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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.
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Double possessives. Words that do double duty. The monkeys aren't working.
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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…
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New words: 'beer muscles' & 'waka jumpers,' with Fiona McPherson.
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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…
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How pronouns reveal our psychology. How'd we get our alphabet? Tabagogox.
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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…
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‘Spark words’ and the hidden history of ‘panic’ and ‘Ritalin,’ with Martha Barnette
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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…
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'Heat wave' vs. 'cold snap.' Why reading stories makes you smarter. Rogering.
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1103. Why do we talk about "heat waves" but "cold snaps"? This week, we look at the history behind these common weather phrases and other quirky idioms like "raining cats and dogs" and "under the weather." Then, we look at what kind of reading is best for improving your language skills, including research on the benefits of fiction versus nonfictio…
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Why plain English matters in science (and everywhere else), with Anne Greene
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1102. This week, Anne Greene joins us to talk about the importance of writing in plain English, especially in scientific fields. We look at why short words are easier for our eyes to read and how a well-structured story with characters and action verbs can improve understanding. We also discuss how the historical origins of English words influence …
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'Y' plurals. Bill Labov's linguistic legacy. Choo-choo
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1101. Do you know when to change a "y" to an "ies" for a plural, and when to just add an "s"? Today, we look at the rules. Then, we look at linguist Bill Labov's famous department store study, which shows how social class relates to speech patterns. The 'y' segment was written by Samantha Enslen, who runs Dragonfly Editorial. You can find her at dr…
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How 'algospeak' is changing language, with Adam Aleksic
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1100. This week, we talk with popular online linguist Adam Aleksic, also known as Etymology Nerd. We discuss "algospeak" and how social media algorithms are changing language. We discuss euphemisms like "unalive," the spread of trending words, and how content creators adapt their speech to go viral. Adam Aleksic - The Etymology Nerd Adam's book - "…
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Pop, soda, or coke? When Q stands alone. Pizza bones.
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1099. Do you call it "pop," "soda," or "coke"? We look at the interesting history behind these regional names for carbonated beverages. Then, we look at words where you can use a Q without a U, which might help your Scrabble game. The pop, soda or coke segment was written by Valerie Fridland, a professor of linguistics at the University of Nevada i…
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