gail Clements,...

Because Language - a podcast about linguistics, the... ·

2021/03/31

For many students, university opens up new frontiers of learning — and new ways to be marginalised for their language use. A new book explores the problem of linguistic discrimination in higher education, and how to work toward fixing it. Also: Danish presents an unusual challenge for those who try to learn it — even babies. Why is Danish like this, and what does it tell us about language?

01:24:04

23: Mailbag of YouChoob (with the Layman's Linguist)

Because Language - a podcast about linguistics, the... ·

2021/03/24

We're tackling these Mailbag questions with the help of our special guest and star of TikTok, the Layman's Linguist! Where do they say CHUBE instead of TUBE? When did contractions come into English, and why don't characters in period dramas use them? Did Hebrew displace Yiddish when it was revitalised? Do bilingual children have delays in syntax? When did the word APOLOGY move from a defence to an expression of contrition? Did linguistics affect your religious faith?

01:39:35

22: Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction (with...

Because Language - a podcast about linguistics, the... ·

2021/03/17

What’s a corpsicle? How old is the word hyperspace? Who was the first writer to use the term warp drive? These and many other terms can be found in the landmark work The Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction, and with us is the editor, lexicographer Jesse Sheidlower.

01:20:19

21: Journal Club: Newsblast!

Because Language - a podcast about linguistics, the... ·

2021/02/26

There's so much news and research coming out, we can hardly address it all! But we're giving it a try on this episode of Little Words Newsblast Journal Club. Uzbek is romanising Honesty / certainty has a prosodic profile People with "gay-sounding" voices anticipate rejection and discrimination Language patterns emerge in protactile communities Gesture shows patterns

01:28:16

20: Madam VP (with Nicole Holliday and Caroline Kilov)

Because Language - a podcast about linguistics, the... ·

2021/02/09

Kamala Harris is the first woman — and woman of colour — to be Vice President of the United States. In the campaign, she had to pull off a tricky task: stay true to her voice and multiple aspects of her identity by employing features of African-American English that would resonate with Black voters, but that wouldn’t alienate white voters. How did she do it? Dr Nicole Holliday joins Ben, Hedvig, and Daniel on this episode of Because Language.

01:33:42

19: Mailbag, Schmailbag

Because Language - a podcast about linguistics, the... ·

2021/02/06

More great questions from our Mailbag! How did we get from SUSS (suspect) to SUSS OUT (find out)? Is the J in JORTS part of a portmanteau, or a real live prefix? Why do PEEP, PEEK, and PEER resemble each other? Which acronym etymologies aren't bunk? Why do we add a SCHM- to words to signify derision? Are Mormon missionaries supernaturally good at learning languages?

01:28:45

18: Swearin' Time (with Kory Stamper)

Because Language - a podcast about linguistics, the... ·

2021/01/19

There's a new show on Netflix, and it's The History of Swearing, featuring Nicolas Cage. Backing him up is a team of researchers, comedians — and one of our favourite lexicographers, Kory Stamper. Kory tells us all about the show on this episode of Because Language.

01:49:24

17: Words of the Week of the Year 2020

Because Language - a podcast about linguistics, the... ·

2020/12/22

On this momentous episode, we look back on all the words that made our year. Like, all of them. Including some from other languages. Many words were discussed in the context of the annual vote of the American Dialect Society, but the greatest were voted on by you, the listeners. Ready? Let’s talk words!

01:14:14

16: Mailbag of Spedrun

Because Language - a podcast about linguistics, the... ·

2020/12/08

Our Mailbag is at capacity! Time to get to these questions. We have pronouns and proverbs. So why don’t we have proadjectives and proadverbs? Is it on accident, or by accident? What’s the past tense of speedrun? When has a loanword become just another word? Why do we say we’re going ham? Why do people pronounce dynasty differently? When we talk about accents, why is so much of the discussion about vowels?

01:12:59

15: Xenolanguage (with Kathryn Hymes)

Because Language - a podcast about linguistics, the... ·

2020/11/30

If you love language, and you also love role-playing games with a sci-fi flair, then you're going to want to check out the new game Xenolanguage. It allows players to make first contact and decipher alien messages while working through their tangled personal relationships. Kathryn Hymes of Thorny Games joins us for this episode.

01:14:11

14: Word Jail (with Ian Cushing)

Because Language - a podcast about linguistics, the... ·

2020/11/10

Schools are banning words and policing language. It may be a well-meaning attempt to encourage good language habits, but it also perpetuates troubling language ideologies that may be harming the very students that schools are committed to educate. Linguist Ian Cushing tells us about his findings.

01:25:48

13: White Supremacy (with Kelly Wright)

Because Language - a podcast about linguistics, the... ·

2020/10/29

The definition of white supremacy: is it expanding, or are we just getting better at recognising it and its reach? How does white supremacy show itself in language and in linguistics? Kelly Wright talks about her work in sociolinguistics, and how we all can do better.

01:10:45

12: Mailbag: Will Ben Get It Right?

Because Language - a podcast about linguistics, the... ·

2020/10/20

The questions keep coming! Let’s answer them. Why is “Live Laugh Love” in that order? Why do we talk about “getting out the vote”? Why is the L sound creeping into some words? What can computer languages tell us about human languages? Is there a word for turning a label into an insult, like Dumbocrats or Repuglicans?

01:05:38

11: Aboriginal English: Yarning (with Glenys Collard...

Because Language - a podcast about linguistics, the... ·

2020/10/09

Aboriginal English has been around a long while, but linguists have not taken the opportunity to really listen to the voices of Aboriginal people. Two researchers are changing that. They're gathering stories to find out what Aboriginal English is like, and how it's changing. Daniel sits down with them for a wicked long yarn on this episode of Because Language.

01:12:32

10: What's with Wugs?

Because Language - a podcast about linguistics, the... ·

2020/09/28

These cute critters, once part of a pioneering study in child language acquisition, have become an unofficial mascot of linguistics. But now they’re part of a tussle over intellectual property. We do our best to talk through the Wug test and the surrounding struggle.

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Because Language - a podcast about linguistics, the science of language.

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