988. Peter Sokolowski, an editor at Merriam-Webster, goes through the fascinating history of the Armed Services Editions, a series of... more

987. This week, we look at why people sometimes double their subjects, writing sentences such as "John, he bought a... more

986. Erin Brenner, author of "The Chicago Guide for Freelance Editors," shares time-saving tips including the best practices for using... more

985. This week, we look at the world of whimsical words, including the origins and meanings of terms like "dinkus,"... more

984. This week, we talk about the subtle differences between words such as "stock" and "broth," "street" and "boulevard," "maze"... more

983. This week, we explore "skunked" words — terms going through hotly disputed meaning changes. We look at the debate... more

982. Delve into the fascinating world of Old English with medievalist Hana Videen, author of "The Deorhord." We'll uncover... more

981. Major style guides now have advice on when and how you should cite AI chatbots such as ChatGPT, Claude,... more

980. This week, I talk with with Anne Curzan about the fascinating world of language evolution, her new book, "Says... more

979. Explore the fascinating origins of punctuation and how it evolved to shape written language. Plus, learn techniques to untangle... more

978. Join Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and bestselling author, Charles Duhigg, as we talk about mastering the art of communication and... more

977. This week, we cover the latest AP Stylebook updates that were just revealed at the ACES conference. From the... more

976. This week, we dive into the "cativerse" and explore the vocabulary, grammar, and spelling habits of our furry friends.... more

975. This week, I learned all about audiobook narration from David H. Lawrence XVII, who is launching a new program... more

974. How does aging affect our ability to understand language? From the challenges of processing complex sentences to the resilience... more

973. "Oppenheimer" leads us to wonder about the "nucular" pronunciation of "nuclear." And why do people have that second capital... more

972. How did humans evolve from grunting ancestors to masters of language and poetry? This week, we explore fascinating theories... more

971. Linguists have traced modern languages like English and Sanskrit back thousands of years to a single Proto-Indo-European source. This... more

970. We answer a listener question about the difference between "addictive" and "addicting," and then we look at how to... more

969. From "wolkenkratzer" in German to "flea market" in English, direct translations called calques show how languages borrow from each... more

968. We explain why Taylor Swift's album title doesn't need an apostrophe and how the preposition "in" signals passion.

967. Should you say "a honor" or "an honor"? It's trickier than you think! We explore why articles depend on... more

966. We explore the rise and fall of the letter H: Debates over its name ("haitch" or "aitch"?) and why... more

965. It's a listener question extravaganza! I answer your questions about "canceled," "another think/thing coming," zero plurals such as "fish,"... more

964. From Nietzsche's writing ball to word processors and beyond, we look at how technology can change the way people... more

963. Strunk and White said to omit needless words, but sometimes "redundant" words can serve a meaningful purpose. Plus, we... more

962. We explore why phrases like "time flies" and "fast approaching" reveal deeper perspectives on time — is it us... more

961. Prompting, hallucinating, and more! Jess Zafarris, author of "Words from Hell," joins me for a word-of-the-year chat. Hang out... more

960. Some English letters are seen but not heard. In fact, more than half the letters in our alphabet are... more

959. Learn why human language goes beyond basic communication to allow spontaneous creativity, expression of identity, and leadership in linguistic... more

958. We trace the history, usage, and meaning behind identifiers such as "Hispanic," "Chicano," "Latino," "Latina," "Latinx," and "Latine." Plus,... more

957. We trace the linguistic history behind "house" and "mansion" to uncover how these two humble words for dwellings grew... more

956. How did terms like "stereotype," "boilerplate," and "typecast" make the leap from specialist printing vocabulary to widespread figurative language?... more

955. This week, we're looking at the history behind "Black Friday" and other black idioms, plus what happens when the... more

954. "Irregardless" isn’t going away anytime soon. Take a deep breath while we dig into this hated word’s history. And... more

953. In honor of Veterans Day, Ben Yagoda tells us tales of military words that marched from the British lexicon... more

952. What is the boundary between idioms, slang, and clichés—and should we give "adulting" a break? We also trace the... more

951. What's the difference between terror and horror? Why was the word for "bear" so scary that it is lost... more

950. Nowthen, a town with an odd little name, helps us understand the word "namesake," and then I have some... more

949. Topic sentences aren't just for students! We have real-life, grown-up examples to help you write better business proposals, blog... more