The Evolution of 'Woke'Listen now | In this special crossover episode, John discusses the problem with "problematic" and tracks the shifting meaning of "cancel culture."
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Let Sleeping Dogs LayListen now | For his 150th episode, John argues that the distinction between "lie" and "lay" is an archaism we should abandon.
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You Are SO Articulate. Really.Listen now (38 min) | Juggling thousands of bizarre idioms, nuanced definitions and subtle rules, we somehow wield our language handily. We're amazing.
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The Luck of the PotListen now (6 min) | Does "potluck" have Native American origins?
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Also, how did the verb "to be" evolve into such an irregular mess?
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JFK's Most Famous SentenceListen now (43 min) | John McWhorter analyzes the profoundly resonant "Ask not" line, word for word.
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BONUS: English Is Hard Enough Without Antiquated DistinctionsListen now | Why John isn't backing down on lay-lie equivalency.
Reviving Dead LanguagesListen now | Bringing a language back to life is damned hard. So why resuscitate?
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Also, is Swahili as easy to learn as John suggests?
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The Haphazard History of CListen now (31 min) | How did Etruscan, a language that has been dead for 2,000 years, give rise to the third letter of our alphabet?
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Is Negro a Slur or Just Antiquated?Listen now (35 min) | And does the word "picnic" have a racist origin?
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Is "Knocked Up" Racist?Listen now (31 min) | Plus, some other pregnant expressions for with child.
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