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Was Batman a Linguist?
Also, are some languages more idiomatic than others?
 • 
John McWhorter
Come Again
How did "come" take on a sexual meaning?
 • 
John McWhorter
4:14
3

March 2024

Come Under Scrutiny
Unpacking the humble verb "to come," a tireless workhorse of the English language.
 • 
John McWhorter
25:32
6

January 2024

Did Every Language Evolve from Just One?
Also, does John have a favorite extinct language?
 • 
John McWhorter
6
Our Bodies, Ourselves, Our Buttocks
Talk amongst yourselves!
 • 
John McWhorter
7:38
3

December 2023

Have Your Own Damn Self a Merry Little Christmas
Behave yourself! Uh, who else am I gonna behave if not myself?
 • 
John McWhorter
28:14
6
From Grunts to Special Grunts
A bit more on the origin of language.
 • 
John McWhorter
4:13
11

November 2023

From Bethune to Rascoe
On the evolving expectations of how a Black woman could and should sound.
 • 
John McWhorter
4:09
6
When Did People Start Talking?
We used to think that language was about 50,000 years old and originated in Europe. We were wrong on both counts.
 • 
John McWhorter
30:11
14

October 2023

Sheriff, Plaintiff, Bailiff,
Why are there so many -iff words in law enforcement? Plus, the evolution of Word!
 • 
John McWhorter

September 2023

Who's Afraid of Ayesha Rascoe?
Is the voice of NPR's Weekend Edition Sunday host truly grating or just too Black?
 • 
John McWhorter
32:03
42
What Is Yiddish?
Jewish languages are examples par excellence of the Miami English phenomenon.
 • 
John McWhorter
6:41
8
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