Linguistics - General Archives - The Library of Podcasts

Four Words for Friend: Why Using More Than One Language Matters Now More Than Ever

In a world that has English as its global language and rapidly advancing translation technology, it’s easy to assume that the need to use more than one language will diminish—but Marek Kohn argues that plural language use is more important than ever. In a divided world, it helps us to understand ourselves and others better, to live together better, and to make the most of our various cultures. […Learn More]

Don’t Believe a Word: The Surprising Truth About Language

A linguist’s entertaining and highly informed guide to what languages are and how they function.

Think you know language? Think again.

There are languages that change when your mother-in-law is present.
The language you speak could make you more prone to accidents.
Swear words are produced in a special part of your brain. […Learn More]

Because Internet: Understanding the New Rules of Language

Because Internet is for anyone who’s ever puzzled over how to punctuate a text message or wondered where memes come from. It’s the perfect book for understanding how the internet is changing the English language, why that’s a good thing, and what our online interactions reveal about who we are.

Language is humanity’s most spectacular open-source project, and the internet is making our language change faster and in more interesting ways than ever before. Internet conversations are structured by the shape of our apps and platforms, from the grammar of status updates to the protocols of comments and @replies. […Learn More]

The Professor and the Madman

The Professor and the Madman is an extraordinary tale of madness, genius, and the incredible obsessions of two remarkable men that led to the making of the Oxford English Dictionary—and literary history. […Learn More]