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PODCAST

Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing

QuickAndDirtyTips.com

Five-time winner of Best Education Podcast in the Podcast Awards. Grammar Girl provides short, friendly tips to improve your writing and feed your love of the English language. Whether English is your first language or your second language, these grammar, punctuation, style, and business tips will make you a better and more successful writer. Grammar Girl is a Quick and Dirty Tips podcast.

education

All Episodes

00:32:52

The fight for the modern dictionary, with Stefan Fatsis

Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing ·

2025/10/09

1123. This week, we talk with author and self-described “word freak” Stefan Fatsis about his book "Unabridged." He shares his experience embedding at Merriam-Webster to become a lexicographer, sharing the contrast between the company's 1940s headquarters and the modern digital business. We look at the tension between updating old words (like the surprising original meaning of "pompom girl") and the need to add new, "sexy" words to generate web traffic.Find Stefan Fatsis on his website, Bluesky or

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00:13:22

‘Math’ versus ‘maths’ and other British differences....

Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing ·

2025/10/07

1122. This week, we look at two subtle but persistent differences between American and British English: why Americans say "math" and Brits say "maths," and why Americans are "in the hospital" while Brits are "in hospital." Then, we look at the historical meaning of the word "spendthrift" and introduce some wonderfully obsolete insults like "dingthrift" and "scrapethrift."The "maths" segment was written by Samantha Enslen, who runs Dragonfly Editorial. You can find her at dragonflyeditorial.com.The

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00:33:23

Why ‘Useless Etymology’ gives you super powers, with...

Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing ·

2025/10/02

1121. This week, we talk with Jess Zafarris about her book “Useless Etymology.” We look at three ways she says etymology gives you superpowers. We also look at the origins of simple words and learn why “girl” didn't always mean a female child, the unexpected historical figures behind “fedora” and “sideburns,” and why the word “outrage” has nothing to do with “rage.”Find Jess Zafarris online: Useless Etymology, TikTok, Twitter, Instagram🔗 Share your familect recording in a WhatsApp chat.🔗 Watch

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00:16:34

Can you use ‘epicenter’ for positive things? The...

Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing ·

2025/09/30

1120. This week, we look at tricky uses of the word "epicenter" and how people feel about using it metaphorically. We also look at where the word “brother” came from and how it branched into “bro,” “boy,” and even “buddy.”The "brother" segment was written by Valerie Fridland, a professor of linguistics at the University of Nevada in Reno and the author of "Like Literally, Dude: Arguing for the Good in Bad English." You can find her at valeriefridland.com.🔗 Share your familect recording in

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00:24:40

Adapting a classic: from words to watercolors, with...

Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing ·

2025/09/25

1119. This week, we talk with illustrator and cartoonist K. Woodman-Maynard about her new graphic novel adaptation of "Tuck Everlasting." We look at the creative process of adapting a beloved book, including how she uses visual storytelling to convey emotion and meaning with watercolor and panel design. We also look at her approach to condensing the original novel into a visual medium.K. Woodman Maynard on TikTokK. Woodman Maynard on InstagramK. Woodman Maynard on Substack🔗 Share your familect

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00:14:48

Dime idioms. ‘HoCo’ and syllable acronyms. Pulling a...

Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing ·

2025/09/23

1118. This week, we look at the origins of idioms related to the word "dime," like "turn on a dime" and "get off the dime." We also look at a special kind of acronym that uses syllables, and how words like "Nabisco," "SoHo," and "HoCo" were formed.The "dime" segment was written by Karen Lunde, a career writer and editor. These days, she designs websites for solo business owners who care about both words and visuals. Find her at chanterellemarketingstudio.com.The "Hoco" segment was written by Neal

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00:14:04

How algorithms are changing the meaning of words,...

Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing ·

2025/09/18

1117. This week, we talk with Adam Aleksic, also known as the Etymology Nerd, about the ways algorithms are changing the meaning of words. We look at how words like "preppy" have evolved and how social media is accelerating language change. We also look at how different cultures "shout" online without using capital letters, the linguistic connection between chairs and power, and other topics from his super popular videos.Adam Aleksic - The Etymology NerdAdam's book - "Algospeak"🔗 Share your

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00:14:50

The pirate history of ‘scallywag.’ ‘Used to’ versus...

Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing ·

2025/09/16

1116. This week, we clarify the origins of the word "Schnauzer" and why it may mean "snout," "growler," or "mustache." Then, in honor of Talk Like a Pirate Day, we look at the true origins of the word "scallywag," which, believe it or not, isn't from pirates but may be related to Shetland ponies. Then, we look at why we use both "used to" and "use to" and how they differ in questions and negatives.The "used to" segment was written by Natalie Schilling, a professor emerita of linguistics at

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00:25:19

From clay tablets to the Gutenberg press, with Keith...

Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing ·

2025/09/11

1115. This week, we talk with Keith Houston about his book, "The Book." We look at how writing technology evolved from clay tablets and bamboo slips to papyrus and paper. He shares some surprising facts, including why books are rectangles, how museums try to deacidify books, and how printing was once political.Keith Houston - Shadycharacters.co.ukKeith's book - "Face with Tears of Joy"🔗 Share your familect recording in a WhatsApp chat.🔗 Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing courses.🔗 Subscribe to

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00:19:13

Why we have indents. More on Formica. Running on Edgar.

Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing ·

2025/09/09

1114. This week, we look at the history and purpose of indents, from medieval manuscripts to modern word processors, and the difference between a first-line indent and a hanging indent. Then, we look at the fascinating, multi-layered story behind the word "Formica," and its connection to both a plastic substitute for mica and the Latin word for "ant."The indent segment was written by Jim Norrena, MFA, who has been writing, editing, and leading grammar and proofreading workshops for more than

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00:22:58

The surprising ways we gesture about time and space,...

Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing ·

2025/09/04

1113. This week, we talk with linguist Lauren Gawne about her book "Gesture: A Slim Guide." We look at how different cultures gesture about abstract concepts like time and space, and how we unknowingly gesture from our left-to-right writing system. We also look at why pointing is often rude, how different cultures point in different ways, and whether animals gesture on their own.This episode was originally a bonus episode released in June for people who support the show, the Grammarpaloozians. If

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00:15:42

Vonnegut’s semicolon rule. What age has to do with...

Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing ·

2025/09/02

1112. This week, we look at why you can safely ignore Kurt Vonnegut’s famous advice about ignoring semicolons. We also look at why taking punctuation advice from fiction writers may not be a good idea for business writing. Then, we look at how major life events, not age, change how you speak as you get older. The age segment was by Valerie Fridland, a professor of linguistics at the University of Nevada in Reno and the author of "Like Literally, Dude: Arguing for the Good in Bad English." You can

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00:18:31

Why we say 'near miss.' How dogs got their names. ...

Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing ·

2025/08/26

1111. This week, we look at the phrase "near miss" and why this seemingly illogical term actually makes sense. Then, in honor of National Dog Day, we look at how 16 different dog breeds got their names, including why a dachshund is a "badger dog," a poodle is a "puddle dog," and a mastiff is a "tame dog."The "near miss" segment was by Natalie Schilling, a professor emerita of linguistics at Georgetown University in Washington, DC, and who runs a forensic linguistics consulting firm. You can find her

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00:18:29

How to build a successful writers’ newsletter, with...

Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing ·

2025/08/21

1110. This week, we talk with Jane Friedman, an expert on the business of being a writer. We look at how to build a strong email newsletter and why it's a critical tool for authors in today's publishing world. Jane shares her best tips for getting started, what to write about, and how to get new subscribers — offering advice that can help any writer create a platform that lasts.This episode was originally a bonus episode released in May for people who support the show, the Grammarpaloozians. If

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00:13:14

What is 'versing'? ‘Whatchamacallit' and other...

Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing ·

2025/08/19

1109. This week, we look at why kids and video gamers talk about "versing" someone. Then, we look at the linguistics of placeholder words like "whatchamacallit" and "thingamajig," including some fun international examples and the now-obsolete word "whiblin."The "thingamajig" segment was by Ursula Kania, a Senior Lecturer in English Language and Linguistics at the University of Liverpool. It originally appeared on The Conversation and appears here through a Creative Commons license.🔗 Share your

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00:19:38

AI's impact on translators, untranslatable Dutch...

Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing ·

2025/08/14

1108. This week, we talk to Heddwen Newton about some of the unique and untranslatable words she's discovered while translating. She shares her thoughts on why the translation profession is being hit hard by AI and the kind of work that is likely to be lost. We also hear her book recommendations, including a novel and a nonfiction book about the history of the Oxford English Dictionary.This episode was originally a bonus episode released in March for people who support the show, the

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00:14:53

Double possessives. Words that do double duty. The...

Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing ·

2025/08/12

1107. This week, we look at double possessives, such as "a friend of Mignon's" and whether they are grammatically correct. Then, we look at words that do double duty, from the nautical origins of "scuttlebutt" to "beetle" — which can be both an insect and a tool.The double possessives segment was written by Susan Herman, a retired multidisciplined language analyst, analytic editor, and instructor for the federal government.The words doing double duty segment was written by Karen Lunde. Karen's a

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00:16:34

New words: 'beer muscles' & 'waka jumpers,' with...

Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing ·

2025/08/07

1106. We talk with Fiona McPherson, a senior editor at the Oxford English Dictionary, about the playful words that get added to the OED. We look at the dictionary's ongoing work to expand its coverage of World Englishes, and Fiona shares some of her favorite recent additions, including "waka jumper" from New Zealand politics and "Rolex," a term for a Ugandan street food.🔗 Share your familect recording in a WhatsApp chat.🔗 Watch my LinkedIn Learning writing courses.🔗 Subscribe to

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00:14:46

How pronouns reveal our psychology. How'd we get our...

Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing ·

2025/08/05

1105. This week, we look at how the pronouns you use can reveal your psychological state — for example, how using "I" versus "we" can signal how you are coping with a breakup or a tragic event. Then, we look at where our alphabet started, from ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs to the Phoenicians and Romans.The psychology of pronouns segment was written by Valerie Fridland, a professor of linguistics at the University of Nevada in Reno and the author of "Like Literally, Dude: Arguing for the Good in Bad

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00:32:23

‘Spark words’ and the hidden history of ‘panic’ and...

Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing ·

2025/07/31

1104. This week with Martha Barnette, co-host of "A Way with Words" and author of "Friends with Words: Adventures in Languageland," we look at the concept of a "spark word" — the word that ignites a love of language. We also look at fascinating etymologies from ancient Greek, including the surprising connections between "Nike" and "fennel," and the origins of "panic" and "Ritalin."Martha Barnette's websiteMartha's book, “Friends with Words: Adventures in Languageland”Martha's podcast, "A Way with

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