Episode 108: Understand
Words for Granted - An etymology and linguistics podcast
Release Date: 07/05/2022
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...
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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:
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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/
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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?
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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 .
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The Power (and Omnipresence) of Rhetoric: Interview with Guy Doza
Words for Granted - An etymology and linguistics podcast
Rhetoric has a bad reputation. We tend to think of it as a linguistic tool used by polticians and marketing execs to maipulate the masses. While this stereotype is true, rhetoric is more than just snake oil––we use it in apologies, negotions, and love letters, all without even realizing it. In this episode, speech writer and author Guy Doza takes through a wide range of rhetorical techniques and the psychology behind their effectiveness. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. For 10% off your first month, click . , How to Apologize for Killing a Cat.
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A Defense of "Bad" English: Interview with Valerie Fridland
Words for Granted - An etymology and linguistics podcast
Instead of criticizing deviations from Standard English as "wrong," what if we celebrated them as expressive lingusitic innovations? In this conversation with Valerie, we take a look at some of the quirky features of English that our language teachers taught us to avoid, and in true Words for Granted fashion, we attempt to understand how and why they emerged. To buy Valerie's new book, "Like Literally, Dude," click .
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Learning New Languages: Interview with Rob Paterson
Words for Granted - An etymology and linguistics podcast
What goes into building a language learning curriculum? How do designers choose features within a language learing app? Are some approaches to language learning better than others, or is it up to the indiviudal? In this episode, I explore these questions and more with Rob Paterson, Content Production Manager at Memrise. To get 50% off an annual plan with Memrise, go to:
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Combatting Bias in Linguistic AI: Interview with Courtney Napoles
Words for Granted - An etymology and linguistics podcast
As Lead of Language Research at Grammarly, Courtney Napoles is building systems to better help people from around the world communicate. In this episode, we discuss things such as the fundamentals of linguistic machine learning and how AI learns linguistic biases––not to mention how those biases are undone. To get 50% off an annual plan with Memrise, go to:
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Origins of Place Names: Interview with Duncan Madden
Words for Granted - An etymology and linguistics podcast
Place names are not random––behind the name of every country is a story of how it came to be. From stories of invasion and rebellion to the fantastical and mundane, author Duncan Madden takes us on a journey across the world in his latest book, Found in Translation: The Unexpected Origins of Place Names. To order or pre-order the book, go to https://www.duncanmadden.com/.
info_outlineWhat does "standing under" have to do with "understanding?" Nothing at all, which is why most of us probably overlook the obvious fact that "understand" is actually a compound word comprising "under" and "stand." In our exploration of this confusing etymology, we look at some archaic meanings of the preposition "under" in addition to words with similar semantic constructions in other languages.
Today's episode is sponsored by Lingoda. To get 25% off your enrollment in the Lingoda Sprint Challenge, go to https://try.lingoda.com/Ray and use promo code WORDSFORGRANTED at check out.