Episode 101: Parabola/Parable
Words for Granted - An etymology and linguistics podcast
Release Date: 09/19/2021
The Art of Inventing Languages: Interview with George Corley
Words for Granted - An etymology and linguistics podcast
How does someone "invent" a language? And why invent a language in the first place? In this episode, Ray chats with George Corley (Conlangery) about the world of constructed languages, or conlangs. From Esperanto to Tolkien’s Elvish and Klingon and beyond, they explore the history of language invention, what distinguishes a fully fledged language from a simple code, and how conlangers build grammatical systems that evolve like natural languages. George also lays the foundation for what it takes to get started on creating one's own language from scratch. 00:00 - What Is a Conlang?...
info_outline
How Do New Words Get Added to the Dictionary? | Interview with Fiona McPherson
Words for Granted - An etymology and linguistics podcast
In this episode, Ray and OED editor Fiona McPherson examine the tension between linguistic change and lexicographical authority. Rather than treating the dictionary as a static canon, they explore how expanding archives, quarterly updates, and human editorial judgment continuously reshape our understanding of a word's "first use." The conversation also unpacks the illusion of linguistic novelty, showing how seemingly modern terms often carry deeper histories built on classic patterns of English morphology. Also - did Henry Thoreau invent "brain rot"? (Spoiler: yes he did.)
info_outline
A 5,000 Year History of Punctuation: Interview with Florence Hazrat
Words for Granted - An etymology and linguistics podcast
Today, we live in a world where text is, by default, punctuated. But the ubiquity of punctuation is a surprisingly recent development. Florence Hazrat traces its evolution from early writing systems, where individual words weren’t even separated by spaces, to the Renaissance, when most of the punctuation marks in our modern repertoire emerged. The conversation explores punctuation’s roles in religion, education, printing, and literature, from ancient Alexandria and medieval manuscripts to Emily Dickinson and modern texting. To buy Florence's excellent book On the Mark, click . To...
info_outline
The Oxford Comma Debate: Interview with Jay Stookesbery
Words for Granted - An etymology and linguistics podcast
In this episode, Ray and Jay discuss the question first raised by the 2000s indie rock band, Vampire Weekend: Who gives a f*** about an Oxford comma ? Their conversation covers the history, usage, and widespread cultural obsession surrounding the most controversial of all commas . Jay debunks many myths surrounding the Oxford comma's alleged usefulness while acknowledging many of the reasons why "Oxfordnistas" advocate for it . Ultimately, the discussion highlights how stylistic choices in writing are largely driven by personal preference rather than strict grammatical rules. You can buy...
info_outline
The Simplified Spelling Movement: Interview with Gabe Henry
Words for Granted - An etymology and linguistics podcast
We all know English spelling is inconsistent, but some people have actually tried to change it. In this episode, Gabe Henry, author of Enough is Enuf, explores the historical crusade to make English spelling more "rational." The conversation highlights the reform efforts of figures like Noah Webster and Ben Franklin, alongside eccentric movements like the 19th-century "Phunny Phellows" and the Mormon Deseret Alphabet. Ultimately, they dive into why these phonetic revolutions fail and how our spelling shapes our cultural identity. To buy Gabe's book, click . To support this podcast, click...
info_outline
The Proto-Indo-European Puzzle: Interview with Laura Spinney
Words for Granted - An etymology and linguistics podcast
In this episode, Ray chats with author Laura Spinney about Proto-Indo-European, the ancestral language of hundreds of modern languages spoken by billions today ranging from Western Europe to India. They explore how linguists reconstruct this unwritten language through comparative methods, what its vocabulary reveals about ancient society, and why its story remains relatively unknown despite its global importance. The conversation highlights the interdisciplinary nature of Indo-European studies—drawing on linguistics, archaeology, and especially recent breakthroughs in ancient DNA—which...
info_outline
The Science and History of English Accents: Interview with Valerie Fridland
Words for Granted - An etymology and linguistics podcast
In this episode, Ray talks with linguist Valerie Friedland about accents—what they are, where they come from, and why everyone has one. They explore how accents begin in early childhood, how regional speech patterns change over time, and why certain pronunciations carry such strong social meaning. From accent bias to the myth of “accentless” speech, the conversation reveals how deeply language shapes identity and perception. Use this link to buy Valerie's new book, Why We Talk Funny:
info_outline
The History of the Alphabet: Interview with Danny Bate
Words for Granted - An etymology and linguistics podcast
In this episode, author Danny Bate walks through the alphabet’s evolution from its origins in Egyptian hieroglyphs to the letters of the English alphabet familiar to us today. He explains why English spelling became so irregular, while also arguing that non-phonetic spelling can preserve meaning and help unify diverse English dialects. The conversation also highlights memorable letter histories, including an answer to the question: Why does Q need U? To learn more about Danny and order his new book, use this link: https://dannybate.com/
info_outline
Lessons on Language with the Grammar Girl (Mignon Fogerty)
Words for Granted - An etymology and linguistics podcast
In this episode, Ray chats with Mignon Fogerty, aka the Grammar Girl. "Good grammar" may seem like the epitome of prescriptivism, but when it comes to her "Quick and Dirty Tips", Mignon leans on a more ideologically neutral approach. Might you even call "good grammar" ... a style choice?
info_outline
The Marvels of Translation: Interview with Keith Khan-Harris
Words for Granted - An etymology and linguistics podcast
What can we learn about the nature of translation by reading a warning message in hundreds of different languages? In this episode, Keith Kahn-Harris discusses his latest book, The Babel Message, in which the mundane, multilingual warning message found inside Kinder Surprise Eggs ignites profound observations about the nature of language and the written word. To buy The Babel Message, click .
info_outlineThe meanings of "parabola" and "parable" have very little to do with one another, yet these words are etymological doublets of a single Greek work, parabole, which meant "a throwing aside". In this episode, we explore how this literal meaning connects to the literary and mathematical developments of this Greek word.
This month's bonus episode explores the syntax of predicate adjectives. Become a member on Patreon.com for to every WFG bonus episode.