Five-time winner of Best Education Podcast in the Podcast Awards. Grammar Girl provides short, friendly tips to improve your writing and feed... more
1005. You asked, so I have a brief history of English from invading Germanic tribes to the Modern English era.... more
1004. This week, Karen Yin, author of "The Conscious Style Guide," discusses the concept of conscious language and its importance... more
1003. This week, we look at zero — what a weird number! It has two plurals, sometimes you use the... more
1002. This week, Mignon talks with author Martha Brockenbrough about the good and bad sides of using artificial intelligence for... more
1001. This week, we explore the often-overlooked rules for ordering adjectives in English and when to use commas between them.... more
1000. In this special 1000th episode, I take the hot seat to answer your questions. Hear what made the first... more
999. This week, we look at what shaped early American English, from Native American words to Noah Webster's spelling reforms.... more
998. This week, I talked with Samantha and Greg Enslen, who recently purchased their hometown newspaper, the "Tippecanoe Gazette" in... more
997. This week, I help you learn (and remember!) the difference between "which" and "that" with practical tips and examples... more
994. This week, you'll learn about the rich linguistic history of African American English with Dr. Sonja Lanehart, an advisor... more
995. This week, we look at when to use parentheses, dashes, and commas and how the choice can change the... more
994. This week, I sat down with the prolific "Dune" author Kevin J. Anderson and the famed "Dune" narrator Scott... more
993. This week, we cover the strategic use of sign language by the Bene Gesserit in the 'Dune' movies, including... more
992. It's been 100 years since the crossword puzzle took America by storm in 1924. This week, Ben Zimmer tells... more
991. This week, we trace the origin and meaning of the word "dog," from its mysterious beginning to its current... more
990. Have you ever wondered why English doesn't have gender like Spanish and French? Which languages are the hardest to... more
989. What is a word? Does "that's" count as one word or two? In this excerpt from Paul Anthony Jones'... more
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
948. Would you believe "bully" once meant "lover" and "nice" meant "ignorant"? Join me as we explore the surprising twists... more
947. Do you wish you could think on your feet faster? Well, Stanford business professor and communication expert Matt Abrahams... more
946. It's Talk Like a Pirate Day, which brings to mind "Pirates of the Caribbean," but you can actually pronounce... more
945. What was the famous Usage Panel from the American Heritage Dictionary and how did the panel's opinions influence dictionary... more
944. Today, we untangle the often confusing web of writing styles. We'll explore the benefits of loose writing in fiction,... more
943. Join us for a fascinating romp through the evolution of phrases like "you know," "right?" and "I mean" from... more
942. We’re diving deep into the chameleon-like nature of the "a-" prefix, tracing its journey from Latin, where it often... more
941. Whether you've been betrayed by autocorrect or your own fingers, we've all made typos. But we have tricks you... more
940. Pork bacon, manual transmissions, and acoustic guitars: retronyms help us describe the original form of something that has now... more
939. When I say the word "tattoo," you probably think of body art, but "tattoo" has another meaning that's related... more
938. Love it or hate it, the exclamation point has been on the red carpet lately because we're using it... more
In this special bonus episode, I sat down with Laura Adams and Monica Reinagel, who host Money Girl and Nutrition... more
937. Never be confused about when to use "less" and "fewer" again. Plus, have you ever wondered why our thumb... more
936. Have you ever wondered about the nuanced differences between "aspirational" and "inspirational"? Today, we look at a newer, more... more
935. Ever been puzzled by the difference between "slow down" and "slow up"? Curious about how they can possibly mean... more
934. Ever wondered why "whyever" isn't as popular as "wherever," "however," or "whenever"? Join me as we delve into the... more
933. Have you ever looked at a word, and it didn't seem like a real word anymore? It's a specific... more
932. Have you ever thought it would be fun to be a fiction editor? "The Chicago Guide to Copyediting Fiction"... more
931. Darth Vader wasn't the best father (understatement!), but his name is a wonderful jumping off point to discuss the... more
930. How YOU doin? Today we’re going to MacGyver up some fun memories and tips. And then we'll look at... more
929. While we were looking into why we use the word "score" to mean "twenty," our minds were blown by... more
928. Listen to the interview that got me playing Wordle again. Lynne Murphy shared all sorts of things you probably... more
927. Whether you're a bird brain or a wise old owl, you'll love this week's episode as we fight an... more
926. You may remember being told not to start sentences with "there are," but do you know why? We have... more
925. The existence of the manchineel tree does NOT beg the question of how many different ways a tree can... more
924. What if I told you that you actually should use "uh" and "um" when you're giving a talk? And... more
923. America's writing coach, Roy Peter Clark, shares his wisdom about the five things every writer he's ever taught wants... more
922. "A dozen of eggs" sounds weird, but why? Rabbits performing violent acts are a common scene in medieval marginalia.... more
921. Taxes, and the words for them, go back all the way to ancient Egypt. Plus, I have much more... more
920. Once you start thinking about it, it's weird that we have both "a" and "an." It gets even weirder... more
919. Rebracketing is a fascinating process that gives us more words than you might imagine, even words from French and... more
918. Since "drop" can mean both "to release" and "to cancel," it can get confusing. We look at how... more
917. For National Grammar Day, we answer one of the most common questions I get: How can I improve my... more
922. "A dozen of eggs" sounds weird, but why? Rabbits performing violent acts are a common scene in medieval marginalia. But why... more